Keep your head together

My customers are so clever and this needlebook is one example of that. A certain demon squirrel mitten knitting friend commissioned a demon squirrel needle book using red or blue felt, with red or blue fabric for the squirrel. We put our heads together came up with something even better, using blue felt on the outside, red felt on the insides, and red thread and fabric. It gives a kind of harlequin effect.



I like it. I hope Bron likes it. I think there might be more snazzy needlebooks in different colours soon.

In another example of how clever you all are, I noticed that people had started using the sunnyboy bags as sock project bags. I could never recommend this as I thought they would be too small, and the zipper would make it too awkward - instead I recommended them to be used for storing your ephemera and sewing notions.

When a few of us got together a couple of weeks ago, out came all these sunnyboys holding sock projects. I was initially horrified - and then I realised how genius it was, as everything fitted well, the bag sat flat on the table, and the zipper didn't catch on anything. That's when I realised I hadn't actually made a sunnyboy for myself recently (other than the first little one a couple of months ago) and I needed to make one. Right. Now. But first I had to find the perfect fabric for it.





And there you go - it fits a sock project.



I've been a long-time listener of Craft Sanity podcasts, and this week I had the fortune to listen to Jennifer interview Emily Martin of The Black Apple fame. I know some of my friends are looking into launching a craft business as well, and I can't recommend this interview highly enough. Emily has taught me a few things which are pertinent to my own business, including keeping your sources and your technique a mostly-guarded secret (oh, the stories I could tell!). And to never let Martha Stewart work out your income with a calculator so she can blab on her show.

Finally, I wanted to sincerely thank you for your get-well messages, and also the couple of visits I got over the last two days. I'm still not very well, and I don't think I will be for some time but I am getting a little better every day. I have learned I need to be patient, and as we all know, patience is not a virtue I possess. Caring friends, though? Those I have by the bucketload. I'm very lucky.