Classic Car Show and Craft Fair this Sunday in Flitwick

My goodness it's many years since I did a craft show, life got in the way.
When the kiddies were little I used to make salt dough pieces (anyone remember those???) and made some pin money selling them locally at craft shows, but my interests changed.

Now to pass the time I knit tiny little garments, dolls house 12th scale size, and my main selling platform is ebay.  I flirted a bit with etsy but it isn't a success, I think my customers know where to find me. 
Mostly I sell things like this:

 although recently I branched out for a change into bigger doll garments.  This one sold this week on ebay:

 

 

It's a long story, but this weekend beeptwo and I will be selling at a craft fair to be held in Flitwick, Bedfordshire. 

Anna (as beepbeepdesigns) will have loads of crafty items at bargain prices, including cardmaking stuff like stamps and card blanks, and also some lovely buttons and ribbon.  A selection of miniature knitting items for the dolls house like yarn, needles, patterns, kits and ready made items will also be there.

We are really looking forward to meeting everyone and just keeping everything crossed that the weather is kind to us!

If you are in the area please pop over and say hello.

 



FREE yarn with all website orders

Gosh it's been busy lately.  Babysitting, holiday which produced enough washing to keep me busy for weeks, garden projects etc.  Time to batten down the hatches for autumn and think about yarn things again.  I finished one cardigan before we went on holiday and am just working through another.  I have enjoyed doing full size knitting again but of course still have miniature knitting on the go too, and need to build up my stocks of miniature knitted outfits for the Christmas market.

I have also just listed my Christmas pattern book on ebay http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/bitstobuy/m.html?item=130762870960&sspagename=STRK%3AMESELX%3AIT&rt=nc&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649&_trksid=p4340.l2562 as it will be that time of year again soon.

I am doing a bit of tightening up on the miniature knitting webpage www.bitstobuy.co.uk.  The bjd patterns are being passed on to my daughter who knows far more about this scale than I do http://www.etsy.com/shop/beepbeep?ref=em. 

As I haven't offered a FREE gift lately, with all website orders until the end of October I will be adding two skeins of low bulk 2/28 2ply yarn, ideal for all those tiny sweaters and other projects.  One skein is a bright sunshine yellow and the other is a caramel brown, slightly variagated.  Ideal for that fair isle project.

Happy knitting!

Free patterns for crafters

I just had to share this site I found recently.  It has links  to lots of free patterns for all kinds of crafty things: patchwork, fabrics, knitting, crochet etc.  Lots to keep all us crafters happy for hours.

How to make little balls of wool in dolls house scale

Easy peasy but very effective, this is a little tutorial in how to make balls of wool for the knitting basket in the dolls house.

You will need:  some fine 2ply yarn, a plastic drinking straw, a darning needle and some ball bands (I took an existing yarn band, scanned and amended to my own 'brand', reduced it in size, and printed it off), and some glue.

Cut the straw into small lengths of about 1cm (half an inch) or so.  Thread the needle with plenty of yarn and double it up.  Holding the end to start, thread it in and out of the straw until it won't take any more, making sure it is completely covered.  Cut off any loose ends.  Cut a yarn label and glue into place around the ball of yarn.

You can make lots in a very short time!

Free gift with website orders in April - cotton tweed polo sweater kit

Here is the free offer for April.   A kit giving instructions and yarn for you to knit this lovely soft cotton tweed sweater for a 5 to 6 inch doll, very easy to knit in just a couple of hours.  It will fit all dolls house dolls such as Heidi Ott and similar, also suitable for other similar sized dolls such as Pippa, Dawn, and (if you are able to remove head to fit) Strawberry Shortcake, and other tiny bjd such as Lati Yellow and Pukifee.  Will be oversized on Hujoo Baby and smaller dolls.  You will need a pair of 2mm knitting needles.

To obtain the free kit just send an order to the webpage www.bitsotbuy.co.uk during April.

Why not have a look at the kits and extras available from the site and start knitting soon!

FREE GIFT dolls house 1:12 scale miniature knitted hat and scarf in Jan!

FREE GIFT

With all orders from the webpage in January I will be sending a free gift of a ready knitted hat and scarf set in 12th (1:12) scale, suitable for a small doll in the dolls house.

Design will vary.  Offer ends January 31st 2012.

www.bitstobuy.co.uk for your miniature knitting supplies - needles, patterns, kits, yarn and tiny haberdashery, also ready knitted garments.

Christmas is coming

I have tried most crafts in my time, but knitting is my favourite hobby and I just have to knit all the time. I long ago got tired of garments which never seemed to turn out just as I wanted, although I sometimes get tempted by socks and all the lovely patterns on Ravelry.

