Well, we live in strange times don’t we? Who on earth could have predicted such changes in the way we live? But not just our country. All over the world! I don’t know about you, but I’ve had good days and bad days. Some of the good days have been excellent; when I thought about the impact this is having on the environment; when I thought about what I’m managing to achieve and when I’ve just enjoyed being home. But some of the bad days have rolled into one another to create a poor week. Those times have been difficult and tiring. I think there has been grief at the loss of liberty and losing anything to be excited about in the near future. But, thankfully, because we’re all together in the house as a family, I’ve had people to bounce thoughts off and in the main bounced back fairly quickly.
However, one stellar side effect, has been the amount of weaving I’ve done. The sun has been out and I’ve been outside or in the studio beavering away at creating cloth. Mostly scarves and shawls - my absolute favourite thing - but all unique designs in mostly handspun yarn. Just yummy.
I have also made my own logo, which is being used across social media and my images, plus is being printed onto cloth tags as we speak. All part of a branding exercise that I’ve thoroughly enjoyed doing. I’m hoping to get the products on here fairly soon! Watch this space, as they say.
One thing I’m not doing is rushing. I’ve realised just how much I chase around when there really is no need to. And by going out all the time, as I normally would, I’m missing out on the gift of time. That’s been revelatory. So, I’ll sort out getting a sales page on here, all in good time.
Thank you for reading. I can only hope that your remain safe and well.
Sending out loving, kind wishes
Love and light
Michelle xxx

Well, here’s a thing! I’m back at the same place. I started writing a new website for Simply Pidge and then realised all the old stuff was still kind of relevant, so how much nicer to just change the old website some to fit. So, from The Spinning Shed, to Simply Pidge.
Simply Pidge is more generic as I’m not doing any spinning at the moment. In fact I’m still a little unfocused, but getting there. Call it a mid life crisis if you will, but I’m figuring out what life is all about, now France is over. And it is over now the house has sold (yippee and hoorah - in that order!). So we can settle down and do what makes us happy.
This new site is about simple living - whatever that means and creativity. A new little dinky loom is coming at Christmas - the Ashford sampleit loom - which is for quick, simple uber creative makes. I’m super excited as it really speaks to my need for simplicity at the moment, and I’m keen to get started. It’s been super busy lately and I think that will continue until Christmas now, but I also want to do more with the Saori loom. So it’s going to be new year, new me I think. Very exciting!
Love and light peeps.
Michelle

Well, I am sorry to say that the shop on Etsy has been closed. I had it for 8 months. In the beginning sales were good and all was well. But then Etsy encouraged me to change shipping to free. At first I resisted, because who believes it’s free? But the sales dried up, so I went with the flow and did what they wanted - postage was free! It didn’t make a big difference and sales didn’t bounce back to the same levels. Hmmmm. I continued but I have the capacity to make more yarn than was being sold, so lost heart with it.
Then in February we moved house and life was a tad busy!! After serious thought, I decided that Etsy were just too messy abouty and I didn’t want to be part of something whereby my sales depended not on my skill but how the algorithms worked. At times I was pages and pages down the ranking and other times near the top. When the latter, yarn would sell, and the former not at all.
For now, I’m not selling somewhere else and not on here either. I’m not closing The Spinning Shed, but it’s in hiatus. Now we’re settling down, there’s travelling to do (with lots planned for this year) and a rethink about what life’s all about (bit heavy - sorry). There are other things I want to do, so I shall be taking a break, doing some thinking and planning and coming back with something different I believe. I have lost my spinning mojo I’m afraid.
I will leave this all here, and do get in touch if you have any questions - all this knowledge shouldn’t go to waste!
Blessings to you all and especially the many people who have supported me along the way. It’s been a blast!
Much love, much light and ta ta for now!
Michellexxx

A wonderful customer over the pond has been using her purchase from me, to make a piece of felt art. Denise Witt is at the beginning of her journey into felt art, but has sent me a few piccies of her previous work, and I have to say, she has an eye for creativity. What I love about her work, is how freeform it is. She has done more traditional felt art work, with embroidered pieces as well, but for me, it is about how she sees the world that I find fascinating. Below are some of piccies she sent me of her other work.

Aren’t they stunning?
And below is the yarn she bought from me.

So after buying this yarn (called Halloween Horror), she used some of it in the piece shown below and I have to say - it is wow!
Denise calls her piece 'Mardi Gras', which I think suits it beautifully!

Until next time, love and light - and a Very Merry Christmas to you all (as it is fast approaching and I don't think I will post again).
Michellexxx

Now that I have started selling my yarns, I thought it would be a lovely idea to start posting details of what customers do with their purchases, especially as others can see what to do with art yarn. As it is early days, I’ve only had a few sales, but one (well 2 yarns) was to a woman in America, who has her own Etsy shop. She is Diane Turner and her shop on Etsy is called oatmealcookeez.
Here are a couple of photographs of her work

and this is the yarn she bought from me

Well, it took some time, some hair pulling, some walking away from the laptop in desperation and some help from a significant other, but the shop is open!
Please take a look and tell me what you think. Click on the Etsy shop page on the website and it will take you straight to it. It has certainly been a labour of love, but I’m happy it’s up now.
I’m working on some new beads currently which will go on in the next couple of weeks (allowing time for finishing and photographing etc), but here’s a sneak preview of them on the wheel.

For now, keep well (I’m full of cold!). Love and light.
Michelle

it will take me a while, but I’ve finally decided to open a little online shop. I’ve been thinking about it for a long time, and busily making yarn whilst I weighed up the pros and cons. But now, my mind is made up, so I’m beavering away in the background to get it off the ground.
It will be Etsy, because I think to start, building up a base is difficult on your lonesome! And then we’ll see how it goes.
I have a fairly large stash of two plies and art yarn, which I am working my way through organising, but also some lovely fleece from this summers dye sessions. So, it will all be going on.
For now, here’s a sneaky peak at a few piccies which will be winging their way to the new “premises” .
Love and light
Michelle xx

Final part. Here there are some photos showing some a little closer up for the detail.

Part 3 continues with the photos. Trying to do this in one post was proving problematic!

This one is photos of the Mackintosh inspired jewellery. My goodness there is some wonderful creativity here. There were so many more, and my original photos are more centred, but try as I might, the bloody blog thing has come out less well! Still....
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