Thursday, October 21, 2021

Nearly time!

 


Nearly time for the launch show on Saturday. Lots of launch bundles packed and ready to go, but still working on some samples.

I mentioned over on social media that the show is also an anniversary of sorts. 10 years ago I made my first appearance on craft tv. It lasted a whole of 15 minutes! We sold out of the DVDs that we took, and the rest of the show was dedicated to a sewing machine. I was very lucky that Debbie Shore was my first presenter, she made it very easy for me!

Before that, I was working to commissions, researching, teaching and demonstrating the work of the 15th century silkwoman at re-enactments. There was a very small group of us - before us, no one demonstrated silkwomen, and only a very few had even heard of them - now there are quite a few young woman doing this. That's really nice. 

But I never thought, in a million years that anyone beyond the living history / costume crown would ever be interested in learning these things - so thank you all!

15 comments:

  1. Merry Anniversary To You!
    It is now officially fall and chilly here - I had to put on my Irish wool sweater to fix breakfast! And the heater came on three times before 9:30 am!
    Safe and well! xxx

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  2. Outstanding show! You and Miss Jan were in top form. Can't remember the last time I laughed aloud at something said in TV, but J. got me with her Dorset buttons comment ;). And you sold out of everything!!! Hope you took the time for a feet up, refreshing beverage evening before leaping into speed shipping mode? Oh, liked the blouse - lively pattern but not overwhelming and sets off your colouring well.
    Cack! There is a party three doors west of us that has both a live band, karioke, and a D.J. - thank goodness they will shut down at midnight.
    We are safe and well and will stay that way, and you and M. and T. stay safe and well also. Hugs all around. xxxx

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    1. Thank you so much. It was a fun show, and thank you about the top. Dark greens are good for me, but not always available - this season there seems to be more, so I have managed to find a few recently! Not much time really, the bundles have a lot of components so busy right away. It's a long week, but we aren't complaining! I hope the party wasn't too bad. There are some benefits of going a little deaf I find. ;) Stay safe and well both of you, and I'm sorry it took me a while to reply xx

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    2. The party shut down in a timely fashion and all visitors left quietly -a blessing!
      Don't fuss about reply time - I would only start to worry if there was also nothing at all on the Facebook page or Instagram.
      I know you are all just packing like mad but I'm sure you had all the stuff laid out pretty much in order and ready to roll. Hope the wood turner wasn't too surprised to have sold out - both tools looked like nice quality pieces. Anyhow, enjoy each others company while you get it all sorted and out.
      We are safe and well but chilly - 52' at 8am - and the house is full of drafts. Socks, shawls, laprobes and sitting close together. I know I'll be fussing about the heat soon, but it really is cooler than it should be!
      You all stay safe and well too. Hugs all around. xxxx

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    3. Just looked at the Instagram page - the green deaths heads arranged that way make me think of a fussy-cut quilt pattern or a nice plate of salad! xx

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    4. Home from my button club and it is 84' - 1:30pm - thank goodness for ac in car! xx

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    5. But do you remember rolodex? (Is that how it was spelled?) That's what they reminded me of.
      Goodness me, and I thought autumn was proving odd for us. That's some serious temperature changes! I don't mind layering, so long as I can find the right layers to fit over the previous. We've had lovely days then terrible winds, then dark at 2 - very odd.
      We ordered the tools quite some time ago - and while there was a sell out on the show, we have stock. There are only some items (usually bundles) that we don't also stock. Although we are going to have twice as many boxes for them. They got lost on a Grand Tour of Europe (it was interesting to watch the tracking) and so were re-ordered by the company with a rush put on it. They arrived Friday afternoon right before the end of play for deliveries. Tried to cancel the new order (even had confirmation it has been) but yesterday had notice that my order is on its way...
      Ah, these things are sent to try us.
      Stay safe and well, both of you! And warm - or cool ;) xxx

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    6. Boxes! Hope the original order was undamaged and can be used for another batch of product - put on your thinking caps, kids!
      I am carefully @#!%^^&*()(picking gold thread out of a little piece - thought I could get away with a 4 ply cord :(. Dumb. Oh well, it all builds character although Don says I have enough and don't need any more.
      Windy but mild today - which is nice from the point of view of my toes and ankles but not good for the fire hazard. Even with a dollop of rain it is just terrifyingly dry over the entire West. Oh well, all we can do is be prepared and cross our fingers.
      Safe and warm. Hugs to all. xxx

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    7. Oh dear, yes it is coming into that time. I do hope you manage to get some rain soon.
      Did you manage to get the piece unpicked? That's the worse part of working small. It isn't as easy to change. I've thrown away a few embroideries intended for buttons because a colour wasn't right or too thick, as I just couldn't get the stuff out!
      Stay safe and well xx

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    8. Yes, I did manage to get all the gold thread safely out, even two eyelets! Softly, softly to catch that monkey!! Put silver into the teal piece and DMC fil d'or in the other -still not perfect but better and it will never be seen on a galloping needlebook! Luckily my fingers seem to remember how I put something in and that makes it much easier to undo.
      Stay safe and well. xxx

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    9. Let's see - measure twice, cut once - or in my case, baste all three fold lines before cutting. My sweet little Dutch sampler now has a very skimpy hem - less than a cm! Oh well, I do have some hem so won't fuss too much and try to remember next time to baste every single fold line and the final edge.
      Safe and well! xxx

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    10. A little hem just looks even more precise! You did it on purpose ;)

      Again, you really need to start a blog yourself, so that I can see all these projects you are working on!
      Stay safe and well both of you xxx

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    11. Dearest girl, if I could find some one who tells me how to blog in words I understand I would - it is like learning how to do anything , you have to understand the person telling you what to do and that has not happened yet with me and blogs and computers. It doesn't help that there have been so many failures - which makes me not want to do it. I tell people who want to learn to knit or crochet or embroider to look at all the books they can until they find someone who writes the way they think - then you understand, and all the other books make sense! I just haven't reached that point yet. Meanwhile, I'll ask Don to email you scans and notes - hope it reduces the frustration/irritation level ;).
      Safe and well, all of you. Hugs all around. xxx

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    12. That I understand! My Dad once tried to teach me to knit. My late mother-in-law tried on numerous occasions to teach me (she was an excellent knitter). I just could not grasp it for some reason. When she passed, I inherited her needles and so on. In amongst everything was a very old knitting book with broken spine and I tried one more time (otherwise I would have passed all the needles on). And I got it. Not that I have knitted anything of note, or even had time to practice, but I understood it.
      Off to read my email! Thank you! Stay safe and well xx

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    13. So glad you found someone who wrote the way you think! I am left handed and all the people trying to teach were right handed - but I am not profoundly left handed - just writing and drawing - so in 1969 I ran across a book that told how to use the left fingers to control and feed the yarn and the right hand to manipulate the needle - WOW! First thing I ever knitted was a complex 'art' piece with wandering cables and bobbles and texture (Woman's Day Magazine I think). Rather wish I had kept it - very avocado green and shag carpet, but hey, we were all into that then ;) Now I tend to knit in widely spaced spasms, but I do need to get myself in gear soonish - I said I would knit vests for a pair of dear friends who live high up in the Rocky Mountains. They are the only people I will knit for now because they do use things and are very appreciative.
      Glad you liked the sampler and it does seem rather nordic. I think the use of geometric patterns is interesting to follow around the world. I think my favorite bands are the squares and dots (4th up, far right) and the lion (6th down, left).
      Safe and well. xxx

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