Fun
The Village of Makers
Dear Kay,
Gah, got another email about a knitting-related business shutting down, and I just can’t even. What is going on?
We all need to rally around the makers and shops and websites and designers who are creating the things we love, every day, all day, all over the world.
If we love them, we gotta support them.
Everybody has their favorite makers—go show them some love.
Love their posts, share a link, give one of their products to your best friend.
For me, gifts are the best way to buy something I wouldn’t need myself but would be a small delight for somebody in my life.
This is a huge shift in my thinking. I used to pass a craft booth, admire some handmade thing, and think: “I just don’t need a bit of that.”
These days, I think: We all need a bit of that. This needs to happen. This person is creating something unique and delightful.
Just scrolling through the list of vendors coming to Nash Yarn Fest gave me such a thrill. What I hope is that this one-weekend village of makers is a place where these folks will draw inspiration from each other, and meet the knitters and crocheters who will love what they do.
And (I guess this is obvious) that page of links constitutes a village of another sort—a virtual village that’s here every day, all day long.
Who’s doing beautiful work that we need to know about? Please leave a comment and let us know!
Love,
Ann
PS: My pincushion is my constant companion. Sally Mitchell made it. A few years ago, I met her at a crafts fair I came across at the Islesboro Historical Society. (Islesboro is one of the kajillion small islands in Maine, a quick ferry ride from Lincolnville.) Whenever I need a straight pin, this pincushion reminds me of that breezy summer ferry ride and my conversation with Sally. She gives a tour of her studio here.
Do you all know about the gorgeous yarn from The Fleece Artist, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada?
https://www.fleeceartist.com/
Being from Halifax myself, I am totally in love with Fleece artist yarns and use them all the time. Very proud to use a local product!
Ooo!Ooo! I’m going to be in Halifax in June. So glad you listed this! I will be sure to stop by — their yarn looks wonderful.
As my morning news is overflowing with dire news of an utterly unnecessary trade war, I’m giving a shout-out to a Canadian small business, Wave Fibre Mill, that is not only sourcing, creating and selling locally here in Ontario, they are also mentoring other small businesses and makers!
Wave has taken her love of natural fibres and the growing Ontario Fibreshed and is building a one-stop shop that processes raw wool from small regional farms, spins yarns which they then, sell, knit, and/or weave into fabulous fabrics which again, they sell (for clothing, upholstery and more) and/or sew into fabulous long-lasting investment garments themselves.
YEs, the prices are steep. Take a deep breath & rethink, because Wave Fibre Mill is creating fibre products intended to LAST. These are investment vestments! You can buy a classic wool coat that can AND WILL become an heirloom. You can reupholster Grandma’s favourite chair in 100% natural wool fabric & padded with 100% natural wool batting that will last far longer than plastic infused fabrics padded with chemical factory fabricated foams that off gas toxins into your home & will kill you in the event you have a house fire. Clara tells you all of the benefits of this natural wonder, but yes, reupholstering Grandma’s chair (they just do NOT build them like they used to so reuse the best for longer lasting heirloom furnishings!) can and will help to clean your indoor air quality and moderate your fluccuating indoor air humidity! Quality that lasts for generations does not come cheaply, but buying the best only 1 time can and will save you & your family $$ over the life of that product. Shop thrift shops & flea with an eye for what is worth reupholstering. There are gems there begging to be reimagined!
You can shop Wave’s delightful creations here:
https://wavefibremill.com/retail/
They’re located just outside of Parry Sound on the beautiful Georgian Bay. It’s a gorgeous part of the world to visit any time of year with outdoor activities to enjoy in both Winter and Summer!
J Diane, thanks for this wonderful, inspiring post! With my former source of wool fabric (Joann) closing everywhere, I need to start checking out local (even if not local to me) shops. Yarn shops are not impossible to find here, but good wool fabric sources are!
Thank you, I needed that! I believe that families of makers will provide us with the will and determination to survive what ever comes!
From an annual celebrated craft fair, I still have – at least 30 years later – two soft quality leather pouches on a long thin strap worn crossbody. Still perfect for carrying keys and a few bucks when out on long walks when you might run into a coffee shop. Cost about ten bucks then. Who knows now. Also, recently at a local really small farmer’s market I ran across a small wine concession which also had a few balls of rustic hand-processed wool they were selling for a friend. Not cheap – this time – but worth the money for their color and character. So you never know where you will find yarn or something else that is “just the thing.” Get out there! And I try to buy – something! – at every yarn store I run into. It might not be much but is always useful for small gifts. I think crafts, like collecting, tends to run in cycles. Lets hope there will be an upswing soon!
Good point, about gifts. I’m about to be near a lovely yarn shop. I really don’t need any yarn, or tools, or lovely project bags, in fact my cupboards are very stuffed.
But I can definitely buy a gift for my niece who has recently taken up knitting!
This is wonderful! Great to see what others are doing and the support we can give them.
This is so true. I am a knitter and stitcher (EGA, ANG , Danish). We have lost a lot of designers, journals, juried craft fairs ( still have the American Craft Council.)Not only do we need to support our current designers and stores we need to get our young involved in these arenas to carry on traditions and get new creative ideas. I miss the Bouton dor, Penqoin, Anny Blatt Silver, publications and more ( may not have all the names correct.
Aaaaa, Maine! “Down East” magazine recently carried a story about the women behind the Isleboro Fair!
And let’s not forget the wisdom they bring to the table. Last week, one of my co-workers was looking for something that he had no idea where to source. He asked me if I knew how to get it and I didn’t but then I thought about it for a minute and thought of someone–a fellow maker who I didn’t know–might. So I sent an email, got an almost immediate reply and a potential solution. It turned out to be to expensive (small non-profit) but we went down a bit of a rabbit hole which led to more makers, and more conversations, with more people, and I haven’t felt that connected to the world for a long time. It’s been wonderful. And now we have a plan for my co-worker that, by golly, just might work!
P.S. I also recently received space age cat themed notions bag as a gift and it hasn’t left my side.
Thanks for sharing the list of vendors for those of us who cannot attend but would like to support small crafty businesses!!
https://arcanefibreworks.ca/collections/unlimited-stock
Another shout for Canada!
Lovely, squishy yarn and the best photos and yarn color matching (to the photos) ever!
Great customer service.