Simple Pleasures

Coffee and crocheting, two of my favorite things. I'd forgotten how much I love to crochet, I used to do it all the time. The best thing about it is just how portable it is. I can take my yarn and hook anywhere and just start creating. Ava and I are making an afghan together with this gorgeous cotton yarn. I love it because although I love to sew with her, I'm always really nervous that the needle is going to pass right through one of her little fingers so I'm always right on top of her if she's using the sewing machine. With this we can sit together and crochet while watching TV and relax and when I leave the room I'm not petrified of hearing her little self screaming in pain.

My rediscovery of the joy of crochet coincides nicely with what I've got coming up in the next few months. I'll be traveling around Europe to trade and consumer shows to talk about my collections and show project ideas for what to do with my fabrics so it's nice to have something to do in the hotel room. Last weekend I went to Le Smak, a big crafts trade show in Paris to do a couple of workshops with shop owners. Very fun and very interesting. My speech quickly turned into a lively discussion group with these wonderful women which I enjoyed so much more. February 7th I'll be in the Netherlands with the Coats and Clark sales team there at KreavaK a trade show in Arnhem in the Netherlands for meeting, greeting, chatting, and with free patterns in hand. Back to Paris the next week for 4 days at L'aiguille-en-fete for sewing demonstrations of one of my bag patterns where consumers can sit down and sew their own bag with me, just want to show, especially novice sewers how easy and quick it is. Then a couple of trips to Germany in March for some exciting things I'll share later.

Free Spirit Fabrics have only been distributed by Coats and Clark in Europe for about 18 months so I'm just helping to get the word out here. Along those lines, I just found out that my lines are now being carried in the UK at hobbycraft where you can buy Darla on-line and in stores and at John Lewis stores which I'm really excited about.

Uh oh, school nurse just called, must go collect little sick people....

Talk to you soon.

love,

t