MRTI (Mudgee Tourism) took the great step of inviting a dozen of Australia’s top influential food and travel writers and bloggers to visit the Mudgee region in a bus to showcase the amazing food and wine of the area.
Whilst following Facebook and their Tweets we noticed a familiar name and face pop up with web_goddess. It was such a treat to be visited by a very happy gang of travellers who had indulged in a massive overdose of Mudgee hospitality.
The team had a quick preview of our new business, Convent and Chapel Wool Shop, which we are in the early stages of setting up and plan to open early November, post the Rylstone Street Feast celebrations (where we will have our stall). They they moved on to what we hope was a great Rylstone experience at 29 nine 99. So great to see good promotion of such a magical region.
Just starting to come together – the early stages.
That will be me down this end. Wonderful building and location in a great town.
After 30 years of corporate life, I’ve seen so much change in the last few years. Moving to a small rural town (into a Convent!) was so much more than I have ever dreamt of. It’s been great just having time to build and enjoy the garden (especially the veggies), spending time with the dogs, indulging my knitting passion and getting to know and join the local community… but I guess I always knew that I’d look for a little more. Work has always been a big part of my life and I enjoy a little pressure on me, just not the stress. I found it hard to imagine working for someone else but my next steps again are serendipitous.
Knitting has always been an important part of my life so it seems fitting that it’s driving my next steps (or rather, leaps). I’m opening a yarn store in Rylstone in the heritage Bridge View Inn. The shop will cater to the discerning knitter with luxury imported and local yarns. My main knitting love is lace and my intention is to have a special focus on lace yarns.
The lovely Na Lan who serves some of the best dumplings you’ll taste in the most unexpected setting.
The building is perfect – a lovely old place that has been well restored. I have two rooms, both with working fireplaces, as well as a front verandah and back landing. My neighbours include the lovely Na Lan with 29 Nine 99, a popular meeting place with magical Yum Cha. I also have the Museum next door and a community garden where knitters can enjoy sitting in the fresh air.
I’m hoping it will be yet another reason for people to come to this amazing area, as I know knitters enjoy a trip for yarn. My good friend G, who also bravely took the step of changing to a rural lifestyle from Sydney, will be joining me and we should be a formidable partnership.
This time last year I could hardly catch my breath, finishing up work, putting Wahroonga on the market, tradies fixing the Convent, the garden open for the local Garden Fair and the relocation in full swing. Same time this year is still busy – the Kandos Museum is opening after a long hiatus, the Convent is open to the public for the Centenary weekend and I’ve leased the shop with business planning in full swing. But so much more fun…
I’ll focus on the shop opening (which I think will be early November) after the long weekend and there are sure to be many more posts keeping you up to date with developments.
For much of the last year I’ve mainly been focussing on smaller items for my market stall – beanies, mitts and scarves – which has meant the lace knitting has been neglected.
I get so many comments on the lace shawls I just put out for display that I thought I’d see how a few more elaborate shawls would fare at the markets. To be honest, I also just wanted to knit some lace and use some of the wonderful yarns I have in the stash for a change.
Another Adamas shawl, this time in a handspun wool and silk blend
Lace seems challenging to the uninitiated, but other than just remembering a few stitch combinations, it’s not difficult. The main problem is fixing up if you make a major error! Whilst the fine cobweb lace looks so impressive, lace can also be knitted in any other ply for the wary.
Anyway, so far I’ve managed two Adamas shawls (which were my first major attempt at following a lace shawl pattern). One is in an unashamedly bold Zauberball and another in a lovely blend of silk and merino with a fine silver filament from one of our local spinners and dyers. A Multnomah in Noro Silk Garden Sock yarn is also complete and a garter and lace shawl is nearing completion. I might add that not everyone is lucky enough to have a Chapel floor for blocking their knits!
I’ll also put a few shawls together with easily accessible patterns and yarn I have available for anyone who is tempted to turn their hand to something a little more challenging.
I’m hoping the shawls are a hit at the larger Markets later this year. At least they will be a talking point for visitors.
Having a dose of the flu has meant inside down time. Could be worse – it’s been pretty cold, anyway. The upside for a knitter means more knitting.
