OK so no saga chapters in June, July, August or September. Other issues occupied my time but I’m back to full crafting now.

The Orkney Arts and Crafts 6 week summer exhibition did me proud and I took home at the end of it a lot fewer items than I had started with. Thanks to all the visitors who bought my work. I then had to start again to get more stock available for the one day craft fairs in September.

There have been Vikings a-plenty… just the little ’Eriks’ but visitors love the little chaps (despite their penchant for falling drunkenly off my stall!) so more have been needed and made. I still have a 10 inch knitted Viking but as yet I haven’t got his clothes made and he can’t go naked to a craft fair. That just would not do.

Writing about Vikings ……

I had a wonderful re-union with one of my first Viking models, made ten years ago. The guy who adopted him, Dankward Rabe, (@ ahnenwerk) came back to Orkney and brought the little guy (named for Sweyn Asleiferson) with him. Apparently Sweyn goes everywhere and shares in all the adventures. This year he has also, single-handedly invaded Lindisfarne again.!

Coming up to Hallowe’en, I made another wizard and a witch with her cat. Now the poor wizard is on his own. It was quite interesting that a number of people asked me about whether or not I had any fabric or woolly cats for sale. Sadly I didn’t, but were these people closet witches in search of a familiar? Hmmmm.

New this year were the key-rings / bag charms, or whatever folk wanted them for as ‘Orkney Shore’ with sea, sand, rocks and fish. They haven’t proved to be as popular as I’d hoped although the other new design, Orkney embroidered as runes and with Orkney spelt out in alphabet beads on the reverse, have had to be replenished. Letter key-rings have gone as usual so more of those are always needed.

On the needles at the moment, another teddy to join poor lonely Belinda Bear, and some more embroidery hoops , pendants and bracelets to complete before the grand Christmas weekend fair organised by Orkney Arts and Crafts for 18th and 19th of November.

Maybe see you there? For now, back to the workroom.