Starting and Not Finishing

Its been over a week since I last blogged - 'Why' you may ask - well I've started loads of things and not finished any of them and I always like to post some photos of something that I've made or that someone else has.  So this week I haven't anything to show for my time, which leads me to think I need to start focussing a bit more. 

Here are a list of projects that I have on the go:

• Felt purse with white hearts - half beaded with seed beads
• Nuno felt waist coat - felted but needs shaping and edging
• Mosaic door number - waiting to be grouted
• Knitted rabbit - only the head exists
• Mosaic cottage name - the name is almost complete, but its still waiting for the background

So, this week I promise that I am going to complete at least half of these projects and will finish them all before I move onto anything new!

Talking of new projects, our little Thursday night craft club is going to move onto making something from recycled material after we have finished our latest projects.  I think we should have a competition to see who makes the best recycled product - I will think of a suitable prize!!

New Ebid Shop

We set up a our Savvy Sister's shop on Ebid.co.uk this week - SavvySisters Ebid Store.  So far, we haven't had any sales but fingers crossed.  We are getting quite a few sales via Ebay, a few through Amazon and of course we seem to be selling a steady trickle through Coldharbour Mill.  Wendy has taken our felt making kits to some of the shops in Oakham to see if they will stock them and she has also made contact with a lady who is interested in running felt making workshops with Help the Aged.  So, slowly but steadily our little business grows.

We have also been playing around with Nuno Felt - this is where you felt wool into silk.  Wendy has made a cape, which isn't quite finished yet and I made a bag to go with the scarf I made a couple of weeks ago.  Here a photo:

My nuno felt bag

Mosaic has been the focus of our Thursday night craft club, we haven't got any completed articles yet, they still need grouting so watch this space - we should have some lovely photos for next week. Sadly we are losing a member of little club - Eva, she is leaving Taunton to start a new job in Gloucester.  We'll miss her cheerfulness but wish her good luck with her new venture!

Eva off to Gloucester

Quite A While

Well, its well over a week since I last blogged - I've been soooo busy. 

Dunster Country fair on the 27th July was very hectic - there seemed to be thousands of people coming in out of the craft tent, Jeanette, Lydia and I must have made 100s of flower brooches between us.  We sold about 8 felt making kits and a bit of wool - just enough to cover costs.  Rob Lock, an old work colleague and his wife Fiona visited us - they rolled up their sleeves and made a flower brooch each:

Rob found a new use for the wool!

Rob & Fiona Felting

We met a fascinating lady at the show who worked in Tajikistan, next door to Afganistan, as a teacher.  In addition to working with children she also worked voluntarily with women who were ostracised from their community.  She believed that felt making would be an ideal confidence builder for these poor ladies and possibly a way for them to earn a little money.  She is going to keep in touch and hopefully will be able to write a regular piece about her work over there on our website once its up and running.

Next event on the 30th July - Coldharbour Mill Wool & Craft fair was excellent - we all really enjoyed ourselves and met many like-minded folk.  We used the new gazebo in anger and it did marvously, we were the first stall people hit as they came over the bridge into the courtyard:

Ready to go!

Scott & Zac at the Gazebo



We did really well, sold loads of starter kits, wool tops and made quite a number of flower brooches.  One young girl (Pickle Lily) from the comment below - was really interested and is now spending many a busy  hour making felt presents for her friends and family.  Its great when we spark off such enthusiasm, she has even written her own instructions!!  Pickle Lily's Felt Flower Brooch Instructions.
Coldharbour Mill had sold 3 out of the 4 kits that I originally dropped off at their shop a few weeks ago and asked me to give them 9 more, we've hopefully started a little felt making craze.

Finally - I spent whole of last week on a Prince2 Project Manager's course up in Bristol.  It was very intense and I'm not sure that I've passed :-( fingers and toes crossed I would rather not have to retake it!

Dunster Country Fair T-1 & Some More Makings

Dunster Country Fair
We are off to Dunster Country Fair tomorrow and are busy getting the stall together.  Jeanette from our Thursday craft night is coming to help me as Wendy is working.  I'm determind to travel a little lighter than last time - I think I took everything including the kitchen sink to the Taunton Show - my challenge it to fit everything into the car including Scott.  I've coerced Scott (my son) into helping us with the fetching, carrying and setting up of the stall - no doubt it will cost me dearly, probably a new pair of trainers!

Workshop Results
Although we didn't get enough folk to run our first Taunton workshop, the adverts for the workshop found us a new member called Maria for our Thursday craft get together.  Maria came along to my house on Saturday and we spent a very pleasant day felting under the new gazebo in our back garden.  Maria made a felt bag, she has promised to send me a photo of the finished product and I made a silk nuno scarf.

My Nuno Scarf

Maria Laying out the Wool

As usual Wendy has also been busy, she has finished off her felt underwater scene that she started on holiday.  Its truly beautiful - I don't think the photo does it justice.



Close up

Underwater Sea Scene

Quiet & Sad Week

Workshop Update
Its been a very quiet week - we've still only one person booked on our little felt making workshop on the 23rd.  Its a bit disappointing but we've come to a number of conclusions about this:

• Its the wrong time of year - start of the school holidays
• Financial climate
• Not many people are aware of what felt making is
• A whole day's workshop is too long to start off with
• Cost

So, we have a plan to remedy these issues:

• Hold the next on in the autumn
• Run the workshop for just 1/2 a day rather than a full day at half the cost
• Have stalls on as many garden fetes and low cost events to spread the word about felt making

Onwards and upwards!

Website Update
Stuart, our web designer has been busy putting our website together - he has now produced the first draft.   We still have a few more changes to make - but here is your first preview:

Sad News
Wendy had some sad news this week, her father-in-law Arthur died on Monday after a lengthy illness.  Arthur was a veteran of the wartime Russian conveys and the liberation of Jersey, he was a quartermaster on HMS Beagle and after the war worked for the water authority .  Wendy's husband Mick was very close to his dad - so our thoughts are with him and the rest of the family.

Next Craft Shows
We have two shows coming up, firstly http://www.dunstercountryfair.co.uk/wordpress/ on the 27th July and also don't forget the Coldharbour Mill Wool & Craft Fair on July 30th

Cold Harbour Mill!

Brilliant news - Cold Harbour Mill has agreed to sell our felt making starter kits!!  I left one each of the Deluxe, Hunky Dory and Bare Essentials kits with them.  They are also interested in me doing some mini brooch workshops like we did at the Taunton Show - we have an outlet!!!

My Sister's Wonderful Blanket

Wendy really puts me to shame, she makes such wonderful things, works full-time, looks after her family, walks her dogs and cycles, I just don't know how she does it!  Anyway, she has knitted this lovely blanket - its absolutely amazing and what am I knitting you may ask??  A chicken - hardly in the same league lol!

Wendy's Knitted Blanket