Thank you to everyone who has commented, offered suggestions, and just generally encouraged me with this idea. You’ve convinced me that now is the time to do this, and because of that I will now put this app into development!

However I realise that there is a good chunk of my readership who are not interested in any smartphone app – its a whole other world for you?! – so I don’t want to keep banging on about it and boring you to tears. Therefore I’d like to return to “regular programming” as soon as possible.

So that I can do this, I’d like to ask if any of those who ARE interested in my app would like to join an email focus group for the app? I’d like the opportunity to bounce ideas off you, and you’d get the opportunity to have input into the app (though I can’t guarantee that your particular ideas will be adopted) to make it what you want it to be.

If you’re interested in joining this email focus group list, please drop me a line at yvette at vettycreations dot com dot au (changing the words to symbols where appropriate). Thanks!

I won’t be bombarding the email list with messages. Just occasionally there might be something I’d like to ask others about. And if it all becomes too much you can simply let me know at any point that you’d like to be removed from the list. I won’t be offended at all!

I’d also like to assure everyone that Vetty Creations will not be going all brave new worldish. I will STILL be writing and publishing real hard copy books, and not moving completely into the digital world. I love books, and I will keep publishing books with real paper!

I’ve just had a lovely little while reading through all the comments from all the people who want to win the book, and why they want to win it.

I’ve been intrigued by the fact that at least one woman remembers her grandmother doing something like it. I’ve been greatly encouraged by people who say that on the basis of the excellence of other books by me that they own, that they know this one will also be excellent.

I seem to have given some people the horrors by putting cupcakes on one of the pieces of needlework in one of the photos! Many people love the small projects – particularly the ornaments. Can you remember when I was thinking through those ornaments and wondered here on the blog whether to present them as single ornaments or as a swag? Just think – if you commented on that post, YOU had a hand in helping me to create the book! (Thank you!)

And then others love the fact that there are large projects such as the tablecloth. Do you think we should let them know that that particular project nearly killed me?! (Only because I thought it was never going to end!)

It is wonderfully gratifying to think that there are so many people who would love to win the book. I am so pleased that my book has introduced them to something new, and inspired so many to try it. Many seem to be particularly taken by the image on the front of the book – for which I am glad, because the cover of a book *should* attract people!

Thanks to everyone for your encouragement of me. So much affirmation first thing in the morning should make for a great start to the day, especially as I am working on the drudge of preparing my tax for the tax-man…

I spent yesterday cleaning out my office searching for any bits of paperwork that I might need for my tax, and actually found it to be not such a bad experience as I had expected. You see, I kept finding skeins of thread throughout, underneath, on top of and behind all the mess! As soon as I’ve finished preparing the tax stuff, I’ll hopefully be able to get started on a project utilising some of those threads!

However, I’m thinking of changing my mind about which book to write next, and doing a different one than the one I had previously slotted in to my schedule. This is because of conversations I had with students and others in Adelaide, at Beating Around the Bush.

The one I had already started on won’t be wasted. These things never are. I’m sure it can be recycled into something else.

I’m also considering another project, which is quite a new idea, and is right outside of my comfort zone. Its still a needlework focus, but has a different style of delivery than a book. Its a bit cutting edge, but I think it is something that the market might appreciate.

Watch this space…!

But what I was REALLY interested in were those answers which were not the same. The applique one and the quilting one. That’s fascinating, so thank you to Rachel and Anita for your contributions.

I was asking because I wanted to know if I mentioned the idea of stab stitching, whether you would understand it to mean the same as I did. It seems that most do, so that is really useful to know. Thanks so much for your responses, including the ones that were emailed directly to me.

We were severely underwhelmed.

There were TWO (count them) vendors selling nice embroidery thread. And neither of them had anything suitable for what I wanted. I did buy some silk blend brocade type fabric, which I might use for something. There were NO (can’t count them!) indie craft vendors for my sister. Mum did get some cardmaking paper, but not stamps.

There was very little knitting stuff. Very little embroidery stuff. It seemed to mostly be patchwork and quilting stuff – and nothing very inspiring of that. My sister commented, “I didn’t see ANY Amy Butler fabric,” meaning there was nothing particularly contemporary. There was papercraft stuff, but mostly for scrapbookers. I have no idea what people use all those stick on sparkly things for. And there was lots of old lady lace.

My sister felt there was precisely nothing of interest for her at all. I did at least get to catch up with some stall holders who I hadn’t seen in a while, and introduce myself to some others, who I needed to meet.

When we were leaving, I saw the guy who actually runs the show. I pointed him out to my sister, and said “He’s the one you need to speak to.” So she waited until he was free, and offered him her feedback. It was a very interesting conversation. Apparently the average age of attendees for that show is 37. That’s ME! But if that is the average age, I think there will be a lot of people who won’t bother coming back again.

He told us that the show that had the indie crafts there a few years ago (it was not the same show, and had different ownership) went bust because of those indie craft vendors. I’m not sure how, but apparently the other stall holders resented them being there, and they just didn’t fit.

I remember that show. Downstairs, there were all the normal stalls, like the ones we saw on Friday – really uninspiring. Upstairs, there were all these little stalls with indie crafts, such as Prints Charming, Ink and Spindle and others. I found some really lovely hand-dyed felt which was perfect for what I was working on at the time (my stitch dictionaries) at a Rudolf Steiner-esque stall. My sister and her friend had walked up the stairs, found the stalls and exclaimed something along the lines of “THIS is more like it!”

It was really interesting and inspiring and exactly the sort of thing they were looking for. But unfortunately apparently it doesn’t work for mass market, and therefore there can’t be a show for that sort of suppliers. (SURELY someone can make it work, even if it isn’t the people who currently organise these mass-market craft shows?)

The guy who runs the shows talked about the difference in audiences between the Darling Harbour show (which I exhibit at) and the Rosehill show. It confirmed for me that Darling Harbour is the right place for my business. He also talked about demographics. It was quite fascinating. He’s the sort of person I could grill for a whole day and learn so much!

So even if the show itself wasn’t much chop, the conversation I had with the fellow who organises it probably made up for it.

I don’t think I’ll bother going to that show again. Its sad, because it COULD be so good!