Beaker Button Blog

Its been a Bloody awful week.  The rule of threes applied, with my Mum ending up up in hospital, the clutch going on my new car (£455) and my husband being rushed into hospital with chest pains.  So on Thursday I was tearing my hair out and trying to put on a cheerful face for my customers.  And then the Manos Maxima in the most beautiful shades of purple came in, and life was suddenly OK.  I did try to resist, for a good five minutes, but I need a new jumper, especially as I'm still figuring out the heating in the shop.  And if people can see how lovely something looks when its knitted up they are more likely to buy it, so its good advertising.  But what finished my will to resist was how soft and purple it was.  I'm  sucker for purple at the best of times, but when I'm low, and life is hard, and the worry is threatening to overwhelm me I have no power to resist.  So I'm a third of the way through a simple long sleeved stocking stitch j...

I had to leave my shop for two whole days (please image that sentence spoken in a whinging accent) this weekend.  My Mum ran things instead, and a very good job she did too.  Although it was slightly disconcerting to come into the shop this afternoon and discover the mess she'd been making with our new drum carder.  On the other hand we now have some beautiful art batts for sale!  The reason I had to leave my shop for two days was the Appleshaw School fair, which went ok, despite the cramp in my arm from the huge amount of crochet I did, and the Andover Farmers Market, where we met lots of very nice people wanting yarn and workshops and fleece and all the other lovely things we do.  So it was worth missing the shop for to days I guess.  I did learn that my mittens, which I'd designed for the Christmas kits we're selling, are fantastic for knitting outside, because they leave the fingers free but keep the whole hand warm.  I'll have to keep a pair in my...

I am frantically making mittens and kits and buttons for the Appleshaw School Christmas fair and the Andover Christmas Fair this weekend.  I thought I'd have enough time to sort everything out but what a surprise, it seems to be disappearing at a rate of knots.  However, our first Dorset Button workshop was a roaring success and all enjoyed themselves, especially me.  By the time my ladies left they were inventing styles of their own.  How clever are they!  I've included photos of the mittens, made with Artesano classica, although the ones I'm making for the Christmas fairs are in Maxima because its so soft.  Come on weekend, I can cope!

So much has happened this week and I melted my computer on Friday so I haven't been able to write about it.  I've borrowed my hubby's computer for this post.  I bought a new one (laptop not hubby) but a very nice man has it so he can add the stuff from my old laptop to the new one (I hope).  On Wednesday I was in Birmingham for the Ostomy Lifestyle Fashion show, as a model.  I got to parade up and down the catwalk in someone else's underwear to promote positive living for people with stomas.  Mavis (my stoma) was very well behaved and I met a bunch of brave, fabulous, incredible people who have all been through terrible times, and manage to keep smiling.  I laughed lots, got very nervous and spent the whole evening on a high (and my hair was amazing)! On Saturday we had the grand opening for the shop, where I met another bunch of lovely people, some of whom stayed and knitted with us, or tried out our giant needles, and ate the mini ca...

I have managed to put all the furniture up in the shop and I've started putting yarn on the shelves, and some of the other stock out.  Its all so exciting and I can't stop smiling.  I have more to put out tomorrow and lots of stock coming in the next few days.  We're talking to a very nice man about stocking his spinning equipment.  His stuff is really unusual, and more affordable than traditional wheels.  Watch this space.  The only problem is I keep stopping to look at the yarn and imagine what I'd do with it.  Must get more discipline!

I'm very excited.  I've put in an order for the shop with Fyberspates, who make the most beautiful wool, with the most gorgeous colours.  I can't wait to see it all.  Its less than a week to go before I get the shop keys and I can start putting up furniture and stocking the shelves.  I'm going to start writing some of my designs as well.  I can sell them as a file send or a download, if I can work out how to do it.  Just got to figure out how to sell stuff through the website, work out the kinks so to speak, and we're off.  I've included some photos of the new yarn to be below. http://www.fyberspates.co.uk/ scrumptious

Its weird not to be at work.  I am enjoying the having to get up to knit though.  I'm getting lots of stock ready for the Museum of Army Flying craft fair on 11th October.  The website is getting there slowly.  I've decided to take my own photos as the Artesano CD hasn't arrived.  The ones I've taken so far look much better than the ones I downloaded from the Artesano website.  I think the file sizes are too small.  I've bought most of the furniture for the studio from Ikea.  Now I just have to keep making stock and this time next month the studio will be open.  Very exciting. Being right of the day: 'I told you it was going to rain' in response to the torrential downpour we had about 4pm. I've added some of the yarn which is now on the website.