My first real customer

Up until now, my only customers have been people I know in real life. Yesterday I completed an order for my first 'real' customer, a person I don't know who found my page from a recommendation by a busy fellow crocheter.

my new stash of Cleckheaton 'Perfect day'

One lesson I've learned is that I need to insist on a deposit before beginning work. I have two packages here waiting to be posted to two different ladies who have promised to pay but haven't, and their work was finished months ago. These two ladies are people I know from Facebook. But two other orders have paid in advance, including this one. Rachel has a Facebook page called Babee Blocks where she sews handmade gifts for children and babies. She's paid in advance for these crochet embellishments to add to her work, I do hope she likes them!

6 pink flowers to use as embellishments using 8 ply acrylic yarn and a 4mm hook

One of Rachel's customers wants organic natural fibres on a baby's cloth book, so we decided to use Cleckheaton's 'perfect day', an 8 ply Australian wool and alpaca blend that uses no dyes. Its colours are based on the natural colours of the animals wool. It was beautiful to work with, I'm hoping to make something nice from the left overs when I get a chance. The other shapes are made from scraps of acrylic my mother gave me that she found in second op shops and flea markets.

6 red hearts using pattern at Suzei's Stuff

Acrylic yarn is not exactly "eco-friendly", although I have bought Australian made acrylic baby yarn for a bunny rug I've made. But I do think acrylic fits the 'eco' bill if its second-hand. Its a salvaged product that would otherwise go to waste. I did buy a bunch of Chinese acrylic when it was on special at Lincraft but I'm not using that in my work, only to make things for Thomas.

wool shapes drying flat on a towel, made with undyed Australian alpaca wool blend

The wool shapes didn't sit quite flat so I washed them in Earth Choice wool wash, squeeze them gently and eased them into shape to dry flat on a towel. These have come up beautifully and are very soft to touch. I think they're going to make a beautiful embellishment on Rachel's work.

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