Blog: Loop Live
Autumn Winter | Bessie May Knit Season
Posted on - 01/11/2022
The weather is arriving, and time of year for speed knitting. Autumn/Winter knits, Christmas Presents, the list is endless.
We are here to help – ideas, delicious yarns, and passion for the craft.
Feel free to share what you are making – we love to see what has been created with our yarns.
The only best tip, is ENJOY…..!
Best wishes x
Happy Holidays
Posted on - 18/12/2015
Happy Holidays to all our lovely customers.
The Bessie May Studio is closed from tomorrow (20 Dec), until the New Year, so hope you have loads of yarn to keep you going.
Any orders placed during this period will be sent out top priority on Monday 4 January.
We hope you have a lovely holiday with your love ones, as we plan to do.
Happy Christmas x
Weavers ~ Sacred Valley Peru
Posted on - 29/05/2015
Sorry we have been quiet for a while, we have been exploring Peru, and all things colourful ~ woven, knitted, embroidered, by so many amazing crafts men and women
We shall be sharing some of our experiences and pictures to boost our memories, and share some amazing traditional crafts still in use on a daily basis.
Here are some hand loom weavers, working on different scale looms, using Alpaca Wool, or Cotton. No patterns in use, the intricate designs are passed down from generation to generation, and all stored in the memory. When I get confused which is stockinette stitch, and which is garter stitch, this is amazing to watch.
All wearing traditional dress, which is worn as a norm in the Andes in the Sacred Valley where these ladies live in small farming communities.
The Sacred Valley is at 2,792 metres high, so for most europeans a challenge to breathe let alone farm and travel the Inka trail, but worth all the challenges to see such beautiful craft ladies in action.
Many of the men in tribes in the Andes also weave, always creating bright colours for themselves to wear, often with the yarns hand spun and dyed with natural dyes.
Here are four pictures of different styles of looms, but there are many more.
All in all a special experience to witness x
WindUp Steyning | Sat 7 Feb | 10am-2pm
Posted on - 29/01/2015
We can’t believe that January is nearly all done, but are pleased, as it means WindUp Steyning 6 is scheduled to arrive on Saturday 7 February, from 10am to 2pm.
We have some great knit and stitch vendors with beautiful stands scheduled to join in, with of course ourselves.
Please bring your latest creations to share, and what is currently on your needles to try and do while, chatting, eating cake, and generally relaxing.
Everyone is welcome, as usual, entrance is free.
Please note the venue has changed as of this month to: The Steyning Centre, Fletcher’s Croft, Steyning, BN44 3XZ.
This is found at the front of the large car park behind our last venue of Penfold Hall, where most people tend to park who come by car.
We look forward to seeing everyone there. x
WindUp Steyning 5 | Sat 10 Jan
Posted on - 06/01/2015
Happy New Year 2015 from us all at Bessie May ~ hoping you had a lovely holiday period.
We are back from a quick trip to Italy, and can’t believe it is already WindUp Steyning Five this Saturday ~ 10am – 2pm
With just Jan, Feb and March to go, our first Autumn/Winter Season of this event is already coming to an end
However, we still have lots of fun to have, and new Vendors joining and visitors coming, so much to enjoy
Hoping you can pop in and say ‘Hi’ on Saturday ~ all welcome as usual, and free entrance ~ how to find us here xx
Thanks & Pics | Christmas WindUp Steyning
Posted on - 23/12/2014
Happy Christmas to everyone, from us at Bessie May x
Christmas WindUp Steyning was full of atmosphere on Saturday
Lots of talk about the holidays, whilst enjoying a get together over knitting, mince pies and mulled cranberry juice. It can’t get better than that
We also enjoyed live music ~ which could just be heard above all the chatter
Some lovely purchases made for that special present, which I am sure are all wrapped and under the tree, or busily being knitted and stitched up
All in all a lovely event, with lovely people
Thanks to everyone for coming x
Show & Tell | WindUp Three
Posted on - 24/11/2014
There were some amazing designs brought to WindUp Three for the Show & Tell table, which soon got christened the Shontelle table, which seemed funny at the time!
Here are some items that were shared, and admired.
Thanks to all who brought their designs for sharing, & hope to see more in December.
