Category: Etsy

How unseasonal can you get?

Only two months late. Lots going on, that’s all. Main memory of January – grey, grey and more grey. And some difficult moments, of course – four years now since everything changed.

Moving swiftly on. Some intimations of spring, for sure – violets, daffodils and even tulips getting going in the gardens opposite. And – at last – a bit of time for spinning again. I have a lot of plans for this. But first, finishing off some fractal spun art yarns that have been cluttering up my wheels for some weeks now. Feels good to have caught up – and I know of at least one person who will be glad to get some of it into a weaving project! The rest are heading for my Etsy shop.

That time of year…

Brighton Pride, in August!

In all the years I have lived here I have only once seen the procession, because we spend as much of the summer as possible in France. As it happens, that particular weekend is also the closest I have ever come to attending a festival, which you may think is rather tame. I do remember the crazy colourfulness of the parade though – and the good humour. I am told that the spirit of Brighton Pride is now endangered for all the usual reasons – uncontrollable crowds, transport and parking issues, the cost of clearing up staggering amounts of litter, the inevitable commercialisation….It is true that the impact on residents, especially in the St. James’s Street Kemp Town area, has to be deplored. They are understandably protesting against the conditions imposed on them for over three days when the council authorities close public streets to enable the event organisers to make money by charging for entrance tickets.I have no idea what deal the council have got into over this, but as well as putting up with the mess and late (all?) night loud noise, residents in a very wide zone (25 densely populated streets) are required to register for wristbands, which they must then collect from a box office, with id and proofs of residency. They then have to wear them – just to access their own homes if they dare to step outside! The standard issue is 4 wristbands per household – so don’t even think about inviting any of your own visitors for three days…Apparently many residents just can’t stand this weekend and so are effectively driven away to stay elsewhere. No wonder they feel nostalgic for the old-style friendly (free) Pride street parties of not so long ago….

I will restrict my own Pride ‘commercial opportunity’ to something much less controversial. I have made precisely three crazy Pride items for my Etsy shop. Not in themselves exactly low-key, but definitely not intrusive.

In praise of cowls

I have been making lots this winter – great fun! I have even produced kits. And on Etsy they sell – to the USA and to Europe. But not so much here, in the UK. This I really don’t understand. Cowls (neck warmers, snoods in the States) are warm, super practical (stuff one in your pocket, plus no tails to get in the way, especially good for outdoor sports). They are also obviously less expensive than the time consuming hand made traditional long scarf. So why are they not catching on? Are we just being a bit slow?

Grateful for any suggestions!

One of those runaway days

A day that started early, ended late (only a few minutes left till midnight, once again) but didn’t seem to go anywhere much in between. Some useful Etsy listing though – hand warmers this time. I am definitely making a dent in the pile, which is satisfying (and also means I can think about making more stuff…)

I really should be using all my very best, beautiful stashed yarns now. I probably already don’t have enough life left to get through them all – though there is definitely pleasure in spreading them out to admire. I think I am waiting for them to shout out to me exactly what they want to become – it does sometimes happen! Until I am absolutely sure, I will probably just keep on stroking and purring….