New Wool Order :)

Oh my gosh look what came in the post for me today - also included was 'Grannys gone wild' and a pack of wool sewing needles.

I thought eventually I might make an afghan throw or blanket for us; some of them look quite complicated though!

Now that I have smaller sized wool needles I was able to sew in the loose ends on those purple-y wrist warmers I'd made for myself in the 4-ply. I love them!

I also made this pair for myself but it's an AWFUL photo as Peter is over in England and I had to snap it myself, and in poor light to boot!



They're made in the Noro Kuryan (spelling?) 100% wool and are FAB, the colours are much nicer in real life. I'm really happy with them too. So I now have three pairs of 'proper' wrist warmers :)

I must get back to making some to try and sell on Etsy.

I've just had a message from a lady in America about the black with white flecks but I'm not sure if I'm making her a pair to measure or selling the pair I'd listed in my shop - either option is grand with me so I'm waiting for her to get back to me about it

Something Nice for Myself

I've been making a pair of wristwarmers for MYSELF!

They're in 4-ply, which is so fine; it really has taken some getting used to as it's like working with thread compared to Aran weight or even double knitting (I've been working with mostly Aran weight)

It's so slow to work with and I found that so frustrating at first, as I tend to crochet very quickly and am used to things just taking a couple of hours and then they're done and I move on to the next thing....but 4-ply takes FOREVER!



I know this sounds really philosophical but I've now realised that this isn't necessarily a bad thing, as it means that each piece takes longer, so in a weird kind of way it's saving me money (because normally the more I make, the more I want to make more...so I buy more and more wool!) -- fuzzy logic I guess, but that's how my brain works! It makes sense to me anyway.




Added to that, the colours in this yarn are just beautiful so it's a pleasure to work with now that I'm used to it! It looks so neat!

I've got one all finished (apart from tidying in the loose ends) and am about half way up the second one - I can't wait to be able to wear them :)

In fact, I like it so much that I've bought myself another ball of this purple, and also a midnight blue (and I think another...it's a bit of a blur when I start ordering wool *blush*) Oh I think I got one with shades of red in it too.

I should get my next order from Springwools early next week - hopefully on Monday, but I only ordered it on Friday afternoon so I think it mightn't be til Tuesday. I managed to spend more than ever this time but it'll have to last now until I make some more sales.

I've got eleven pairs of wrist warmers listed on Etsy now - all different, and my two ruffley bags, a beach bag and two peg bags...I've ''only'' had three sales so far this month (and two of them were crochet hooks) and I'm trying not to stress so much about it. I keep telling myself that the 'right' person for each piece will be the one who eventually buys it...but I want them to hurry up and find it now!!!

As you can see from the first photo, the weather was so great today that I was able to sit out on a deckchair and work in the garden :)

More Wrist Warmers

I seem to spend all my time making these guys just lately, but that's ok and they do (sometimes!) seem to sell well on Etsy, and locally too...

These are the ones I've made since my last post...








All from lovely Springwools wool :)

I'm thinking this great big chunk of driftwood might make a better backdrop for the photos for wrist warmers etc - it's more 'bland' than the blue walls of our shed and house! I think it looks kind of cool...

I've started making a pair of wristers in 4-ply yarn this afternoon, but oh gosh it's so fine...it will take me forever! It's beautiful though, deep deep shades of purple (my favourite colour) and 75% wool - I may keep them for myself :)

Treasuries and Etsy Sales

I am so bowled over (and mega-impressed!) but I've had 15 sales from my Etsy shop!! I've only been listing stuff on there since July (I think) so I'm really happy with that.

It's wierd but some times things sell just after listing them - literally within hours or a couple of days, but other stuff has been there all Summer. But I guess eventually it will happen, I need to be more patient...not easy, I know!

A quick update -- the Autumnal Tivoli Ocean ones I mentioned before sold very quickly; then Michelle from Growveg bought the Irish rose scarf/wrap, then the chocolate brown mohair mix ones sold, then a pair of King Cole Riot berry colours sold to the lovely Jacquie, then I made a pair of the same ones for Pepper from Growveg (and she also bought the soft blue cowl), then I sold another pair of the Tivoli Ocean blue wristers (love them so much!) and then finally I sold a pair of the black and white Tivoli Colourblend wristers!

