Summer of FUN at HH HQ

 It's been a hectic six months at the shop, moving and keeping up with everything that's going on has been hard work but so much fun...we've had hen parties like the one Aimee threw for her friends and family to get to know each other - they had great fun sipping bubbly as personal and touching works of art were produced which Aimee is to make into a quilt for her home.

We then had our long planned charity tea party in aid of National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society, a charity dear to our hearts - I will post more photos and details about it on my own blog soon.

 A massive thank you to all at Sweetpea and Vintage for allowing us to invade their home and lovely garden and making so many cakes! Loads of people crafted items for the raffle and we raised £430 on the day with even more donations still coming in! We also aimed to raise awareness of some of the difficulties faced by people with this painful and incurable condition.

 Thank you too to all who came along or donated raffle prizes, cake ingredients and money!

 Hot on the heels of the tea party we had the Strawberry Fair at Alder Carr Farm, a brilliant event with loads of new visitors to the farm and excited people stumbling across Halfpenny Home for the first time...we crocheted strawberries, made strawberry pom poms and pincushions!

 We're almost back to normal this week with workshops resuming and even though it's summer we're still knitting and LOVING the West Yorkshire Spinners yarns - excellent value British wool, reared, sheared and spun here!

 We're using them in the sock knitting workshops which start this Sunday, three Sundays of sock knitting and at the end of the three weeks you'll have a pair of socks! Sundays 6th, 13th and 20th July £60 and everything is included, theraputic cake is applied regularly...*two spaces are left*

 One of my favourite workshops is the Free Motion Machine Embroidery, we have two more planned at present - Sunday 3rd August and Saturday 30th August, unleash your inner artist!

 There are spaces on each of these dates but they are strictly limited to four spaces for each date!

 I know that you can buy nice knitting bags and rolls for your evergrowing collection of needles but surrounded by gorgeous fabrics and ribbons takes it's toll on the willpower and lo, a workshop is born!

Knitting Needle Roll, a stitchery workshop suitable for absolute beginners! Sunday 27th July £35 11-3 make one for yourself or the knitter in your life?

 Seasonal Dyeing with PLANTS...not the wishy washy colours you would expect! As well as indigo we love to dye with the reeds that grow here on the farm and if we time it right the colour we get is a rich pistachio green...two dyeing dates in August where the effect mordants have on the finished result and how to dye safely - Sundays 17th and 31st August 11-3 £35 and you can dye a skein of yarn and a piece of fabric or a silk scarf. Spaces go fast for this one each year so don't leave it too late to book!

Full List

Socks! Sundays 6th, 13th and 20th July

Fleece cleaning and preparation. Friday 11th July

Bunting! Saturday12th July

Advanced Needle Felting, The Green Man Friday 18th July

Quilted Patchwork Mat, learn to piece, quilt and bind! Saturday 26th July

Knitting Needle Roll. Sunday 27th July

Crochet an Amigurumi Gnome! Saturday 2nd August

Free Motion Machine Embroidery. Sunday 3rd August

Fleece cleaning and preparation. Sunday 3rd August

Vintage Style Clasp Frame Bag! Saturday 9th August

Natural Dyeing with Plants! Sundays 17th and 31st August

Print your own fabric make an apron! Saturday 23rd August

Print your own fabric make a cushion! Sunday 24th August

Free Motion Machine Embroidery! Saturday 30th August

Tunisian Crochet. Sunday 7th September

Indigo Batik! Sunday 14th September

Tablet/notebook cover Sunday 21st September

Ragdolls! Sunday 28th September

Needle Felting, squashes, pumpkins and acorns! Saturday 4th October

Carding and spinning with fleece! Saturday 25th October

Book as usual by either dropping by HH HQ, text 07887511081 or email halfpennyhome@googlemail.com

A deposit will hold your confirmed space with full payment due two weeks before the workshop commences. More dates to be added soon...Nic x

Keef and Dolores!

 There's been a lot going on at the new HH HQ and as usual it involves some clever creative people, wool and generally making a mess...I was dragged away to the Country Living Spring Fair and then spent most of the day cuddling a sheep, talking to a lovely lady called Pam who (amongst other stuff) runs natural dyeing workshops in Wales!

Dyeing being one of my favourite things to do imagine how excited I was to find that you can dye with chalk paints - the pretty yarns that appeared before our eyes were perfect for the spring flowers workshop with Joanne.

 Crochet is one of those things that people seem to fall in love with and you can't blame them when you see some of the cutest creations being formed and as Jenny thinks the toadstools need some gnomes guess what has just been added to the list below...

 Keen eyed visitors to HH HQ will have noticed the pretty prints on the white curtains - the printed fabric workshops have caused more than a ripple of excitement! There's another one added to the list for the end of this month - book swiftly to avoid disappointment! We also now have the rollers in stock for you to buy so you can fill your world with pattern...