WindUp Three | Thanks & Pics
Posted on - 24/11/2014
Wow ~ WindUp Three on Saturday was a fibre buzz.
Thanks to all the lovely people that came along from near and far and joined in, with the amazing clack of needles, chat and laughter, and our amazing stash vendors.
This month we had three new stash vendors ~ mo with her amazing needle felting, Julie all the way from France, with the most beautiful crochet you can see, all in cashmere and pure lovely colours, and Mike who brought his amazing handmade ceramic yarn pots, which were all snapped up well before the end of the four hours, so a real hit. As well as YAK with beautiful yarns and notions.
Textile Gardens were there with their amazing collection of buttons, braid and lace, next to us Bessie May. We both arrange the event, and are so pleased with the support and feedback, which makes the effort all worthwhile.
Here are some pics of knitting in action, and some of our lovely stash sellers.
Thanks to everyone, and see you hopefully for our Christmas Vibe WindUp Four on 20 December. x
WindUp Three ~ 22|11|14 ~ all Welcome
Posted on - 19/11/2014
Well WindUP Three is here this Saturday ~ 22 November, 10am-2pm, and preps are under way.
As shared before we have a couple of new Stash Busters joining us, and we can’t wait to see what they are bringing ~ Mike, from Pots of Mike with beautiful ceramic yarn pots he has made especially for WUS, as well as Mo, who is a Fibre Goddess.
Some of us you have seen before will of course be there ~ Bessie May with our yarns and designs, Textile Garden with the best button and haberdashery collection you will ever see in one place, and YAK with beautiful yarns and notions which you just have to stroke.
We are hopefully also having a guest visitor from France who is a crochet expert, so really something for everyone.
As we are moving well through November, and as many stayed for the full four hours last month, and had to disappear and buy sandwiches, as donuts were good, but not enough to sustain all the frantic knitting, this month we are cooking Leek and Potato Soup, so come prepared to be warmed inside and out.
Here is the recipe we will be using if you love it and fancy having a go. All home made, but not chicken stock being used as it suggests, just veggie, to let the veg do the talking.
Oh and I nearly forgot to say ~ there will be cake for those who fancy a sugar burst, and of course loads of usual caffeine supplies!
Hope you can come and don’t forget that project on the needles and any finished designs that you can share on the ‘Show & Tell Table‘ ~ new this month ~ a chance for everyone to admire each other’s creations, as can guarantee there will be just loads of talent in the room x
WindUp Two ~ Thanks & Pics
Posted on - 27/10/2014
Well Saturday, and WindUp Two, has been and gone, and all seemed like a dream.
We want to say thanks to everyone who came and visited and joined in on Saturday, with all lovely people from far and wide ~ Billingshurst, Lewes (by public transport ~ what an expedition), Burgess Hill, London, Brighton, the list goes on.
Four hours in a pretty hall, with just chit chat, laughter, and industrious, creative, clever, knitting and crocheting all the way. It was just inspiring to see all the beautiful designs in progress, and made me go straight home and get my needles working, although I don’t ever need that much persuading, but such a nice way to get inspiration. I certainly experienced knit envy when I saw some of the amazing things being made ~ so much talent in one room.
We have to share the best statement of the day, which was “This is Better than Ally Pally” ~ beautiful vendors, space to meet others, and chill out, drink tea and coffee and generally have a relaxing time.
A great idea suggested by our visitors from Lewes, was to introduce a show and tell table, so everyone can share their recent finished articles, as being knitters we are all nosey about what everyone else is doing, so this has been added to the list for WindUp Three.
Bessie May and Textile Garden decided to put this event together in the Summer, and we are really pleased we made it happen, together with ongoing attendance by ByHookCrochet, YAK, Fibreactive, The Little House of Patchwork. We all value this time to meet customers, each other, and also share our products, so that people get the chance to look, feel and see what we are all about, as well as meet us, and put a name to a face.
WindUp Three is planned already for Saturday 20 November, and we have a couple of new vendors we are very excited about, who are going to join us, and will share more soon. We can guarantee they only sell lovely stuff, so I am saving up already, as each time I have come away with things I didn’t plan to get.
Here are some pics of everyone in action ~ apologies about the quality but done on a mobile.
