2022 - the year where we tried to get back to 'normal'.
That included the return of the Pittenweem Arts Festival and the Community Craft project.
The Pittenweem Community Craft project is an annual event where handmade items are sold for charity during the Arts Festival.
The project inspires both local residents and visitors to make a wide range of items which are sold to raise funds for many diverse causes. Since 2009 it has donated over £29,000 to local charities.
This year's project theme was Feathered Friends. After selling items at the Coastline Community Church during the August Pittenweem Arts Festival and during the St Monans Arts Festival in September the project raised £2281 which was split between the 2022 chosen charities - Kilminning Wildlife Reserve project in Crail and the DEC Ukraine Crisis Appeal.
Thank you to everyone who contributed items and who bought something during the sale.
In the Pittenweem shop we got some new shelving and my love of grids was made real.
December 2022
It means we've been able to stock lots more books and we've got more storage too. I did have to change how we displayed our buttons - the jars weren't working on the shelving. Cue days of button wrangling where Sue and I decanted all the buttons into tubes. To keep my motivation up, I documented it on Instagram.
In the end it was an immensely satisfying project which I highly recommend. 😆
Another new addition to the shop are our motivational You Can Make This sample tags. We also got a stamp for our brown paper bags but didn't make much use of it. Next year we'll get a production line going...
Another shop highlight is our new door sign! Made by Sue, it is a HUGE improvement on the 'back soon' post it note we used when we popped to the Post Office.
And finally our Shop Groups returned in August. We're back to our previous schedule alternating Tuesday morning and Wednesday evening. It's lovely to see familiar faces and new ones too. It’s a great group if you’re stuck on a technique, not sure what the pattern really means and if you need some moral support and encouragement to finish a project. And of course to meet yarnie people and share your projects.
Seeing what others are making can be inspiring and in the shop we like to have lots of finished samples to show off the yarns and in 2022 we added over 16 new shop samples (most are also listed in the online Gallery too).
If you've missed any throughout the year check the links below for more info or pop into the Pittenweem shop for a squish.
first row:
Jessica Jones Cowl in Fyberspates Vivacious 4ply. Not quite a shop sample as it's usually around my neck this cowl took aaaagggggeeees to make but is gorgeous!
Briochette in Fyberspates Vivacious 4ply - one of my first brioche projects this shawl is great for brioche beginners as the shaping is done out with the brioche. Our Beginners Brioche Cowl is also a great first brioche project.
Rocquaine in WYS Bluefaced Leicester DK. One of our most popular samples this jumper has a boxy shape, drop shoulders and is knitted seamlessly. Inspired by gansey jumpers it features classic motifs on the yoke and sleeves.
Scrappy Marl Beanie in Opal 4ply sock yarn. Part of our collection of projects to showcase our Mini Ball Bags the scrappy beanie (and mitts) uses yarn blending or marling. Hold two strands of self patterned 4ply yarn together for a DK-ish thickness and lots of fun colour effects.
second row:
Mohair Scarf in Rowan Kidsilk Haze Colour. A new version of our free Colour Block Scarf knitting pattern. Using just one ball of Rowan Kidsilk Haze Colour this pattern is a simple two row repeat making a versatile and super lightweight scarf.
Horse Show Lace Cowl in Nurture from Nature Gotland DK yarn. This free knitting pattern for a buttoned up cowl is perfect for any DK yarn. You can easily make it bigger or leave off the buttons for a scarf. The lace pattern is great for beginners and is both written and charted.
Baby Romper in Rico Dream DK. Impulse cast on with a rainbow striped baby yarn. What's not to love?!?
Myssoni in Schoppel Wolle Crazy Zauberball. One ball of this amazing yarn makes a small shawl and looks amazing in a feather and fan lace pattern. As an asymmetrical triangle it's easy to make this shawl bigger. Just keep knitting.
third row:
Desert Ripple Wrap in My Mama Knits Don't Talk Back and Chester Wool Tibetan 4ply. Started in June and finished in December this was a big knit... mainly because I'm so easily distracted!
Nina Cowl in King Cole Fashion Aran. An impulse cast on with lots of texture this is a quick and interesting knit.
Simple Blanket XL in King Cole Ultra Soft Chunky. Unofficially called my Covid blanket this is an excellent beginners project with the added bonus of keeping your warm while you make it.
East Neuk Hat in Wee County Yarns Kinross 4ply. This pattern arrived in August and has been a HUGE hit. Using less than 50g each of two colours, the pattern includes instructions to make a matching cowl too. All the East Neuk favourites are included - St Monans Windmill and Church, harbour walls and pan tile roofs and lots of fishing boats.
fourth row:
Kria Shawl in Schoppel Wolle Crazy Zauberball. Part of my 2021 goal of getting more crochet into the shop. LOVED making this. Works up very quickly using simple crochet stitches. As a beginner crochet I did have to rip it back a few times to get the pattern correct but once established its plain sailing.
Glenallen in Fyberspates Gleem Lace. An absolutely stunner this next step lace shawl features an all over pattern in the silk blend Gleem Lace.
Striped Cowl in Rowan Felted Tweed Colour. This simple cowl uses two balls of the self striping Felted Tweed Colour giving a multicoloured effect with little effort.
Ansh Cowl in My Mama Knits Patsy DK. showcasing our limited edition collection from My Mama Knits this cowl is a simple knit and a great introduction to making holes on purpose.
Some of the shop samples were our most popular posts on social media. But it's mostly photos of the shop that get all the likes. Including our not just for Christmas tree. And strangely... Gleem Lace embroidery thread was THE most popular image on Instagram!?!?
Another regular on social media and the website is our popular WiPs series - a monthly update of what's on my coffee table.
This will be continuing into 2023. I'm hoping there will be lots of summery garments in the first few months as I am determined to add some lightweight tops to the shop.
There's new shades coming in a popular WYS yarn and we're getting a new cotton yarn too. There's also a new Opal 4ply sock yarn coming in January and another one in February.
And what about things that didn't go to plan in 2022?
I have more crochet WiPs than finished projects (although Kria is stunning) and I only managed a few months of my embroidery journal. Documenting that on the website did not motivate me as much as I hoped! It seems knitting remains my main love. 😆