 Sunglasses are optional...

 Jenny and I had a lot of fun making up the samples for Joanne's next set of crochet classes, Keef on the left and Dolores on the right! They came out on the bike with me yesterday and Jenny really missed having them keep her company in the shop...they're back now and advertising the Bears and Bunnies Crochet Workshop on Saturday 14th June 2-5 the yarn we're using is from West Yorkshire Spinners and it is British wool spun in Keighly!

Beginners crochet session on the morning of June 14th is a Granny Square Pin Cushion 10-1 - get hooking!

Friday 23rd May - Needle Felted Bunny 

Saturday 31st May - Fabric Printing

Sunday 8th June - Natural Dyeing

Saturday 14th June - Crochet with Joanne Scrace, beginners 10-1 and Amigurami (the cheeky creatures above...) 2-5

Sunday 15th June - Needle Felted Beach Huts

Friday 27th June - Free Motion Machine Embroidery

Sunday 29th June - Beginners Knitting

Sunday 6th, 13th, 21st July - Socks! £60 for all three sessions, there is homework inbetween dates, you will make a pair of socks.

Saturday 12th July - Bunting!

Friday 18th July - Advanced Needle Felting, a class on faces you will make a Green Man

Saturday 26th July - Quilted Patchwork Mat

Sunday 27th July - A Knitting Needle Roll

Saturday 2nd August - Crochet, make a gnome with Jenny!

Saturday 3rd August - Free Motion Machine Embroidery

Saturday 9th August - Make a Vintage Style Clasp Bag

Sunday 17th and 31st - Seasonal Natural Dyeing with Plants!

Saturday 23rd August - Print Fabric and Make an Apron

Sunday 24th August - Print Fabric and Make a Cushion

All the workshops cost £35 per person with all materials and refreshments included and except the crochet one on 14th June they run 11-3 with a short break for lunch which you can bring along or get something delicious from the cafe or shop! There's always plenty of tea, coffee and cake which is always Gluten Free.

Book by calling in to HH HQ at Alder Carr Farm or by calling the shop 01449 721123, alternatively FB request me Nicola Gouldsmith or if you tweet follow @halfpennyhome

A deposit will hold a workshop place for you with the balance payable two weeks prior to the date of the workshop.

Spring, sun...fun!

 The crocheted spring flowers workshop was a brilliant way to wave goodbye to winter and welcome the longer days and warmer weather to Alder Carr Farm! We put the clocks forward Saturday night and when I came to work at the shop on Sunday this cheery floral garland greeted me, thank you Joanne!

 As we tidied up after the workshops Joanne told me that this flower pattern was the first one she had written, it looks beautiful hanging outside HH HQ! Joanne is back on the afternoon of Saturday 12th April to do some Vintage Style Lacy Edgings, she talks a bit about vintage lace here on her blog Not So Granny...if there is enough call for it she will also do a beginners class that morning - crochet is a lovely way to add detail to handmade and ready made items!

We used the gorgeous hand dyed yarns below with the shades coming from both plant dyes and chalk paint! Chalk paint dyeing is a bit of a new venture as usually we pick seasonal plants like the reeds and use those to dye both silk and yarn but my friend Julie of Sweetpea and Vintagen Needham Market High Street uses these paints on furniture and recently dyed a tablecloth with some so...intrigued I had to give it a try!

 I will be doing some more as the colours are so pretty, it's not messy at all and colour fast - you don't even need much paint! Watch out for additions to the natural dyeing workshops later in the year!

Much more messy but soooo satisfying was the Bathbombs and Balms Workshop - again plants from the allotment played their part with dried cornflowers, marigold petals and lavender buds adorning the fragrant concoctions!

 We're still sock knitting even as the weather gets better, even Jenny now that we've tempted her with the new in stock West Yorkshire Spinners yarns! With great names like Wood Pigeon and Butterscotch and 75% British wool content they are FAB to knit with and will feature in our sock knitting course on three Sundays in June 6th, 13th and 20th 11-3 and £60 for the three sessions, yarn and needles included along with the needles!

 Nothing is wasted...Joanne suggested I hang the waste scraps of yarn amongst the trees so that the birds can make good use of them - watch out for some colourfiul nests around!

 When life gets stupid busy and I struggle to deal with the effects of either Rheumatoid/Psoriatic Arthritis and/or the side effects of the treatment for the disease (today I'm deaf and yesterday I was sick and dog tired...) I find that the twice daily visits to the allotment help and this year the winter has been so mild that everything is blooming already!

 Plants will grow anywhere...even with my random planting, weeding and watering manner the Woad plants have survived the Cabbage White invasion of last year and are now in flower - looking good for harvesting some seeds! Looking forward to to doing some dyeing workshops with these this year...

