Morning Market

 

I was happy with Saturday's morning market. I sold two pairs of socks and a pair of gloves, plus all four puppets that I took along. Both pairs of socks were the lacy ones - note to self.  I didn't sell any yarn. Everyone I spoke to said they don't knit or no longer knit. I'm pretty sure there are knitters out there, so I shall persist. 

I bought some more petunia seedlings as well as pansies. And two ceramic mixing bowls that I've been looking for since mine broke. I was pretty restrained and managed to come home with more noney than I left with! 

Preparing For Market

 

I'm preparing sock kits for Saturday's markets, enough yarn and a pattern to knit a pair of woman's socks. After complaining about other people's patterns, I've tried to make mine short but clear. I won't know if I've succeeded until I can get someone to try it out. 

 I found my mohair labels from a previous existence;  I've written 'wool' on top of the mohair bit, so I even have a label. My LYS (local yarn shop) says they have sock needles in stock, so I'll be able to tell people where to go when they say, 'I'd like to knit socks, but I don't have needles'! 

A Diversion

 

The little fellow who comes to me for sewing lessons is turning 8 next week. With the weather getting colder, I thought he might like a cap and mittens. I used a pattern from The Ashford Book of Spinning by Anne Field. I didn't use handspun yarn though. I thought acrylic would be more practical, so I used yarn left over from other projects. The pattern works them flat, but I knitted the hat with a circular needle and mittens with double pointed needles. I think they're neater that way. 

Marmalade

 Remember the tree that split under the weight of its fruit? One section fell down altogether, when the  fuit was still very green. We hoped the fruit would ripen, but it didn't and had to be discarded - four buckets full. The fruit on the rest of the tree is starting to ripen now.

 On Sunday I found enough ripe naartjies (tangerines) for a batch of marmalade. I used this recipe.

It came out really well. There were four bottles, but I gave one to my neighbour before I took a photo. There are plenty more naartjies on the tree, so I will be making more as they ripen. Jack might have to replace the tree, which would mean a few years before I can make naartjie marmalade again. 

Another Pair Of Socks

 

After a bit of a diversion to knit a hat for an order, I've finished knitting these socks in handspun wool. The next market is on 14th May, so I might have time for another pair. Though there are always diversions to be had! 

Boxes

 

Our paper flowers and boxes project went very well yesterday.  We managed to finish in one session, which was good because we had two little school girls with us who will be back at school next week. One of the girls is the great granddaughter of one of our craft group members and the other her neighbour. Hearts, beads, glitter, there was more bling than on my original sample! 

Chaos Reigns

 

One of the ladies in the craft group I am now running (eek!) in a retirement home, told me recently that she only wants to do sewing projects, not paper projects. She has my sympathy, I'd choose fabric over paper any day of the week, but it's impractical to exclude paper altogether. I'm preparing tomorrow's project. 

I came across this gerbera type paper flower on Pinterest here. It's pretty simple to make, everyone in the group should manage it. But what to do with the flowers? 

I thought I'd make use of these boxes I was given. The box is sturdy, but covered in writing. I tried painting over the writing, but that didn't work, so I turned a box inside out and then painted it. I know the group members will decorate the boxes much more elaborately than I have, but I've made a sample to give them the idea. Now to assemble anything and everything that could be used for the job, from paper and templates to beads and ribbons.