It's a bank holiday Monday...

... and it's not raining!?!? What's going on!?

We're having a nice relaxing day, recovering from the party on Saturday which was lots of fun. My husband's (male) cousin came dressed as Amy Winehouse, and after a few cocktails the other men in the family all wanted to get in on the cross-dressing action before having a swim in their underwear.

As today is brighter than it has been in a while, I've been able to get some new photos taken for my giraffe amigurumi pattern. Some lovely Ravelry members have busy testing it for me, and now it's ready for sale on Ravelry and Folksy.

I've got an interview tomorrow about a voluntary role - more on that if it all goes well, fingers crossed!

Cheers!

It's my father-in-law's 60th birthday bash tomorrow. We've got him a personalised card from the lovely Mary of Quite Contrary Crafts (my third purchase from her shop this year - her cards are awesome!) and a bottle of Cu Dhub black whisky (I bought my husband a bottle when I was last in Glasgow and he loves it, so we hope his dad will too).

My step-mum-in-law has been busy preparing an extensive cocktail menu for the party, so I've decided to go with some drinks-related Folksy Friday picks for this week!






As usual, click on the photos to view full details of the items on Folksy.

Why I don't sell my amigurumis

I get a lot of people asking why I only sell amigurumi patterns and not the finished items. The simple answer is that I can't afford to.

You see, toy safety laws require that all toys sold in the UK must bear the CE marking. The CE mark is a declaration that the toy satisfies the essential safety requirements and has been manufactured in accordance with the relevant national standards. In order to find out if my amigurumis can be given a CE mark, I would either have to pay to have each design tested or pay for a copy of the BSI toy safety standards in order to self certify - either way I'd have to shell out a few hundred quid and still may not be able to sell anything.

So why don't I just add a disclaimer saying 'This is not a toy'? Well, the definition of a toy is "any product or material designed or clearly intended for use in play by children of less than 14 years of age" and it's worth noting that "any label or statement on, or with, an item indicating that it is not a toy, or is not intended for anyone under 14 years, would not necessarily be regarded as conclusive by enforcement authorities". These are direct quotations from the DTI's guidance notes on the UK Toys (Safety) Regulations 1995.

It is frustrating to be losing out on potential sales, but "supplying toys which are subject to the Regulations but do not meet their requirements would constitute an offence and could result in penalties of a fine of up to £5,000 or a term of imprisonment, or both". Worth the risk? I don't think so.

If you enjoy crochet though, you can make as many amigurumis as you like for whoever you like - the Regulations only apply to toys that are bought and sold, not to ones that are given away. :)

Incidentally, my pattern for the birdies above is available on Ravelry for free - enjoy!

Folksy Friday Time

Russian Caravan, or Earl Grey? I can't decided which I'd prefer just now. I do love a nice cup of tea, and so do the good people of Folksy if this little lot is anything to go by...

This little piggy went to market...

Had a nice day today at Duck Pond Market, sharing a stall with some members of my knitting group (the Harrow Knitters, who you can find on Ravelry). The sun was shining, which made a nice change from the monsoon-type weather we've had the last few days, and I was able to knit a few more rows of my New York scarf in between serving customers.

I managed to sell a Chubby Cat amigurumi pattern, one of my piggy egg cosies, and a pin cushion. Not made my fortune yet, but it's a start! At least it covered my stall fees this time as I'd been feeling a bit despondent about not selling anything at previous markets. Maybe I could be a contestant on The Apprentice some day with my amazing sales skills...! (Hahaha, highly doubtful!!!)

My First 'Folksy Friday'

For my first Folksy Friday, I've decided to pick out some lovely Scottie Dog items. You can click on the images below for more details or to buy the items on Folksy.

Folksy shop update

I've added some more items to my Folksy shop today...

Chicken egg cosies and egg cups set

Liquorice allsort pin cushions in yellow or pink

Pig egg cosies and egg cups set

Sheep egg cosies and egg cups set

My Folksy shop

I set up my Folksy shop this week - you can find it at http://ClaireSibley.folksy.com

I have 3 amigurumi patterns for sale on there so far, but am planning to list some other goodies soon...