I’ve been thinking through stock for my market stall now that warmer weather is approaching. I’ve committed to a few bigger one-off markets and am making a few adjustments. Up until now, I’ve kept away from baby stuff – mainly as so many others do this and it’s just not what I usually knit. However I had a decent collection of Sirdar Baby Bamboo in striking strong colours (and it takes up so much space with those ridiculous large cardboard inserts) so I thought I’d add a set of brightly coloured beanies. I’m happy with this lot so will knit up the rest of the stash.
I’ve also had so many queries about the lace shawls that I thought I’d see how a few fare. This also helps me indulge my first love of lace knitting and encourage others to have a try. I have one shawl blocking at present and another about to go under the wires.
The markets will be a good test ground and I’m expecting lots of out-of-towners for the Rylstone StreetFeast and the Heritage Train in Kandos. I’m also now working on an extended version of my knitting enterprise, which is very exciting.
Beanies galore! The top ones are new. Hoping the spiral Noro beanies are a hit.
After my recent successes at the Rylstone Artisan Markets, I have stocked up heavily (which has also meant lots of knitting). My big sellers to date have been the lacy mohair and silk scarves as well as the fingerless mitts, with beanie sales increasing now the weather is chilly.
And of course lots of mitts for frozen hands. Good for a cold Winter Market day.
This is the first “Winter” market and I’m hoping to continue my fortunate streak. This time I’ve added a stack of Noro beanies – spiral and plain, as well as a bumper load of mitts in gorgeous yarns. The markets let me indulge, with my main yarns so far being Rowan Silk Haze, Noro – Kureyon and Silk Garden, and for the linen stitch scarves a bit of a mix with alpaca, merino and mohair blends. Peartree is wonderful to work with and provides a great finished item. This month I’ve experimented with Madelinetosh Sock yarn and I’m also using some of the wonderful vintage Lush hand dyed yarns I bought a few years ago. It’s rewarding to be playing with a stash that I’ve been building up.
Linen stitch scarves – such a different woven texture to normal knitting. These let me play with wonderful colour and texture combinations.
Nippy weather usually means cold fingers and ears – making the mitts in particular popular items, with mitts and beanies usually donned on the spot.
I now have a much better sense of how to set up for the markets and what people like and I’m also very pleased with how my stall looks. I’ll let you know how I go this round.
Fishnet lace scarves in a silk/kid mohair blend that could float away in a breeze. These have been popular as gifts, particularly to post or take overseas.
My old tapestry stand provided an ideal display for scarves and helped highlight the stall.
Easter is one of the bigger market days for Rylstone Artisan Markets. I’ve only held my stall there since Christmas and we are just beginning to hit the time when woollies are becoming more of a priority.
The markets this weekend were highly successful. It seemed like lots of visitors each time I looked around and this translated into my best sales to date by far. The lacy light scarves were again highly popular and have proved to be a mainstay – now requiring serious replenishing. The new linen stitch scarves were also a hit with men and women alike. Beanies and mitts also easily found new homes.
I thought I was really well stocked but now face another solid month of knitting to replace stock. Hopefully I’m recognising the trends and can focus on what seems to be selling well. I’ve been careful not to overprice and it’s refreshing to hear people say what good value the knits are and that perhaps they are underpriced.
People appear to appreciate the use of fine yarns and a sense of individuality and the quality of the knits. No doubt the identification with the Convent is an element of interest and some self-promotion with my prize ribbons doesn’t go unnoticed. My customers appear to be a healthy mix of visitors and locals and I now have a number of return customers. The kits are also proving popular with knitters, with the chance to complete an item with quality yarns.
I’m now looking forward to the cooler market months and may fit in a couple of different local markets as well. In the meantime, those needles won’t have much downtime.
The linen stitch scarves were a hit and also provide another kit for keen knitters. These are not a quick knit.
The Easter markets are supposed to be pretty big ones for Rylstone Artisan Markets and I’ve been stocking up. My very first market was the pre Christmas one and whilst it was also one of the “big” market days, December is not exactly a great month for knits. Although I’ve been happy with the reception to date, I’m hoping that I’ll now start hitting my straps as the weather cools off.
The featherweight lace scarves have done well in the warmer weather but I’m now thinking that mitts, beanies and scarves will now be in more demand. Each month I try and add a new knit – this month it’s the variegated self-patterning sock yarn knits. I’m pretty well stocked up this market and am looking forward to seeing my fellow stall holders and having more chats with the locals and visitors over the long weekend.
