Misty Cottage Crafts began when my, now 9 year old, twins were toddlers.
Back then, as part of my Waldorf Steiner Kindergarten teacher training, I had to try my hand at all sorts of crafts - wet felting, needle felting, knitting, crochet, willow work, puppet making etc. I quickly realised that creating and crafting made me feel good. The process brought me an inner feeling of peace which was the perfect foil to the demands of life at home with young twins.
I began by making all sorts of things for the children, crowns, Waldorf dolls, felt fish, bags and purses etc. which I sold at local craft fayres.
I had to sell some of what I made for two reasons - 1. there is a limit to how many crowns two children need and 2. it brought in some money so I could buy what I needed to make something else - or more of the same as I can be quite obsessive!
I found that I enjoyed working with wool - I live surrounded by sheep and have done for nearly 20 years here on the edge of the moor, so I think woolliness has become part of what 'home' is to me.
I love the idea of working with the 'descent into matter' - to take some fleece and to tease it into a big fluffy cloud, to bring order to it through carding and to bring all that nebulousness down into a condensed, strong, practical and hard wearing material like felt or yarn.
I resisted the call of the wheel for a while - why would I want to spin? I'm not an avid knitter though I enjoy it from time to time. Wouldn't I just be creating yet another stash in my tiny home? But as with so many things - resistance is futile! Watching people spin and hearing the faint whirr and click of the wheel was mesmerizing and soon my hankering for a wheel was becoming unignorable. However, it all seemed unattainable as wheels are so expensive and not what I could justifiably term a 'necessary expense' in a home with two small children and one small income ... BUT ... I have been blessed with a mother who understands the creative drive, the overwhelming hankering for making and the obsessive nature of her daughter!
Back then, as part of my Waldorf Steiner Kindergarten teacher training, I had to try my hand at all sorts of crafts - wet felting, needle felting, knitting, crochet, willow work, puppet making etc. I quickly realised that creating and crafting made me feel good. The process brought me an inner feeling of peace which was the perfect foil to the demands of life at home with young twins.
I began by making all sorts of things for the children, crowns, Waldorf dolls, felt fish, bags and purses etc. which I sold at local craft fayres.
I had to sell some of what I made for two reasons - 1. there is a limit to how many crowns two children need and 2. it brought in some money so I could buy what I needed to make something else - or more of the same as I can be quite obsessive!
I found that I enjoyed working with wool - I live surrounded by sheep and have done for nearly 20 years here on the edge of the moor, so I think woolliness has become part of what 'home' is to me.
I love the idea of working with the 'descent into matter' - to take some fleece and to tease it into a big fluffy cloud, to bring order to it through carding and to bring all that nebulousness down into a condensed, strong, practical and hard wearing material like felt or yarn.
I resisted the call of the wheel for a while - why would I want to spin? I'm not an avid knitter though I enjoy it from time to time. Wouldn't I just be creating yet another stash in my tiny home? But as with so many things - resistance is futile! Watching people spin and hearing the faint whirr and click of the wheel was mesmerizing and soon my hankering for a wheel was becoming unignorable. However, it all seemed unattainable as wheels are so expensive and not what I could justifiably term a 'necessary expense' in a home with two small children and one small income ... BUT ... I have been blessed with a mother who understands the creative drive, the overwhelming hankering for making and the obsessive nature of her daughter!
Hi Minti, this looks great!, may I be the first to congratulate you on your new blog ! Looking forward to reading many more spinning yarns!
ReplyDeleteReally good blog Minti, very inspiring.
ReplyDelete