Gosh, that does sound like a lot, doesn't it?! Jana from the Island bought a pair of the black and purple Tivoli Colourblend wristers just today so I've deactivated that listing. I must make another pair to relist though but there's no rush!

Oh gosh...

How hopeless am I at keeping this updated? - don't answer...I already know.

My lovely wool order from September arrived, and just the other day I placed another oreder with them (lovely Springwools up in Dublin)



Isn't this like a lovely snuggly box of chocolates? Most of it is all going to go on stuff to sell on Etsy but I decided to treat myself to some post yarn so I bought two balls of Noro Kureyon for a pair of wrist warmers or something for MYSELF!! It's 100% wool and has the most gorgeous colours! It'd be great in a hat, but I don't really wear hats so I'll have to think of something else :)

I ordered some more of the Tivoli Colourblend, which crochets up very well - I already had the white and black, and the purple and black before so I bought a couple of balls of the green and black to try too...




I'd also ordered some more of the King Cole riot yarn in Autumnal colours, and got some of their metallic silver/grey too, to see how that goes...hopefully all this will sell!



I got my big boxful of lovely stuff this afternoon when I came home to work :) and have already started on a pair of wristers in the Freedom Spirit by Twilleys of Stamford - it's gorgeous: 100% wool but it doesn't have that scratchiness you sometimes get with wool. It's a lovely colour, like raspberries and other nice things; I'd buy this again (maybe try other colours next time as well)

Updated... :)

Wow those Autumnal wristers sold within a few hours of listing them on Etsy!!!

I've sent them off this morning so hopefully they will get to their new home really soon.

I've finished the blue wristers for Áine so will bring them in to work tomorrow and hopefully catch up with her some time over the next few days.

I'm working on another pair of blue ones now, for Etsy...no rush on these so I'm taking my time :)

I'd a message on facebook today to say that my wool order went off in today's post so just MAYBE it might come tomorrow? We'll see...

this is what I ordered

Tivoli Surf #924
King Cole Riot Double Knitting #406
Tivoli Tweed Aran #792
Tivoli Colour Blend Aran #622
Tivoli Colourblend Aran #620
Tivoli Ocean Aran #164
Tivoli Ocean Aran #162

so I can keep track of which ones I like the most

Wrist wamers and new wool

On the strength of my recent sales boom (yippee!) I have just ordered some new wools from the lovely Springwools shop up in Dublin (god bless the internet) - can't wait for it all to arrive, but I guess it won't be here now til Monday at the earliest.

More wool!! I know I don't really NEED it, but it talks to me from their lovely website and I can't resist...and of course it's always nice to get new things in the post...

I've been busy making more wrist warmers the last couple of days - I feel kind of 'lost' if I don't have something on the go...

These ones I just listed on Etsy today - made from more of the Tivoli 'Ocean' yarn (I should be sponsored by them!)-- very Autumnal so hopefully they will sell pretty quickly...we'll see...




Now that they are finished I am making the pair of 'Ocean' blue ones for Áine from the island :)I've them nearly finished - just the picot edging on the bottom of them and sewing up the loose ends.

Once I've those ones finished I'll be making another pair (I love making wrist warmers!) from the rest of the other 'ocean' yarn - it'll be bright turquoise and pinks so we'll see how they turn out...hard to match up the colours to get a 'pair' of mits...

MORE SALES! Oh my goodness!

Oh I'm a hopeless blogger I think - sigh!

Since I last blogged (!) I finished Helen's order and she has it now and said that it's all lovely and that the mits fit ok (phew, I thought they might be a bit on the small side)

Then the other day I had not one but two Etsy sales -- someone had bought two pairs of my wristwarmers!! Wow!!! I am just bowled over by that! I wish I could ask them about it...so many questions...why did they choose those two pairs...how did they find my page...who are they for?



These are the ones they've bought (and which are now somewhere between me and New York) -- I love these peacock coloured ones, they would look so stunning with a snuggly black coat in the winter...they're made from the Tivoli 'Ocean' yarn too so they look different in differnt lights...not always so bright!


