Monday 11 November 2013

My most successful shop is on Ebay, and I sell both paper patterns and knitting kits in my Ebay shop hazelwoodlander. A close second is my store on the international craft and indie site of Etsy. Go to Etsy.com and see the huge range of quality handwork and vintage items. The skill of some of the makers and their sense of design is incredible. My Etsy shop is called WoollyWoodlanders and it sells mostly PDFs of my patterns. I also have some lovely personal buyers who commission me to knit them a selection of outfits. 

 

In South America there is a little girl whose Sylvanian Families are wearing dresses, trousers, jackets and boots which I created for her.

Thursday 8 August 2013

I have been reading Samuel Pepys Diaries and enjoying the detailed descriptions of the clothing which he was expected to purchase in order to maintain his status at the Court of King Charles II. I began to look at the fashion of the following years as the styles progressed and then in the 18th Century I discovered the elaborate headwear that ladies wore to cover and protect their hairstyles from dust and the wind; because of course it was rare to wash your hair and expensive to have it dressed and ladies wanted to keep their hairstyles neat as long as possible. There were even tales of insects and other creepy livestock taking up habitation in the hair in the meantime! These large bonnets, designed to cover high hair will also cover Sylvanian Families ears, I decided. So I designed my Going to Market pattern, a dress, shawl, hat and underpants.
and here is a view of the outfit without the hat or shawl, showing the back of the dress.
The pattern needs a laceweight yarn, perhaps a 2ply, with 2mm needles and a couple of buttons. A length of thin ribbon would enhance the bonnet, although twisted yarn would suffice. To complete the outfit, I have included a market basket, knitted with a double strand of yarn, or some double knitting wool, and a little bigger needles (size not critical) of about 3mm or 3.25mm. The pattern is now on my new website, recently re-written by myself. I spent around 2 months writing the website in my spare time, adding purchasing facility and a 'comment' page, as well as a catalogue of patterns and ready-knitted items. Please do have a look and tell me what you think!

Friday 22 February 2013

Sleeping Babies

I am working on a new design, Sleeping Babies, which will include pyjamas, a nightdress and bedding for your Sylvanian Families and Calico Critters babies. The bedding will fit the basic cradle of Sylvanian furniture, with pillow, mattress and shawl to cover. The cute pyjamas and nightdress will fit crawling, sitting and standing babies and the length of the nightdress can easily be adjusted. To make all these items you will need fine yarn; I suggest laceweight or 1-ply weights, and a pair of 2mm (old UK size 14) needles. The pattern will be supplied as a downloadable PDF or a complete pack including yarns, needles, buttons and pattern. The designs will also fit Forest Families and other similar woodland creatures. Watch out in my shops on Ravelry, Ebay and Etsy for Sleeping Babies! My new website will be ready soon too.