Handmade365 + 4

Day four. I dug out my denim jacket this morning and an old favourite was lurking on the front. 

Back in the ethel & edna days I made loads of these badges. Letters Bondawebbed to felt, a bit of free motion stitch then out with my badge making machine. Once they're all put together I add teeny delica beads stitched on by hand with a very skinny beading needle. I did try adding the beads first. The result was a pile of powdered glass. Oops. 

When we opened the shop I sold lots of them. Letters and hearts and even hot air balloons. I've not made any for a long time but maybe for the run-up to Christmas...  They'd be nice little stocking fillers. Hmmm...

I'm getting quite inspired to get sewing some actual clothes having seen Rachelle's first week round-up. I bought a lovely piece of Italian tweed from the fabric stall on our market today. Tony dies fave some little gems and his prices are great. 

I've been back on my Pinterest and looked at the Skirt Love and F-rock On boards.  Itching to get stitching.  And as I'm off tomorrow I may just have to have a little dabble. 

Ooh nearly forgot part two of my little review of Yarndale. 

Having spent all of our cash (no cashpoints at the Auction Mart) we decided to venture into Skipton town. The bus dropped us on the high street and we wandered along to Coopers cafe 

or, more importantly, the Open Studio event upstairs.  This studio belongs to Tracey of Handmade Over Yonder and Lucy of Attic 24.

This is the ever-so-slightly-star struck Mrs H sitting at Lucy's desk. It's a lovely bright space for such a small old building and the staircase...  Narrow and steep and twisty.  Only a fraction of the population could get up and down those steps. 

There were several lovely ladies selling their goodies beside Tracy. I bought yesterday's brooch from The Beady Bird. I also bought a fab bundle of Liberty loveliness from Tracy.  It's too dark to post a picture tonight but they are great. Teeny prints and some very old ones amongst them. Perfect for my titchy hexies. 

Well after that surreal little visit we toddled back into town for some lunch. After much indecision we did classic pub grub - scampi and chips. But we sat outside!  It was so warm. Fabulous stuff for the end of September.  I couldn't wait to get hooking so I cracked open my new Proknit hooks and some chunky yarn and started a huge foundation chain for a ripply idea I have. 

So - to sum up - Yarndale was fabulous. The weather, the food, the venue, the planning, the whole shebang was perfect. Next year we will be back as customers definitely and, who knows, maybe as vendors...

ttfn

Handmade 365 + 3

So although it's only my second day playing it's really the third day of Handmade365. Maybe I should photograph two items one day to catch up. 

Today's little treasure was only purchased at the weekend but I loves it. My precious. 

It was made by The Beady Bird and purchased from her whilst I was in Skipton this weekend. She was selling her goodies from The Studio shared by Lucy (Attic 24) and Tracy (.   ). 

And why was I in Skipton?  One word. Yarndale. 

This amazing little woolly shindig was dreamt up by Lucy and six of her Knit and Natter chums and developed into a fabulous yarn festival. 

Three Sewing Shop hookers (me, Sandra and Laura) sallied forth, spent a night in Keighley then caught the train to Skipton. At the station a special bus was waiting to pick us up and shuttle us to the sheep pens at Skipton Auction Mart. Cute. Inside it had been yarn-bombed, as had much of the venue. 

How fabulous is this?!?  What a spectacular entrance. Crocheted bunting from literally all over the world. 

Everything about the show was perfect. Even our sausage sarnies for breakfast at the auction cafe. The ladies who fed and watered everybody there deserved medals. They worked so hard and the food was scrummy. None of your pre-packed, over-priced NEC fayre. It was 'real' food. Yum! 

Highlight of the day?  Meeting the lovely Lucy herself.  Sandra almost shed a tear, she was so overwhelmed to meet her.  And she is such a humble, 'normal' person to chat to. She still doesn't seem to know quite what an effect and influence she has on the world of crochet. 

Sandra made her day (I think) by being the first person to ask for her autograph. It was fab to see all the blankets, cushions and other work we know and love from Attic24. And even the green cord Boden coat was there!  

Despite it being a busman's holiday, we did shop. When you're a yarn addict and surrounded by stalls what's a girl to do?  

These chaps weren't for sale but I did buy some alpaca yarn...amongst others. 

Other faces from the show:

 

We persuaded Mr Hillard to drive over and meet us for tea and a catch-up which was fab. We've really missed him since our weekend away. 

He truly 'kept it real' this time - pasty and mushy peas for lunch!!  Sauce bottle on the table. Mugs of tea. Tee hee. He did look fab in his purple tweed waistcoat with matching man-bag though.  We let him autograph our bags as well. 

Can't wait to get him back to Lichfield for a workshop or two. 

Right.  I'll blog Part two of our adventures in Yorkshire tomorrow. 

ttfn x