The Good, The Bad, and the Downright Frustrating...

Greetings SweetShoppers!

So let's start with the good...

Image Source: Councillor Simon Killane

 
--First of all, the SweetShop is back up and running! Check us out here, as always. You'll notice some big changes--there are some new and different items being offered and a pretty hefty clearance section. The biggest change for you(the customer) is that domestic shipping is no longer free and all shipping costs have gone up substantially. This was a big decision for me to make--I'd felt previously that international shipping shouldn't add a third or more onto the price of a wonderful handmade item, and local shoppers should be rewarded for their conscientiousness with lower delivery costs. However, it was taking an unacceptably long time for some customers to receive their purchases, and the budget shipping options I was using are untrackable. With that in mind, I've decided to send all parcels--international and domestic--using trackable mail. It's important to me and you that you receive your items on time and in one piece!
--The second good thing is that SweetShop Creations is slowly becoming tri-lingual! Listings on the etsy page are now available in English and French. SweetShop Patterns...most notably the Raspberry Beret..are now available in English on this blog and in Spanish translation thanks to the lovely  Hasta El Monyo. To see SweetShop patterns in Spanish, click HERE.

Es la boina frambuesa. Horale!

Now for the bad...and the downright frustrating...

--Really there's only one thing, but it's a biggie--I am having massive issues with my computer and camera. This is my usual bugaboo--my desire for technology far outweighs the level of what I can competently use or afford, for that matter. While those issues are being resolved, updates to the shop will not be happening at the grand scale I was hoping for, and they'll also be quite slow. (Although, that is nothing new at all...). Thanks for your patience with me, SweetShoppers...I guess this is my cue to step up my pattern writing and other skills. It's also your cue to buy lots of hats and earrings to help me reach my computer repair goals. (Was that begging? I prefer to call it needs-based advertising...I think...)

Stay tuned for more blogging updates, SweetShoppers! Peace!

Making myself a sweater...

So every year I make myself a few things for the winter...this year I'm doing a comfy sweater and probably a couple of pairs of socks. I'm working up a variation on the "Part of the Crew" pattern in Susan Huxley's book Crocheted Sweaters, size small, in James C. Brett Rustic Aran Tweed...this is my progress for today. Will be updating as it gets closer to completion. So far I'm not that crazy about the texture of this pattern, and I think I've made an error on one of the edges, but I'll sort that out tomorrow when I look at it again.

Anybody working on new personal knitwear for themselves this year? Let me know in the comments!

Peace!