Truly chuffed !!

Am chuffed to bits I managed to complete two clutch bags for my online shop today, haven't listed them yet but couldn't wait to post pics

The one in above pic has been needle-felted and embroidered, I also embroidered a tiny rosebud on scrap fabric and use a self-covering button to add interest to bag flap. Needless to say very little sock knitting was achieved today !!

"It's Amazing.... All That You Can Do"

Harvest Time (or 'Oh yes!! I've finally grown some edible veg')

Today was a great day for this amateur veggie grower, whilst I have been growing vegetables, rather haphazardly, for a number of years now, this year has provided the best harvest.  Despite only moving here 9 months ago (got the keys 2 days before christmas, gulp!) my husband and I threw ourselves into the garden with much gusto.  For various health reasons I decided on raised beds, we built 3 large ones and a smaller one relatively quickly, husband then filled them with topsoil transported from the unwanted rockery we had inherited in our back garden  - he was a total saint, although I must say I did have the thoughtfulness of buying him a wheelbarrow !!!  Next on our 'to do' list was a herb garden and again husband came up trumps and so I was able to start the growing season with everything insitu.  

Despite the wettest summer for years we were able to grow and eat many varieties of veg/salad this summer. Now autumn is upon us and the onions,potatoes,tomatoes etc are all harvested, I have just realised that EVERYTHING veggie to be used in tonight's dinner has been grown in our garden - potatoes, cabbage, carrots, onions, mushrooms,peppers,herbs, ... ooh and the eggs are from our chickens,  it's a good feeling to reap the reward of all the hard work.  The only job left out there for me now is caterpillar hunting - the little darlings are determined to strip the brussels sprout plants, every day, twice a day I'm out there ferreting out the devious little blighters, I have to keep them in a box with a nice juicy leaf, so when husband takes the dogs for a walk later he also takes the caterpillars and 'rehomes' them far, far away (he cannot bring himself to squash them).

Still working hard on the new 'Cobweb' range of bags for betsy-blue, this is the new colour range I am currently doing: 

And yes I'm still knitting daughters socks, on 2.5mm dpns it's taking a little longer than I thought but I do so enjoy watching the stripey pattern appear :)

"Its Amazing.... All That You Can Do"

Tea & Yarn

Well, the trip to cafeknit in Lavenham was worth the effort, such a gorgeous display and choice of yarns !! Tagged along with my mother,sister & niece, my sister was driving so made the effort to be well prepared - flask of coffee, book, chocolate, warm blanket - I may have only been travelling 35 miles to our destination but this is the same sister who drove home via wales from birmingham NEC a few years ago (we live in Suffolk !!) Her sense of direction is legendary, hence sensible precautions are necessary ie. cancel all plans for the following day as you can be sure we won't be home 'til midnight.
Anyway, the shop was fantastic, the coffee & smoked salmon bagel were delicious and I may just have bought a few more skeins for my 'collection'. Decided on the Opal fairies & elves for daughters socks (pinkish), bought some Orfordness yarn for myself as I use to live in Orford and have most likely petted those sheep at some point. Couldn't resist the knitting kit for a beaded scarf, very yummy colour options, eventually chose very pale rose pink with tiny seed pearls to knit into scarf.
The best bit about the shop - you can sit and knit !! that's right - knit away, coffee and cake to the side and enjoy the company of fellow knitters, if only there was a shop like this on my doorstep.
The rest of my family were as tempted as I am and we all came away happy and enthusiastic about our next projects. My mother is an excellent prolific knitter, even if I sat forever knitting I still could not hope to be as exact as she is (she is also the poor soul who has to unravel/pick up my knitting disasters and take calls at 11pm demanding the explanation of kfb & double moss stitch)
Called in at a local fabric shop on journey home to pick up some chain for clutch bag handles and found the most perfect fabric for the range of cushions Betsy-Blue will be launching very soon. As well as bags & purses I also embroider throws (ideal for chilly autumnal days/evenings) and this rich brown chrysanthemum head throw is perfect for complementing current decor trends.  

Husband is on supper duty today, so am now off to cast on.... just need to choose which one !!

"It's Amazing..... All That You Can Do"

Finished in time !

Wahoo.. have finished my Noro Silk Garden Socks, just in time as this means I can visit a new (to me) yarn shop in Lavenham tomorrow, with no current work-in-progress on my needles :)  Btw I had exactly 22 inches of yarn left from skein, causing me many a worry for the last hour of knitting, gulp.  The freedom of choice for next project is overwhelming, oh wait, i just remembered I have promised to knit a pair of socks for my daughter (she is 20, currently at uni and suffers from cold tootsies).  Hmm.. well as long as the yarn is pink I don't think I can go far wrong.  She was never a 'girly girl' as a youngster but the pink theme has slowly been creeping up through to adulthood.  Anyway, it still means I can seek out something new for myself, roll on tomorrow !!

"Its Amazing.... All That You Can Do"

Welcome to my blog !!

After spending so many hours in front of the sewing & embroidery machines I decided I needed to look for alternative crafts for relaxation.... and very recently rediscovered my love of knitting.  In particular handknitted socks, although to be honest I have only made a few pairs until now.  My first effort a few years ago was chewed by the new puppy Blue, whilst still on the needles !  My second attempt was pretty impressive if I may say so.... and I wore them with pride, handwashed them, worshipped them and then one day I rather thoughtlessly threw them into the washing machine and being mostly wool they felted rather impressively (sad to say I couldn't part with my first effort and they sit in a drawer, mocking me for my foolishness everytime I open said drawer)
This time round I put thought, time and effort into selecting the yarn and pattern, waltzed along to Twist in Woodbridge (a rather glorious local wool shop) to make my purchases and promptly fell in love with a totally different yarn, the Noro Silk Garden Sock wool.  Have successfully completed the first one and am halfway through it's mate, shown below.  Hopefully time and experience will improve m

 I am 'jack of all trades' crafter whose main love is designing and handcrafting Bags :)  I have an online boutique, www.betsy-blue.co.uk  where I sell embroidered, needle felted and embellished purses, throws and bags made by myself along with finishing touches for 'prettying up' your home. y ability but in the meantime... what the heck - I am loving them !!

Noro Silk Garden sock yarn

On the bag designing front I have just finished a rather gorgeous Alpaca yarn embellished clutch purse.  This fabric was double layered, needle felted, embellished with Alpaca yarn and then embroidered over the surface before construction commenced.  This a sneak-peek of the clutch, it still needs some finishing touches and a far superior photographer !!  Am now in middle of making a tote bag to complete the set.

Cobweb Clutch

"Its Amazing.... All That You Can Do"