Officially a 'topsy' week, all over the place and arse about, sidetracked and messy, running against a ticking clock. I discovered last night I am totally hopeless at the moment at reading a knitting pattern, I am firmly blaming it on the wait for my new glasses and not having the right yarn (glasses arrive next week, fingers crossed, and a think I might need to walk into the city and look for some new wool tomorrow) but really it all lies with me just being a bit too brain dead at the moment.
I did get a new run of cushions made this week as there was a request for something special for a book photo shoot and some of the range has ended up in the shop. Round cushions, roly-poly, round cushions. I raided the vintage floral linen stash and pieced together lots of different designs, they are very beautiful and Dell and I spent some time choosing our favourites from amongst them, as is tradition when new stock goes into the shop. There is also two new square floral linen cushions in the crazy blue/mustard combo.
The Welsh blanket stash got an injection this week and the African wax print stash has exploded again and I really really must make it all up before any more appears. It's out of control at the moment. I always think new shelves in the studio is one way to deal with it but really I am kidding myself.
An exciting box arrived from Noon Design Studio and Natural Dye House in Los Angeles, lovely shibori wrapped natural indigo dye kits. They contain everything you need except for what you want to dye, a bucket and some water, you have to supply those. The dyes and auxiliaries are packed in water dissolvable packets so you don't need to measure or tip open packets of ingredients into the water, great if you are feeling a bit nervous and this was one of the main reason- and the beautiful presentation- that we bought Jane's kits. Before you ask, no we won't be holding any classes about indigo dyeing but I will get around to writing about it. I'm a great believer in, as Kirsty terms it, 'HAC' (have a crack) and I just like discovering stuff via reading, experimenting and giving it a damn good go, making mistakes is when we learn and is the really fun part of learning new stuff. It may appear to take longer but really it's all about the accumulation of knowledge that you certainly don't get in a 2hour workshop. Never be afraid to teach yourself something! Anyway that's me Saturday rant done.
I'm shopgirl today (well it is Saturday) so I had better get the mop out and clean the muddy footprints off the shop's concrete floor and wrangle Jethro before 11am. (The cat housemate has been enjoying the purchase of a mattress topper for the bed, as I have too I must admit.) I had work to finish for the shop last night but I got sidetracked (story of the week) and started knitting... and restarted and restarted and restarted... and have now put that aside before it sends me mad. The 'hot water bottle' wheatbags were made this week but sadly not the actual real hot water bottle covers, the floral linen purses were sewn but the frames weren't attached, the dyes were bought for the gloves but the gloves weren't dyed..... I think a bit of spinning is in order today in between customers. I hear that it is forecast to be 15ºC in Fitzroy today so time to venture out and buy your woollies!
aaargh i am a cushion addict and most of all a ROUND CUSHION. My old beautiful Douglas and Hope big round ones are actually wearing into holes they have been so loved. Can see a trip in to buy a round one from you in my near future....
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