Then just last night Shelle on growveg bought my Rose of Tralee scarf :) I made this months ago and I really hope she will like it -- it took ages to do, not so much the scarf itself (which was quite simple) but making all the leaves and flowers and then sewing them in - I have a 'thing' about sewing things in securely so everything is double or treble sewn in place!

Sales and Orders :)

Things have been really picking up for me in the last few days - first selling the blue wristers on Etsy, then the lovely Helen from Growveg has placed an order for a fluffy blue cowl AND a pair of blue wristwarmers (I've finished the cowl and am about 1/4 way up the first wrister so far) and then today the wonderful Áine bought a bag and the pair of kingfisher wristers AND wants me to make her a pair of the blue ones too!!

Wow!! I've already spent some of the money on some of Carrie's fab greetings cards and I guess I'll try and save (ha ha!) the rest to use towards my next wool order :)

I'm wanting to buy some plain black yarn for wristers, and Helen said a friend of hers might take a pair in dark red

Peacock Wristers

I finished these yesterday and am in love with them!

Oh the colours! I love that Ocean yarn from Tivoli - I've enough of this type for another pair of wristers but the next ones will be turqoise and pinks I think (it's hard to tell as the yarn is so random, but that's part of the fun!)

I've listed these on Etsy but could really do with some better photos - though these will do for now I think - better to have it up there and listed and then I can always give it a facelift later if there isn't any interest.

I made these in double crochet stitch through out with is great, as there is no 'seam' at all, though it does make them a snugger fit than the others I've made...but they are so comfy when they are on!

It's a new dawn...it's a new day.....

Many thanks to the wonderful Carrie G for tidying up my blog and giving it a shiny new look. Oh I love it :)

A bit of an update on things crochet...I have had another sale!

The blue wristers sold really quickly (well, for me) and are all wrapped up in tissue paper ready for Peter to take them to the post office tomorrow and send them on their way to America. Yippeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

The wristers in that colour yarn seem very popular - that's the second pair I've sold on Etsy and two people I know in person have bought them too. I really do love that yarn myself, I think it's my favourite ever...it's nice that other people like it too.

I bought some more of it from the Springwools shop recently - two balls of the blue, two balls of the same brand but in a kind of kingfisher/peacock tones, and two balls that remind me of jewel/gemstone colours.

I'm making a pair of wristers in the "kingfisher" yarn right now - nearly finished; all I need is to put the snazzy picot edging on the tops and bottoms and then take the photos.

I might take some photos of them half finished, it's nice (for me anyway) to have a record of what I've been working on rather than just have photos of the finished items.

etsy

I've spent most of today doing crochet/etsy things...bless Peter he's been very good, taking lots of photos (with direction from me)and has been so patient!

I'm tired now but very happy with what I've done so far. I still want to get some more photos taken of some of the items I've listed for sale on there but it's raining now so it will have to wait. I really like to take the photos outside if I can - the light's better, for one thing.

So I feel like my shop there is coming along now - I feel better for having had a tweak here and there and I really like the new photos (well done to Peter xxx)

He even took a photo of me which I actually like!!


As I have finished the ocean-y blue wristers I've now moved on to another pair - I could make these every day if only people would buy them! The new pair are sort of peacock or kingfisher colours and are so eyecatching. I love them already!

Blue Wristers

Oh I love this wool!!!

I've bought some yummy wool from Springwool in Dublin (my new favourite place!)

I've JUST listed these for sale on my etsy shop so fingers crossed for a sale so I can buy some more wool :)

http://www.etsy.com/shop/selkiecrochet here's the actual listing... http://www.etsy.com/listing/55412492/ocean-blue-wrist-warmers

Yarn Bowl

Yay! We've just been to collect this from our local potters - it is just perfect!

I'd originally started looking on Etsy for one but they were pretty pricey and then there was the postage charge on top which was obviously going to be on the steep side...then someone suggested trying a local potter so we went round there: armed with photos of the type of thing I was looking for.

They'd never heard/seen of one before but he said that he'd give it a go as a trial and would get back to me with the results.



