Would YOU knit up a bag pattern (or any pattern) in summer...?

It always surprises me that people still want to knit in summer. I've sold quite a few knit-and-felt bag pattern downloads from my Ravelry and Craftsy stores this month, including 'Spring'.  Knitting has always been a craft I prefer to do in the cooler months. How about you?  Do you knit all year round...?

If you like 'Spring' and fancy having a go yourself - summer or not! - all my bag / purse patterns are knitted in the round and entirely in one piece, so there's no sewing involved. They're my own original designs, and I'm easily contacted if you're a beginner knitter and need any help. As 99% of my customers are Americans, I price in $US. Paypal converts to whatever currency you use, though, so don't let that put you off. ☺

Crafters: Does Feedback Inspire You...?

I've been busy making and promoting accessories for BaggieAggietoo, so my bag shop (BaggieAggie) has been rather neglected over the last few months. Not helped by the series of mega disasters OH and I have been (and still are) coping with! But a couple of weeks ago one of my felted bags sold, and I received the following feedback:

"Absolutely stunning!! I couldn't be happier with the bag I have bought. Beautifully crafted and great attention to detail. A highly recommended maker...Thank You!!"

This has spurred me to get BaggieAggie back on track, and the above Pleat bag is now available here. It's fully-lined in vintage Laura Ashley cotton to match, has a zipped internal pocket, and fastens with a magnetic snap. Other colours and designs to be added soon.

(For those of you who'd like to have a go at making Pleat yourself, the pattern download is available here. Ravelry is a US site, and most of my pattern customers are American, hence the $ prices. But Paypal automatically shows the price in your particular currency, so you see the exact cost before hitting that final button.)

Anyway, enough blogging for now - time to get making! While I'm away, why not tell me your feedback stories? I'd love to read them!

Have Kate and Madonna really made knitting cool?

Among other things, I design no-sew knit-and-felt bag purse patterns, selling exclusively now through Ravelry and Craftsy (as downloads) and Etsy (as PDFs sent direct to a buyer's inbox). Interest has been huge, and the pattern on the left is one of my best sellers. Oddly, though, 99% of my customers are from the US. I've had the occasional Canadian and Australian buyer, but very little interest from the UK. Unexpectedly, the few UK sales I did make came mostly through eBay. (That was shortlived, though, as I logged on one day to find that eBay had removed all my pattern listings, for the reason that sending items by digital means is not allowed. When I asked why, no-one could give me a sensible answer. As sending hardcopy through the mail would have made the patterns unattractively expensive, that was the end of that!)

Anyway, I digress! The reason for this post is to try to find out why there's such an apparent lack of interest in knitting in the UK. It's a huge industry in the States, and lots of celebrities have supposedly made it 'cool'. So is it the prices of designer patterns that puts Brits off? Possibly, as I was once asked by a UK eBayer if I would consider selling one (priced at what I consider a modest £2.75) at half price. I politely explained the work and time involved, and pointed her at Etsy and Ravelry, where most pattern prices are a lot higher than mine, and she came back and bought!

So are we simply a nation of tight-wallets who want everything at car-boot prices? Or is it something else...? Your thoughts gratefully received!

(To those interested, the actual bag above, fully lined and with magnetic snap fastening, is available here.)