Christmas countdown!

It's that time of year again! Halloween has been and gone, the last of the Bonfire Ashes have been swept or blown away, so time to start thinking about CHRISTMAS! believe it or not there are only 41 days to go....!

Why not think about supporting your local artists and craftspeople? What better gift to give than something hand crafted? quality, well made and Fair Trade goods made by your neighbours. Cut down on carbon emissions and buy a gift you'll feel good about giving - and something that nobody else will have.

Yesterday at the Hebden Bridge Craft Fair many people were doing just that! A fabulous day in Holme Street arts Centre for creativity! It continues today with the Hebden Bridge Craft Market held in the centre of town, just off St Georges Square. Let's hope it's another good day despite the fog and murk! I have my twinklies at the ready to brighten up the day and will be decking my stall with my new Felt Christmas Bunting.

Funky Felt Christmas bunting! 1metre lengths - perfect for above the Fireplace!

 Yesterday I whizzed up a couple of chocolate cherry cupcake baby hats.......ever so cute - so today they will be added to my little peoples knitwear collection and I'll be taking my knitting with me to make more!

Right - off to wrap up warm and brave the elements to show my wares..........fingers crossed that today's buskers are slightly more talented than usual!



Frosty morning in Blackshaw Head

Rag Hags market success!

Last Sunday saw the Hebden Bridge WI Rag Market in full swing! As members of the textiles group we arrived early along with fellow WI members to set up the stalls, cut the cake and deck the hall with colourful handmade bunting. When the doors opened at 11 o'clock a queue had already formed and were chomping at the bit ( wrong analogy for makers, knitters and sewers I know...sorry!) to be let in to grab a bargain. The hall was buzzing! Full of craftsters both young and old "searching for something in particular" and buying textiles and wools that caught their eye even though they "shouldn't really! I have so much at home!".

I know I shouldn't really as I have plenty of fabric and too little storage space....but I did too! How can one resist fabric and 'stuff'? You never know when they might be needed! I was ever so excited to spot an early 1970's plastic orange and white sewing box - shaped like a stool,with a tray inside under the seat, it was identical to one I had when I was young! Brought back many happy memories of sewing clothes for my Pippa & Sindy dolls. Actually there's a thought....maybe this one WAS mine!!

My 1970's sewing box!

Lots of bargains to be had at the Rag Market

I am now busy stitching and knitting ready for this weekend. On Saturday - hopefully, I have a stall at the Craft Fair in Holme Street Arts Centre, and Sunday is the Craft Market in Lee's Yard both in Hebden Bridge. Lots of new handmade bits and bobs including Felt Christmas Bunting and 'So Hebden Bridge' woolly hats! And - as Christmas is only 46 days to go I'm bringing out the twinly lights for that Festive feeling!

Come along and say Hello!

oooh! I nearly forgot....and I was so excited when it arrived that I'm surprised I didn't mention this first! MY NEW FIDDLEFADDLEBANNER HAS ARRIVED! So now there is no excuse...you can't miss me on the market....fairy lights and a new banner. hope it makes a difference!



Bargains Galore!

Only a couple of days to go before the WI rag Market on Sunday 6th November and I'm nearly all prepared! Bundles of pure new wool fabrics and oddments of others have been measured and rolled and all the wool has been sorted and priced. As well as my bits and pieces there will be lots of other stalls selling all kinds of usefull and most obviuosly desirable crafty 'stuff'. Vintage patterns, vintage sewing boxes, bundles of lace and buttons - a makers paradise!

.......and whilst I'm here can I just promote my 'Hebden Bridge Calendar'? In the shops now ( - Hebden Bridge, Mytholmroyd, Todmorden and Halifax), or available direct from me. 12 photos of our beautiful Upper Calder Valley landscape, and I'm already out and about taking photos ready for next year! The Calendar is doing well so far, and it has also brought me an unexpected commission - to create a Calendar, using my photos, for a local company to send to their clients. a new venture perhaps?



Hello and Welcome!

Well, this is a definite first for me! Family & friends keep telling me not to be afraid of technology.......apparently I can't break the Internet, even if my witty No. 2 son tells me that if I Google 'Google' I most probably will. I suspect, however, that he's been watching too much IT Crowd!

 So.....where do I start? Well, firstly I have to thank Sue for inspiring me to do this! After a chat about 'Handmade In Hebden Bridge' after putting up our Hebden Bridge WI Rag Market banner on the railings in the centre of town (more of this later!) I have decided that a Blog is a fairly good way to advertise my wares and let people know about all the crafty happenings in Hebden Bridge - and there are a lot of them!

So! The first one to talk about is the WI Rag Market! It will be held on Sunday 6th November from 11 til 4 at Central Street School, just off Market Street, Hebden Bridge. The perfect place to buy all your crafting items ready for Christmas makes! Lots of bargains to be had from wool to vintage sewing patterns, lace and fabrics.... AND on top of all that we will be serving tea and cake to quench that thirst after your creative shopping experience! The WI is notorious for the quality of cake they serve up, and we at Hebden, Bridge are no exception! I can guarantee a mouthwatering selection of home baked treats.

Sue and I bravely put the brand new 'Rag Market' banner up at the traffic lights in the centre of Hebden yesterday and posters will be popping up around the local area so you won't be able to miss it! If you are reading this from afar - then why not pay Hebden Bridge a visit - full of quirky little shops selling lots of original bits & bats, we aren't the 4th Funkiest town in the world for nothing!

You can also follow me on Facebook  - http://www.facebook.com/#!/Betty.FiddleFaddle  and visit shop on Folksy at http://www.folksy.com/shops/FiddleFaddle 

I'm sure there is a way of adding these links to my Blogspot permanently - but I haven't got that far yet!

So that's all for now! Please keep checking for updates...I'll try to remember how to do it, but being a bit of a technophobe it does take me some time!