I am so delighted with it - it's the perfect size and is a beautiful shade of blue (I love blues and purples, so it's just a lovely colour for me - really soothing...which for me is what crochet is all about: relaxation and 'me time'.

He'd made a few of them to see if they would be able to sell them in the shop - I hope so -- it was only €20, which is a bargain for something that was custom made for me :)



Doesn't it just 'go' brilliantly with the ocean blue wristers I'm working on?!!!

Oh and yes I did order some more wool, even though I know I don't really need it (blush)-- six balls of the Tivoli 'Ocean Aran' yarn -- 2 of the gorgeous blue one (my favourite) and 2 balls each of two other shades, sort of jewel and peacock colours......thought they'd make some nice wristers - I could sit and make wrist warmers all day long :)

Wonky Crochet...

I think I should start a 'when crochet goes wrong' post... the bag I was making was turning out ok but when I was putting the edging on it it all went a bit wonky....I've left it as it is for now but I need to unpick that and see if I can do it differently.

Think I put too many stitches in the edging so it kind of went too wide and wonky; sigh...

The strap isn't right either - sigh sigh sigh..........

So I've gone back to something I DO know how to make - wrist warmers :) I think I've got enough of my favourite wool for a pair (the Tivoli ocean blue stuff) - not sure but I thought I'd start on a pair anyway and can always rip them out if there isn't enough; it's all good practice.

Oooooh I've just been looking on the Springwools site at the Ocean wool and am quite tempted to buy some more.......and some of the other shades too.....I get so tempted by all the options available...it's too much and I forget that I have a LOT of other yarns already here..........but it would be nice to get some new stuff in..........watch this space :)

Etsy Listing - Ruffly Handbag

http://www.etsy.com/listing/54221359/blackberry-ruffle-bag

I've listed the ruffled handbag on Etsy this evening and it's had seven views already :) I think it looks really perfect for Autumn/Winter so I'm hoping it will sell quite quickly - I'm never too sure what 'tags' to use when I'm listing things on there though...but hopefully someone nice will find it and give it a home.

The colour is just gorgeous - edible almost!

I've sold the shelly fruit salad colour scarf today :) To a lovely local lady :) I've sold quite a few pieces locally now - three pairs of wrist warmers, two scarves and a ruffled handbag ... not too bad I think?!!

I keep thinking 'Oh I must buy some more wool...' but I forget how much I actually have: so I am trying to use some of it up before I do any more spending - this is hard though as I keep finding patterns that don't really suit any of the wool I have. I think it's kind of like when you look in a full wardrobe of lovely clothes and still think that you don't have anything to wear. Sigh!

Peter bought me a crochet book when he was last in England and it's got so many patterns I want to use..but they are nearly all made from really fine fluffy wool - which I need to buy!

But I am trying a bag pattern from there, using up some more of the wool from the ruffled handbags -- I'm making it in the bilberry/blackberry yarn with denim blue stripes - it's a messenger bag I guess. I've only done a little bit so far but it's turning out ok.

I'm not sure what will be next now when I've that finished...I have a pair of chickie chick egg cosies on the go but am taking a break from them as they are so fiddly and I can't find the orange wool for their beaks and feet!

Ruffly Handbag

Oh how I love making these :)

Ha, I haven't been posting on here for a while so I bet you thought I hadn't been busy crocheting...but no! I have been making one of my favourite things -- a ruffled handbag.

I have made a total of six of these to date and I love them!! I have a bright red one myself (the first one I made) and have sold three and now will have two listed on Etsy once I get photos taken of this new one.

The colour is just plain yummy - a colour that reminds me of blackberries and autumn, it has teeny tiny flecks of blue and white fibres that you wouldn't really even notice until you stare at it up close, which I like - it gives a depth to the colour rather than just being a single flat shade.

The photo above shows the ruffle, which I made in the garden over a few days - it is very long and has thousands (literally) of stitches - it takes soooooooooo much wool to make one of these bags - about 600g I think.

As with all the ruffled handbags I've made this is made from Aran weight pure new wool from Kerry Woollen Mills in Killarney so it is locally sourced :) I love working with their yarn but it is pricey...

