Books and sewing- challenges both

I went into my local Collins book store last week- I did have a voucher to spend but of course didn't take the names of the books I really wanted to buy- a mixture of craft and children's fiction.  But the staff were setting up a new display.  One book- well retro book caught my eye- hey I said I've got that book at home- I read it in my first year of high school- in fact a childhood friend recently discovered my name in the book and the book on her bookshelf and returned it to me- many, many years after she had borrowed it.

I was really surprised to see this book reprinted.  It poses the question- is this what readers want now- a mystery, a step up from Enid Blyton?  As writers are we providing this?

I also wanted to share a craft from scraps and recycled material( thanks Janeen for those cloth serviettes).  I belong to a craft group called Knotty Ladies and they are working towards a market for craft from recycled material for Christmas and charity.

The pattern can be found here.wrap around doll

sewing at weekend

Look what I've made from the Softies book- sewing has the same buzz as poetry writing- some poems have a character and atmosphere that is satisfying, others are just scraps sewn together and maybe never finished.
I used to sew lots of soft toys when I was 17, 18 years old sewing scraps from the dress I'd make very week into another product. Now there is an avalanche of scraps waiting in cupboards, shelves, storage boxes, but my writing has waited longer.