Category Archives: Jam Tarts

wordless Thursday

pinny 1

 

pinny 3

 

 

 

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pixie hats

A while back I made a pixie hat:
blue pixie 1

It came with me to a lot of markets but no-one liked it enough to buy it. Until last Saturday, when a woman came along, grabbed it, stuck on her sister’s head and said Right, this is yours. And could I please order one for my son?  I’ve just finished his:

new pixie 2         new pixie 3 new pixie 5

Despite all the things I crochet from patterns, this is my favourite thing of all – to just make something up as I go along, changing colours and thicknesses, adding in a row of popcorns here and there, and doing some wiggly beady bits on the top to finish it off.  This way, nothing can ever turn out wrong !!!

growing up

I’m starting to feel very grown up. Not me Jill but me Jam Tarts:

  • The big order for the preschool went off well and full payment has been received (they were also going to put in an order for winter hats so I’m still hoping on that one)
  • I’ve been accepted for the Durbanville Plaasfees (thanks for all your finger-crossings)
  • I’ve been invited to trade at the annual Community Carnival in February (now in it’s 63rd year and with 80,000 feet expected over 4 days)
  • I have customers who can’t get to my markets trying to organise coffee dates with me so that I can show them new hats
  • I have engaged a lovely lady called Berenice who will be knitting hats for me (like Eunice who still crochets for me), and…………………….
  • I am now the proud owner of a tagging gun. How retail is that!?

tag gun    tag

There are going to be a lot of late nights and early mornings spent sewing, but I have to say I’m really happy about all this. I won’t be competing with Kangol any time soon, but I never wanted to be big anyway, I just want to be busy and generate income and not have to work in a corporate environment until honourable retirement age.

And speaking of markets, Rob and I are off to Sedgefield for a few days soon (it’s near Knysna on the Garden Route, for those of you who aren’t local). One of the main attractions for us always taking our holidays there are the two really amazing markets on the Saturday morning called Wild Oats (the food part) and the Scarab (arts and crafts). We usually spend all our money there, in one extravagant frenzy. So Rob says, Why don’t you see if you can trade at Scarab when we’re there? I say, Oh sure like they’re waiting for an out-of-towner to just pitch up and grab a spot? Rob says, No harm in trying. I say, No man, it’s supposed to be a holiday, remember? Rob says, Just try. So I do. And they say, Lovely products, love to have you. See you on the 14th. So there we are then, in for a penny in for a pound….

Olive in the sun

Meet Olive, Megan and Jeremy’s little girl, and Anne’s granddaughter.

olive

At 7 months, Olive already has a natural sense of style. The duck-egg blue leggings work perfectly with a loose but crisp white smock, which she’s teamed with two accessories that clinch the “modern-baby-about-town” look , an oversized cotton collar* and a handmade patchwork sunhat**.  Trendy babies know that this winning fashion combo can take you through from morning mommy-and-me group to afternoon shopping trip, and is guaranteed to draw plenty of attention.

* model’s own

** by Jam Tarts