I'll post some more photos of the finished bag tomorrow and will hopefully get it listed on Etsy - oh how I need another sale...

New Listing...

http://www.etsy.com/listing/53593821/fruit-salad-scarf

Well I still haven't figured out how to post a link so you'll have to copy and paste it yourself if you want to check out my finished scarf; I finished it a couple of days ago but never got round to listing it til today.

I had a sale on Etsy the other day - just a crochet hook I don't need; but it's going all the way to Los Angeles -- how cool is that?!

edit - Carrie I can't suss out the link thing at all, I keep thinking it works and then when I preview nothing happens :( sigh...

I'll try again when I'm not so tired I guess -- I still tried to do the Etsy Ireland button (which I'll need to you tell me again as I lost your other instructions...this is a bear of very little brain, remember?!)

Fruit Salad Scarf - continued

Thought I'd post a photo of where I was crocheting this afternoon :)



I am on my days off work (at long last!) and went for a long walk along the beach, to do a bit of beach combing and then sat down for a while to do some more work on this scarf.


While I was there, I could see four seals out of the water and basking on the rocks at the far edge of the rock pools - what a treat! There were also choughs, oyster catchers, curlews and various gulls :)

Fruit Salad Scarf

That's what I'm calling it anyway (at the moment!)- but it also reminds me of shells on the beach.

It's made from 100% cotton, which is nice to work with, but scarves are always so slow...still it's a nice thing to be making when I'm relaxing at home and off work.

I've changed the original pattern - which was wider (more of a shawl than a scarf) and have left out a couple of 'gappy' rows to keep the pattern more simple (if the yarn was just plain I think I'd have left them in, but I like it to look like this).

Rainbow Scarf

I've 'deactivated' the listing on Etsy for this scarf as Rosie wants to have a look at it :)

She already bought a pair of the wristers in this wool so hopefully she will like the scarf too!

I like the colours in this wool - I used the images of the rainbow scarf for some of my mini-moo cards -- I think it's eye catching :)

Shrug...or not!

Well I've ripped out the shrug and have set aside the wool for something else (as yet undecided) and am now making a fancy-looking scarf in cotton yarn instead.

I do tend to change my mind a lot about what I want to make...

The scarf is looking pretty good so far, but I've only done about 10 rows, so there's loads more to do on it yet. This time of year is so busy at work that I'm left exhausted when I'm not at work, so I don't really have my normal energy levels.

I'll post a couple of photos later though, just to show how it's looking so far.

The cotton reminds me of a fruit salad - shades of reds, pinks, creams with a bit of yellow in too - I think it would be easier to just take a photo!

http://cache.lionbrand.com/stores/lionbrand/pictures/80848ada.jpg

that's the photo from the pattern website (god bless lionbrand, they have the best patterns I've found on the internet and all free!)

Welcome!

Seeing as how it seems like everyone on Etsy has a blog I thought it might be a good idea for me to set one up too.

it may be very boring reading for anyone else I guess, but it might help me keep track of things that I'm making.

So as this is my first post here I guess I should introduce myself...

I'm Rosemary and I love to crochet - I try to have a couple of things on the go at a time: at the moment it's little chickie chick egg cosies and a shrug!

I've only been crocheting since last Christmas but it just sort of clicked, after a few wonky starts, I seem to have got the hang of it all now. It's fab to be able to do this, I used knit an awful lot but can't do it any more thanks to tendonitis in my right arm :(

I'm new to Etsy too, having joined really in the hopes that I would be able to sell some of my produce - I'm a very quick crochet-er and like I said I like I have a few things on the go at any time...and there's only so much stuff you can wear yourself.

To date I've sold three items on Etsy, which I'm delighted with - and a few more on my facebook page -- hmmm, can't get the link to add in the text, looks like I've got lots to learn about the wonders of blogging...you'll have to copy and paste this I guess if you're interested in checking it out http://www.facebook.com/pages/Selkie-Crochet-D/111624215532073?ref=ts


I live in Waterville, County Kerry and live near the sea - how lucky am I? I've come home after living in the UK for about 15 years....there really is no place like home.