 I met a lovely lady recently whilst wandering around the Country Living Spring Fair, Pam is in Wales and uses plants in her artwork - dyeing with them, spinning yarn from nettles, making cakes and finding inspiration from nature, her work is beautiful and I may just have had to purchase some fleece from her....*ahem* as if there isn't enough round here already!

While we're on fleece...

Some of the creations from Jenny's Needle Felting Workshop - another one is on this Saturday, let's see what we come up with there!

Up to date workshop list.

Saturday 5th April Needle Felting 11-3 £35 - three spaces left

Saturday 12th April Crochet Vintage Style Lacy edgings 11-3 £35 - four spaces left

Sunday 13th April Indigo Dyeing including Batik 11-3 £35 - four spaces left

Easter Sunday Free Motion Machine Embroidery 11-3 £35 - two spaces left

Saturday 26th April Needle Felted Garland 11-3 £35 - four spaces left

Sunday 4th May 11-3 £35 Indigo, Batik £35 - three spaces left

Saturday 3rd May Knitting in the round with double pointed needles 11-3 £35 - three spaces left

Friday 16th May as above

Sunday 18th May Fabric printing 11-3 £35 three spaces left

Friday 23rd May Needle Felting - Bunny 11-3 £35

Sunday 25th May Invitation/memo boards 11-3 £35

Sunday 8th June Natural Dyeing, all about mordants 11-3 £35

Sunday 15th Needle Felting - Beach huts 11-3 £35

Friday 18th July Needle Felting Advanced Level - The Green Man 11-3 £35

More to come soon and please do book in the usual ways, check availability on 01449 721123, 07887511081 or drop by HH HQ Tuesday-Sunday 10-4 - we look forward to seeing you!

Nx

Spring at Alder Carr Farm!

 Yesterday saw the first of a couple of hen parties that are booked in at the new HH HQ and as you can see they had blooming good fun! The decorated undies are to be hung up at the reception at Lisa's wedding, what a great idea!

 Once everyone decided which letter they would do they were off! Buttons, ribbons and beaded tassels were all part of the brief...sorry!

 And once Christina had convinced them all that they COULD do embroidery after all they completed this beautiful keepsake - there are still a few finishing touches to be added and then it will be strung together to remind Lisa of all her friends!

 Settling in at the new place has been fun, tiring and interesting with some exciting news about wool on it's way! First though a big order of buttons has landed and amongst them are these dinky little babies...

 ...and at last some reasonably priced and nice quality bamboo crochet hooks, chunky ones!

 All these things AND the workshops are selling well with these fabulous toadstools sprouting up everywhere...

 ...and happy hookers getting to grips with their 'magic circles' thanks to Jenny!

 With Spring Flowers appearing on the workshop list I'm looking forward to the crochet sessions with Joanne, her beginner's workshops are selling out fast - so many people keen to learn!

 For the more experienced hookers the Vintage Style lacy edgings, delicate edgings to apply to clothing or furnishings, perfect!

 Also new to HH HQ are the fabric printing sessions - with two sessions sold out and a further one half full I think it's gonna be a year full of pattern, the new curtains have been getting a lot of admiring glances! I'm looking forward to making some cushions with this print...and maybe some napkins...a blind? It's endless!

Please do have a look through the list below and if any of the workshops take your fancy then book in the usual way - dropping by HH HQ, giving us a ring on 07887511081 or 01449 721123

Sunday 23rd March Bath bombs and balms 11-3 £35 *two spaces left*

Saturday 29th March Beginners crochet 10-1 £35

Spring flowers 2-5 £35

Sunday 30th March Wet felted baubles 11-3 £35

Saturday 5th April Needle felting 11-3 £35

Sunday 6th April Free motion machine embroidery 11-3 £35 *one space left*

Saturday 12th April Crochet Vintage style lacy edgings 2-5 £35

Sunday 13th April Indigo batik 11-3 £35

Sunday 20th April Free motion machine embroidery 11-3 £35 *two spaces left*

 Sunday 4th May Indigo batik 11-3 £35 *three spaces left*

Sunday 18th May Fabric printing 11-3 £35 *three spaces left*

Sunday 25th May Invitation/memo boards 11-3 £35

Sunday 1st June Cushion making 11-3 £35

Sunday 8th June Natural dyeing 11-3 £35

Keep watching this space for some exciting announcements and more workshop dates coming soon!

Nic x

 

 

Goodbye Station Yard, Hello Alder Carr Farm...

 Our Christmas was a busy one as we had to pack up EVERYTHING from HH HQ in the Station Yard and install it in the old Mill Building at Alder Carr. Originally a Windmill but later a Dovecote, I will hopefully be able to post some photos of the building being moved to it's present position at some point but for now here a few from the present...

It's been hardwork sorting out the new HH HQ but as @jennytidman says in her recent blogpost it's going to be a lot cosier than the old place! Here's how the upstairs workshop is shaping up, just a few more little adaptions and we're there!