In moving out to the country, it means there is no local wool shop within cooee. Very literally. I’m used to accessing great bricks and mortar yarn shops – either locally, CBD or within reasonable driving distance. Here, it’s a bit different and the internet is your friend – fortunately I’m highly familiar with online purchasing.
That being said, I still love a visit to a yarn shop or purchasing directly and after a little exploration, I’m delighted at what I’m finding. It appears I’ve landed in the centre of The Alpaca Universe, with many wonderful alpaca breeders who provide fibre and yarn as well. Apparently this is a great alpaca area and I’ve found the breeders here to be highly organised and professional.
I suspect this is the beginning of a new love affair with Marlyn Alpaca
One of the Alpaca producers, Marlyn Alpacas, breeds, mills and sells their own yarn which is quite stunning and available in a range of plys and colours. They obviously know and love their flock well and can name the alpacas by the colour of the yarn. It’s such a treasure to have this producer as a neighbour that breeds, shears and then mills and distributes such high quality yarn. Many other breeders also offer their fibre for sale which is highly valued in an area well populated by experienced spinners.
Whilst for Sydney-siders it may seem a considerable distance, once in the country you get used to country driving. Blackheath is a nice trip to take for the day considering other attractions such as a great nursery, the antiques centre, coffee shops and a great butcher … let alone an extra drive into Leura for chocolates at Josophans. But the big attraction has to be The House of Wool at Blackheath which stocks indie yarns that are beautifully dyed. I know all too well how easy (and often cheaper) it is to buy standard commercial brands online, but to see, feel and purchase direct such lovely yarns always will be exciting for a dedicated knitter.
Needless to say, I’m not suffering too much from access to good yarn in the country. Nor am I buffered from temptation.
My first venture into The House of Wool. By no means my last. Wonderful unique yarn each purchase.
I was waiting until I had a few things out of the way before setting this up as I knew once it was ready, there’d be no stopping me. The latest Convent addition is an Ashford Traveller Spinning Wheel purchased from Patricia Gledhill from Spun Out Fleece and Fibres at Gulgong.
I used to do a lot of spinning in my late teen years on an Ashford Traditional, however that was now some decades ago! I also have some lovely drop spindles and an Inwood Smith Electric Wheel but have been avoiding delving back into spinning until I had a more traditional wheel ready.
No more excuses, but I’m concerned that once I get started, many other things will be neglected. I also have a generous stash of fibre awaiting attention. I’m sure there will be future blogs on spinning.
The stall invites people to look at and feel the different texturesThe Linen Stitch Scarves were a talking point with the knitters and weavers with their unusual woven texture
Today was my fourth market stall at Rylstone Artisan Markets and I’m starting to feel like a regular. Given I started my knitting stall in early Summer, it’s given me time to get a feel prior to Winter approaching and I’m confident that I’ll hit my stride in the next few months. Each month I more than stock up on sold items, whilst always adding one new range. This month I’ve added Linen Stitch Scarves for which in the next month or two I’ll also put the pattern and kit together. I’m also stocking up on Winter items, with the plan to incorporate locally grown and spun Alpaca.
A bit of self promotion is on the cards, given the success at local Shows, with me displaying the ribbons at my stall. I know many of my purchases are gifts, so it provides a talking point for the giver. It’s also a great conversation-starter with other knitters.
I’m meeting heaps of locals – knitters, crafters, farmers and chatterers, which is great given I’m still so new to the area. I also hope it provides a point of interest and an attraction to visitors to the area.
I probably have stocked up enough on the laceweight mohair and lace scarves
The kits are also proving to be popular – both with knitters and as gifts, which is highly rewarding as I hope to inspire and encourage others to create something special with lovely yarns and textures.
After this market, I’ll be moving more into Winter stock – mitts, beanies and scarves. I noticed the change this time as people were more interested in the mitts and beanies than the feather-weight lace scarves. It’s also time to tackle a few more challenging knits which may at one point also go into some of the Shows. Whilst I knit the occasional garment, my preference remains epic lace shawls (in lace weight yarns) and pragmatic but textured blankets. These can provide quite a contrast which is reflected in two very different recent yarn orders – the reliable and cost-effective Bendigo Woollen Mills, and the seductive, luxurious and indulgent Sundara Yarn (silk lace, of course).
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CONVENT AND CHAPEL 