The Psychology of Shopping

As well as wall mounted work, I also like to have a table full of lower cost items for sale at my Open Studio. Not everyone who visits either wants or can afford work for the wall - in fact I would guess that accounts for the majority of visitors. But quite a few people like to buy a card or small gift item.

 

 

I've made sure I have plenty of past best sellers such as my brooches...

 

and pin cushion jars. Although having sold well in the past is not a guarantee that they will sell again

 

There is a basket of these chaps... these used to outsell everything else I made but not so much anymore. Maybe they no longer appear "on trend" or perhaps I've saturated my market? Maybe I just need a different patterned sock?

 

I've also added new items this year... crochet pin cushions packed in cupcake boxes. Will these sell or are cupcakes as passe as we are led to believe?

 

And although these are nothing new - I've seen lavender fish on the internet for quite a few years - today I had the urge to make a whole dish full. And it remains to be seen whether they sell like hot "fish"cakes... or whether I'm left with a dishful after the weekend.

 

I've given up trying to understand the psychology behind shopping. There has been many an Open Studio weekend when I've sold out of an item on the Saturday, have stayed up late replenishing my stock and then not sold a single one on the Sunday. It's all a guessing game.. but at least I've had fun making stuff!

 

Open Studio

20th & 21st July and 27th & 28th July

www.camopenstudios.co.uk

 

Cake Testing

I may not have been driving around all over the place this week but there has still been a hive of activity in my kitchen as I've been testing the merits of different vanilla sponges and working out the logistics of constructing celebration cakes.

 

 

I was asked to make two special birthday cakes this week, both based on a vanilla sponge... in the end I opted for a classic Victoria sponge recipe.

 

The first was an owl for a fiftieth birthday celebration.

 

My brief was an owl cake with eyelashes. I didn't ask questions... I just made the cake.

 

The second was a much larger more complicated affair. An eighteenth birthday cake and the recipient was very specific about colours and design. It also has to feed twenty four and withstand the journey to Manchester this evening. It's huge!

 

I was way out of my comfort zone with this. By the end of the day yesterday I felt as though I was coated in sugar...in fact my whole kitchen was coated in sugar. Sarah hasn't seen it yet so fingers crossed.*

 

And while these cakes were being baked and constructed I was also trying to work out the logistics for assembling these crochet cakes.

 

So far, four cakes and four slightly different patterns but I think I've found the one that works best.

 

There's been cupcakes, muffins and cookies too... consumed by family and friends. Next week I think I'll be ready to leave my kitchen and head back out on the road again!

 

* She has just collected the cake and loves it... Phew!

Crochet Cupcake

As promised... a pattern for miniature crochet cupcakes.

A present from me to you on Mother's Day

 

 

Using a 2 mm crochet hook and a fine yarn (such as 4 ply) in a colour suitable for your cupcake case, make a magic ring to start. Do this by forming a loop with your yarn and hold in firmly where the yarn is double.

 

Insert the hook into the loop and draw the yarn back through the centre of loop.

 

Make a double crochet stitch (I'm using UK crochet terms)

 

Continue making double crochet (dc) stitches into the loop until you have a total of eight stitches.

 

Pull the tail end of the yarn, closing the ring so that the stitches forrm a tight circle and then join the first and last stitches with a slip stitch.

 

Row 1: Make 1 chain, 1 dc into first stitch, 2 dc into each of the following 7 stitches (16 stitches)

Row 2: Work 1 dc into each of the stitches in the previous row, working into the back loop of the stitch as shown below (this forms a ridge that marks the edge of the base of the cupcake case) (16 stitches)

 

Rows 3 - 6: Work dc into each stitch of previous row, working into both loops of the stitch as shown.(16 stitches)

 

Row 8: Picot edge - * Make 2 chain, slip stitch into next stitch working into the front loop of the stitch only, as shown**. Repeat from * to ** 15 times more. fasten off yarn.

 

Change to cake coloured yarn.

Row 9: Working into the back loop of the stitches of the last dc row (row 7), make a dc into each stitch. (16 stitches)

Row 10: Work 1 dc into each stitch of previous row. (16 stitches) Fasten off yarn.

 

 

Rows 11 & 12: Change to pink (or icing coloured) yarn and work two rows of dc (16 stitches).

At this stage, insert a small circle of firm card (approx 1.5 cm diameter), or a penny, into the base of the cake and fill the case with a small ball of polyester toy stuffing.

Row 13: Decrease row. *Insert hook into next stitch and draw yarn through (2 stitches on hook), insert hook into next stitch and draw yarn through (3 stitches on hook) Draw yarn through all 3 stitches**. Repeat from * to ** 7 more times (8 stitches) If necessary add more stuffing at this stage.

 

Row 14: As row 13 (4 stitches)

Row 15: As row 13 (2 stitches)

Pull yarn through stitches to fasten off. Weave in all loose ends and finish by working a French knot in a dark pink/red yarn on top of cake.

 

Having seen these photos again, I think what I need for Mother's Day is a decent manicure... but in fact I'm getting something much better. I have almost a full contingent of sons at home and Ben is coming up from London to cook me and my Mum lunch. And there is promise of some wonderful Mediterranean food inspired by Yotam Ottolenghi. I can't wait!

 

Wishing all Mums out there a wonderful Mother's Day.