Chrismas Fair on 3rd of December, Rutherglen.

Example of my 4ply superwash sock yarn: Elizabetha.

I've been having fun sewing some christmas tree decorations for the Christmas Fair I will be at tomorrow selling my own aromatherapy candles and some of my hand spun and hand painted yarn. Trying to decide if I should add some sequins to the little christmas tree ones as the fabric has a pattern on it......

Aromatherapy chunk globe candles.

Details: Sat. 3rd of December at the Universal Connections craft fair in Rutherglen, Glasgow. 10.30am-2.30pm.

Hand moulded Snowball candle.

The craft fair is being held to raise money for the youth centre and also provide a fun day out for the residents of the area. A few of the others attending are: Usbourne Books, Hallmark Cards, Cupcakes, Cosmetics (inc Mac, L’oreal, Estee Lauder), Jewellery, Candy Floss etc.Can't wait to eat one of those cupcakes as they are yummy ;)

For more information: http://rutherglen.lanlinks.org/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1

Dyeing yarn musings.....

This past year has flown in and it's been just over a year since I started my handpainted yarn business. I have just went with the flow and been guided by what my customers want and like.

I orginally thought that most of my sales would be online but this has not been the case. My customers tend to see the yarn before I get a chance to put it up for sale online and buy it there and then.

In the past year I've gained more experience and have learned a lot from selling at craft fairs. Even though I've done some selling/marketing courses years ago nothing beats actually getting out there and doing it. One part of the marketing course I did was to define what is my "unique selling point" ie. what makes my products different from others available out there. This envolves looking at your product and how your business works. What is different about you, your product, what service do you provide etc.

I believe that each of us is a 'sum' of all our experiences and what we learn along the way and experience is all meant to be. Each stepping stone has lead us to where we are in this time and place. My dream as a little girl was to have my own little farm with sheep and some land to grow my own veg. To be able to support myself and my family by making things to sell and growing my own food. It's been a long journey and at times I thought that that deam was impossible to reach but I'm getting much closer now.I love to learn how to make things and it was only a matter of time before my obsession for all things yarnie lead me to get a spinning wheel. The next stage of this natural process for me was to aquire a weaving loom and then someone said something to me that changed my direction in life. I was at a LYS, Stitching Time in Hamilton and David said to me that I should try dyeing yarn. At the time I thought oh yes something I would love to do but I didn't do it right away.

David had planted a seed in my mind and I kept seeing lovely hand painted yarn that I just couldn't afford to buy myself so I decided I would do some for myself and the rest is history.....so I would like to thank David from the bottom of my heart......you showed me that life is too short and that everyone should follow their heart and their dreams. Thank you Nan for believing in me enough to stock my sock yarn.

For those that don't know me personally and wonder what my businesses unique selling point is.........I am a spiritual person who beleives in the power of prayer and angels. I believe that each word/thought has an energy just like crystals do. I'm into colour therapy and alternative healing so when I create my yarns I bare this in mind. I beleive that my thoughts and intentions as I paint and handle my yarns is instilled in the fibres and I know this energy can be felt by some who are sensitive to energy's and also some who are not so sensative. So when I create yarn it's the same energy that is instilled as when I make my prayer shawls for others.

Most of my hand painted yarn is dyed using professional dyes. However some of my yarns are dyed using an antique dye that are no longer available. I managed to get some from a local corner shop that had had the dyes for over 30 years. When I've used them all up I will not be able to replicate the exact shades so those ones are truly limited additions. I also dye re-cycled yarns too when I come across knitwear in charity shops that are made with a lovely fibre like angora or cashmere. My latest yarns have long colour changes as I've encorporated another one of my passions which is machine knitting.

I've also been dyeing recently some locally spun yarn in 4ply and DK so I'm guessing that all those above points make GlowsCrafts just a little bit different..........