We even have a pet plant which has been named WILLF after the fantastic WI ladies of Felixstowe - we ran a mini workshop at their first WI meeting of 2014 and they gave us presents!

 Maybe I can persuade Jenny to crochet WILLF a pot cover...we'll have some crafting books for sale at the new place courtesey of Victoria Bell from Framlingham Bookshop. Victoria has been on many a workshop and is an avid crafter, cook and allotment keeper - we have a lot in common! I love her shop and feel very lucky to have a tiny part of it at HH HQ the shelves will hold some hard to find specialist crafting books along with some fun knitting and crochet pattern books...very exciting!

I've got my eye on the Home Brew one...

 Brace yourself for gorgeous photo of yarn in old nest boxes...beautiful!

 The new place was approved by the Wednesday knitting group this week when they had a sneak preview and in just over two weeks I'll be hanging up the signs welcoming people in through the door...

...but for now here's the list!

Workshops 2014

First Friday of every month HH HQ is reserved for Jenny's Needle Felting Ninjas! Booking is strongly recommended as Jenny has built up quite a fanclub during the past year or so and now they have their blackbelts in fibre sculpting they like to get together to stab, chat and eat cake. 

Running from 10-4 you are welcome to come and go as you please (providing you have booked your place!) bring your needles and fleece or buy some on the day, Jenny will have supplies!

Either bring a lunch with you if you aim to stay all day, needle felting makes you hungry! There is also an excellent cafe and of course the Farmshop Deli is full of tempting treats...

£10 per session - tea, coffee and cake included along with a whole load of encouragement!

You will need to have some experience of needle felting before coming along but as Jenny is running LOADS of beginner's workshops this year you will have plenty of opportunities to learn!

Friday 14th February Needle Felting using cookie cutters, yes! Cookie cutters make excellent templates for when you want uniform shapes for a garland or maybe to form the letters of a loved one's name...as it's Valentine's Day and I happen to know that Jenny Tidman has just received a delivery of heart shape cookie cutters the possibilities are endless!

11-3 £35 as usual everything is included and you will be able to take your tools home with you to continue the felty fun!

Sunday 23rd February Free Motion Machine Embroidery, have fun and gain confidence in our popular sewing machine workshop. 11-3 £35

Saturday 1st March and Jenny is in the teacher's chair again as she takes up a crochet hook and teaches eager would-be hookers how to make an Amigurami Toadstool...cute!

11-3 £35 all included etc.

Sunday 16th June and one of Jenny Tidman's popular beginners Needle Felting workshops will be held 11-3 £35 everything included and you'll be able to take your tools home with you (or bring them along to the Friday Felting Ninjas maybe...)

Saturday 22nd and an unusual craft but extremely beautiful one...Broomstick Crochet! Create a gorgeous skinny scarf using just ONE large knitting needle and a crochet hook 11-3 £35

Sunday 23rd March, just in time for Mothering Sunday - Bathbombs and Balms, learn how to save £££££s and make some gorgeous bath and skin products with luxurious ingredients! £35 everything included as usual..

Saturday 29th March sees Joanne Scrace's first workshop at the new and very shiny HH HQ! Joanne aka Not So Granny has been teaching knitting and crochet workshops at The Sheep Shop for a while now and her classes are so popular that many have waiting lists! Joanne is going to be making Crocheted Spring Flowers 2-5 £35 you must have some crochet skills already although Joanne will also be teaching absolute beginners in the morning 10-1 £35

Sunday 30th March Felted Baubles! Learn to make and embellish felted baubles with Jenny Tidman. The finished felt beads can then be turned into all sorts of things...like jewellery! £35 all included as usual.

Saturday 5th April Needle Felting figures and Jenny has a cute new creature to show you, I have them in the shop with me... 11-3 £35

Sunday 6th April Get that unloved or much feared machine out from it's hiding place and lets put it through it's paces! Get to know your sewing machine a bit better... 11-3 £35

Saturday 12th April and another crochet workshop from Joanne Scrace! This time she'll be showing us how to make Vintage Style Lace Edgings, gorgeous additions to adapt items in your wardrobe, something we fully approve of! Thrifty AND pretty...2-5 £35 as ever everything is included and you can take your yarn hook and patterns home with you to continue at home!

Sunday 13th April and getting out the dyepots for the season and this time it's Indigo and we will be changing things about a bit with batik! 11-3 £35

Saturday 19th April and this week it's soap! 11-3 £50

Sunday 20th April Free Motion Machine Embroidery 11-3 £35

Sunday 4th April Indigo Batik 11-3 £35

And that is as far as we've got for now but there will be more workshops coming up including sewing, natural dyeing, fleece preparation and spinning!

I do hope you'll visit the new place and I hope I have tempted a few of you to try something new?

Nic x