A new passion................

If you'd asked me about beading three weeks ago - I'd have thought of fabulous Elizabethan costumes; flapper dresses from the 1920's and hoochy Mamma's from the burlesque stage - I wouldn't have thought of embellishing my own creations with simple beading stitches and fringes. However, after a session with Karen Odinga at the November meeting of the Mid-Essex Guild of Spinners, Weavers and Dyers entitled "Embellishments for felt" I am a convert. Karen shared with us really basic, simple ways of attaching beads to pieces of felt that we'd made earlier (in good old Blue Peter tradition) and the results were spectacular. I immediately came home, hit the internet for supplies and I'm really quite pleased with the results (see pics!).
I can now envisage beads on everything - including knitting - some of those lace shawls from Jane Sowerby's "Victorian Lace Today" - with beaded fringes, beads incorporated into the borders or stunning shawl pins! Can't wait!

SEO for the Jelly Brained!

I've just spent the day on an SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) Course so now have a brain full of jelly. The internet is just a wonderous place for those in the know (up until two months ago I'm not even sure I'd heard of SEO!) However, Sean (he of Phoenix Consultancy and great cups of tea - see earlier blogs) assured those present that once we'd submitted our details to 270+ directories; learnt the essentials of "social bookmarking"; joined all the industry forums possible and posted our blogs regularly (whoops!) we could sit back and be satisfied that are Sites were Search Engine Optimised and Google Friendly. Now you know why I have a brain full of Jelly!

Be grateful for the joys of knitting; it doesn't ask anything of you; doesn't need to be bookmarked; if you pay due care and attention in the creation it remains for all time; doesn't have "spiders" crawling across it (a Google term I'm told) and fulfils all your creative desires. I am so glad to have returned to my sofa, the dog and the joys of Debbie Bliss's Donegal Aran Tweed!

Yarnsmith relaunches

Finally, after what seems to be weeks, but was infact a fairly pain free few days - we have re-branded and re-launched yarnsmith. I, of course, don't think there was too much wrong with the old version - but adding new products and keeping it updated needed a good couple of hours and at least two glasses of wine!

What's been really important is to keep our ethos of a really passionate and personal service (passionate about kntting and personal to each customer), providing exciting and high quality products. We've also expanded our services and now offer a samples service as well as a finishing off service - see the website for more details! We also have a gallery section to show case some the yarns we stock and creations we've made. I really hope you like the new look - I'd love some feedback!

Non of this would have been possible without the support of Sean Proctor
(phoenix internet consultancy) who has been incredibly patient, and tolerant as well as making a great cup of tea! I hope it hasn't all been too much of a trial. Thanks also to my family - they know what they've put up with since the beginning of September!