I have found my niche with miniature knitting (dolls house scale).  I began designing little patterns, which I sold through my website, and developed the business into kits (so customers don't have to buy large amounts of yarn they won't use), books of patterns, yarn and needles suitable for my patterns, also some ready knitted garments.

Knitting isn't popular during the summer, and most of the business is done in the run-up to Christmas, especially with the little ready made sweaters.  Cardigans and anything with colourwork are especially popular.

So at this time of year I spend the evening in front of the TV making little garments - I can usually do one in an evening.  I sell them on ebay  and they go quite well, although I know this is because I don't charge much for them.  I justify it by saying that it is a hobby and I am not in it for the money, and hopefully it also provides some advertising for the webpage.  And I love doing it!

This is a few I have around at the moment

Did I mention that this is just a few???

Hallowe'en knitting patterns for bjd

Anna has just published her new book of knitting patterns for tiny bjd, Lati Yellow and Pukifee size.

they are lovely seasonal patterns perfect for dressing a tiny bjd for Hallowe'en, including pumpkin, a pumpkin hat, witches hat, cloak and treat bag!  Pretty and very unusual.  Available now from http://www.etsy.com/shop/beepbeep?ref=pr_shop_more

Christmas is here!

My new book of Christmas patterns for the doll's house is now available.

All new miniature knitting patterns for the holiday season, easy to knit using 2 ply yarn and 2 mm knitting needles. 



Patterns included are:

• Wreath decoration
• Garland
• Christmas stockings
• Father Christmas outfit
• Mother Christmas outfit
• Santa hat
• Pixie outfit
• Toddler dress
• Child's sweater and pleated skirt
• Adult sweater
• Santa toy
• Stained glass windows blanket
• Christmas pudding tea cosy

Available from ebay or the webpage, or contact me for details.

www.bitstobuy.co.uk

New collection of bjd knitting patterns for the summer

Anna's new e-booklet of bjd knitting patterns is now available:

Absolutely gorgeous patterns for the summer for your tiny bjd, Lati Yellow size. 
Available from her on Etsy

http://www.etsy.com/listing/76957837/summer-sun-knitting-pattern-ebook-for

And I believe she is currently working on the winter collection, so more patterns to come soon.

www.bitstobuy.co.uk

Coming soon!

Almost finished my next book - this is the Christmas collection.  Lots of seasonal dolls house knitting patterns for the winter holiday season, including garments, decorations and more.
Just putting in the final touches and hopefully it will be available within the next month or so in plenty of time to get the dolls house ready for December.
Here is a preview

New haberdashery on the webpage - buttons and more in 12th scale

 

I have listed some new haberdashery items on the webpage - these are all in 1:12 scale so are suitable for dolls house (for example Heidi Ott), and other small dolls such as tiny bjd (Hujoo Baby, American Girl, Rosen Lied Monday child, Lati Yellow, Pukifee, Bobobie Tiny, Ellery Kish, PukiPuki, Lati White, Yoshi).

I have buttons in lots of colours and sizes from 2mm to 4mm, snap fasterners (press studs), hooks and eyes, and tiny buckles.

These items are also suitable for use when making garments for other 5 -7" dolls such as Pippa, Dawn, Bobobie, Kelly, Ginny and Ginger, and Strawberry Shortcake, or for larger dolls such as Barbie and Sindy.

 

 

All available now on the webpage

http://www.bitstobuy.co.uk/

Knitting patterns for Strawberry Shortcake

Yet another doll who fits my patterns :)
These are pictures of Strawberry Shortcake in two of my garments, kindly sent to me from Raquel in Spain: 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/25718230@N02/5464936870/sizes/m/in/photostream/



http://www.flickr.com/photos/25718230@N02/5392822222/



Photos are copyright msrakel

http://www.bitstobuy.co.uk/

Hujoo Baby pictures

One of my customers has sent me these lovely photos of her Hujoo Baby in a couple of my jumpers.  This is a 10cm tall doll, so they are a bit oversized, but still look great!  The socks and shoes are mine too.

http://www.bitstobuy.co.uk/

More wedding photos

Beeptwo is doing a sterling job on her blog in showing more wedding photos; she has now got some of the Indian ceremony up there. The official photos of the English ceremony are available on the photographers site for about another 6 weeks I believe.
I have taken the plunge and signed up for etsy.com, so have now opened a shop to see how it goes. There are loads of lovely hand made things on this site, there are some very talented people out there. Will be interesting to see if I have any sales. I am also thinking now about supplying my patterns via etsy and ebay by attachment to an email, so that customers can download them instantly. It will mean that there is no P&P to pay for the customer, and it will save me printing costs, so should be of benefit all round. I will have to change the format of the leaflets from Publisher to Word, but apart from the time it will take, it shouldn't be too difficult. Another project to keep me busy.
Otherwise I am knitting up my new bedspread pattern, more news soon.