It's Still Bizarre

Didn't finish writing about yesterday’s visit to the Cardiff Craft Bizarre at the Mackintosh centre, in Roath. so here is a little catch up.
The Lady bellow is Linda Ditchburn who runs HoopLoop. I met Linda about nine months ago when she had a stall at Milgis on City Rd. Back then I bought a book thong from her. Yes you read that right... a thong for books. I keep a knitting journal the old way... on paper in a leather-clad binding. Inside I keep all my sketches and pattern designs and doodles along with ball bands and the odd snippet of useful information, such as how much yarn it will take to knit a jumper for a Man/Woman/Child... Insert correct chest size and out comes the result I want. Very handy if I spot cheep yarn but it only works if I have my journal with me.


Any way back to Linda and HoopLoop. Linda made a real impression on mw the first time I met her. She has a really bubbly personality and a big smile to boot. As you can see from the photo bellow Linda mostly makes jewellery from semi-precious stones, lampwork beads and swarovski crystals. Some of Linda's pieces are crocheted with silver wire and have stones dotted along their length. The wonderful bracelet & necklace sets are quite wonderful and would make the special lady in your life very happy with out braking the bank to please her.

Linda had some Crochet Scarves on her stall in what I would call a Queen Anne's lace pattern. sorry linda I foggot to take a photo of them.
Linda has revamped a bookmark pattern to her own taste and made a very striking scarf as a result. I think it would make a smashing gift for someone you know who would appreciate a hand made accessory come next winter. Art, fashion and cossy wooly warmth all together in one item.

I have been trying to learn to crochet and funnily enough there is a good reason I recognised the general pattern of the Queen Anne's lace. I am trying to make it myself, but have yet to figure out where all the loops are supposed to go. I keep on running out of places to put loops with my crochet hook. the finished iten should in theorymatch the pattern.

Ok I suppose I had better show you my effort at Queen Anne's lace.

As you can see it is not lying flat, but wanting to twist and spiral. I love the pattern though so I will persevere with it.
there were more stalls at the Bazarre that are worty of mention but they will have to weight until tomorrow.

Roath Farmers Market and Craft Bazzar

Today I went to Roath for the Farmers Market as I had heard they had just included a Crafters aspect to the weekly event. Here is what the Riverside and Roath Market's web site has to say.

Craft Stalls are now a regular feature at RCMA’s Riverside and Roath Markets. We hope this will provide yet another reason for people to come to the markets, and also help support some of the many artisans and craft makers who live in and around Cardiff. As with the food stalls, people can only sell high quality items that they have made themselves.

Well I was very impressed with what I saw today.


The food on sale looked very fresh. I grow a lot of my own vegetables at home so recognise the telltale signs of fresh or wilted vegetables. A number of the stalls were selling ready meals that were organic and home made. All food items have to be grown or made by the stall-holders to qualify as market traders.

However what I was going to Roath for was not the food. I had heard about the Craft Bazaar held in the Mackintosh Sports Club on Keppoch Street. This is the venue that offers its car park as a home to the Farmers Market between 9:30am-1pm.

The first stall I saw belonged to Sue Thomas who trades as Whitchurch Pottery.

Sue is fairly new to potting but to look at her work you would think she has been doing it for years. Sue can be seen on her stall with Nigel in the first Photo.

All her work was on display. What caught my eye were her small glazed pots. Now some of you who read this Blog know I am a knitter who is keen on making socks from hand dyed yarns. These yarns are far too nice to be rolling round on the floor while I am knitting. The solution to this is a Yarn Bowl. In America Yarn Bowls are easy to find on the Internet. Here in the UK knitting is not so popular and we have fewer crafters supplying our equipment needs than our cousins over the pond.

Well having seen Sue's pots and bowls I asked her if she made Yarn bowls, only to see her face light up. quite by chance Sue had a prototype for a yarn bowl with her. She unwrapped it and let me hold it. It can be seen at the front of the table in the photo bellow. It's the white un-glazed one.

I politely made enquiries if she could make bigger ones. She imediatly asked what I thought of the size of her prototype and I was able to explain what a knitter with a 100gm ball of sock yarn would need from a potter. thankfully I had my camera on me so was able to show her how large a ball of yarn is.

I did buy one of her normal small bowls for my stitch markers. Here is a photo of my new pot I just love the metalic finish and the inside is so smooth. A larger one, cut with a channel for the yarn to follow, but with out the nipped in waist, in this colour would be smashing.

Sue was doing brisk business at 10am in the morning. She said she is more than willing to take orders. she struck me as the sort of person who was willing to have a go at anything if people could discribe what they needed.

I did tell her to raise her prices though. I do think that all crafters are worth paying well when their work is good. I look forward to seeing Sue and Nigel again the next time I go to the market in Roath.