Etsy Treasuries

I've been lucky enough to have featured in a few Treasuries (collections of 12 Etsy items collated on a theme) in my time, and it's not often I check them, but before I went to bed tonight, I found that Vintage Fairisle had been picked for a Red and Blue Treasury - I wish I knew how to get a mini Etsy photo of it to show you on here forever more (I'm sure whirly knows how to do it), but unfortunately, it will be lost in a day or two. From the comments, it looks like it featured on the front page (but I'm not sure.)

OK, this is weird - about to shut down when discovered Golden Plum in another Treasury! Two in one day! This one is called What I like today and features plum and green. Again, it will vaporise in a day or two.

I'll just go to bed on a Treasury high! Simple things please simple minds!

Craft is the new luxury

As Giorgio Armani recently said: “The defining change in luxury has been a move towards personalisation and customisation, and a growing desire for true exclusivity.”

This quote is taken from an excellent article in the Sunday Times for 28th October called `The Birth of Nu-Craft'. I can't help thinking that Etsy surely has to be part of this re-emergence of craft and the fact that many forms of craftwork are being taken more seriously.

Then I came across a second article in the Times Literary Supplement for the 26th October by Tanya Harrod. As I haven't got a subscription to the TLS, other than at work, I'll attempt to summarise some of the main points:

In this Commentary article, sculptor Phyllida Barlow realises the craftsperson is competing with materialism on a gigantic scale and wonders how one competes with a giant global industry of objects.

It discusses the development of a 21stC arts and crafts movement in China - a turn to painstaking handwork as a response to destructive modernization.

The article also explores the relationship between craft and replication and the assumption that craft is traditionally viewed as a second-rate activity to art.


US sociologist, Richard Sennett explains why more and more people are turning from the workplace to craftwork. He claims we live in a world that singles out comparatively few for recognition, yet where we are endlessly assessed and judged. And argues that skills won through long experience appear to count for nothing and identities eroded as a result and so an increasing number of creative people "refocus" their energies on perfecting a craft for oneself.

To sum up, craft exhibition co-curator, Kate Westerholt says, "I see echoes of the Arts and Crafts movement. At the turn of the last century, people were tired of industrialisation; they craved individuality. We’re seeing a return to that. It’s like, I want beautiful things in my home, and the best way is to make them myself.

Buy handmade - support Etsy.

And keep knitting, crocheting, silversmithing, jewellery-making, bag-making and making beautiful things that make you happy. You're a talented bunch!

Some lovely newness

Here's this week's offerings to gradually appear on etsy before the end of the week:


This one's called August because today was the first real sign of summer we've had and these hot summery colours remind me of a bright summer's day. This is in the soft cashmere/silk 4 ply.

Next is Plum Tree, also in 4 ply cashmere/silk:Inspired by the plum trees out in bloom at the Discovery Centre.

And finally, this is Seaspray which soft subtle colours suit the softness of the cashmerino.
I may ever get around to listing some of Granda's "Irish flags" wool. It came out quite nicely... watch this space!

First custom order

Very exciting week in the world of the Skein Queen for two reasons. Firstly, first wholesale order from China arrived:

Lovely cashmere/silk, some cashmerino and a lovely soft worsted blend of lambs wool, dehaired angora and cashmere. Gorgeous! Look and drool!

Just as well I placed that order, as they day before it arrived, I had my first request for a custom order from a wonderful and talented fellow Etsian in Prague. She wanted a grey blue colour and possibly an indigo to follow. So I got busy:

After a few panics about rubbish lighting making the grey blue look grey and gloomy, this is what's winging its way to Prague - hope she likes it:

Bohemian Blue

Ordered some moo cards this evening - can't wait to see them. Will post here when they arrive. Plan to include them in my parcels to customers and give them out to anyone who'll listen to me yabber on about wool!

Looking forward to a weekend with friends - Friday night out for a birthday meal with the girls and then down to the New Forest to spend the weekend with our old friends (they're not old, we've just had them a long time.)

Etsy shop

After much work, have launched my Skein Queen etsy shop at last - I love the concept of a marketplace for handmade items. I'm gradually adding more items to it every couple of days and the most exciting bit was getting my first sale only a couple of hours after launching. A lady from Michigan purchased a cashmere/silk skein in Kew Gardens and it's winging its way to her as we speak.

Check out the scrumminess:

Kew Gardens skein

I have been working on a new colourway called River Thames which has beautiful blues, browns and creams which I'm going to put into the etsy shop in the next couple of days. Just reminds me of the colour of the Thames at Henley or Windsor on a summer's day. Am into English summer traditions and places for naming skeins at the moment. Fits into the tongue-in-cheek royal theme, I guess.

It's pretty exciting getting this all set up and following in the footsteps of yarn queens I admire who run such establishments as yarn yard and yarn pirate and sharing at etsy. They are my yarn heroines. Also Debbie at DT Craft & Design I consider my mentor and inspiration, not to mention her fantastic range of dyeing products.

As for recent knitting projects, well, this is how obsessed I am. I recently got given some vouchers for John Lewis. So, straight past the designer clothes section (that was quite difficult) to the wool section. I had the Skein Prince and Princess with me and they kind of spotted a bunny and an owl from the Lucinda Guy And So To Bed book and I kind of offered to make them for them. £50 later, I came out with all this Jaegar yarn and the pattern book!

This is Bella Bunny, complete with pair of knickers, which I won't show you - she needs a bit of privacy!

I've completed the front and back of Otto Owl for the Skein Prince - in the meantime, he's knitted his own Hooting Henry from Lucinda Guy's Kids Learn to Knit - yet to be photographed - that's for the next post.

And so to bed... via Big Brother.