When an unexpected potential opportunity comes your way

Have you come across ‘Streetlife’? After unsuccessfully asking around for a recommended joiner to build a cupboard around a boiler, a friend of mine advised me to register on Streetlife and ask my local community.

To cut a long story sort, I didn’t find a joiner, but I did come across a message from a lady who was looking for crocheters and knitters to help her in her very successful online etsy shop, Wool Couture.

If you pop across to the shop you’ll see that they specialise in absolutely beautiful luxury handmade chunky woollen accessories, chunky yarn and kits.

Gorgeous chunky merino

Oversized chunky dog bed

Crochet kit

Ready for autumn chunky cowl.

Claire has so far designed, sourced and made every item herself but since her shop opening in 2014 has become a victim of her own success and can no longer keep up with her orders; hence the call for local crocheters and knitters.

I knew I wouldn’t actually be able to offer her my time, however much I would like too, but I was intrigued about her success and we arranged to meet.

We both turned up at the coffee shop, each with a big bag containing our own work, and I felt we quite hit it off! I loved her work and she loved mine!

We talked for a good hour about her crochet and shop and my crochet and my potential shop. The conversation then turned to Claire stocking my blankets in her shop!

Well I couldn’t be happier. No leg work for me. I’ll work at my own pace, just as I do now. Claire will photograph my blankets, and anything else appropriate I make, so the theme of the shop remains the same. She is also a bit of a whiz with SEO (search engine optimization) so my blankets will get noticed instead of hiding away in one of a thousand online shops selling similar things.

But the best thing is that she has hit on a market that are prepared to pay for what an artisan product is actually worth in time and materials, so I might be able to sell my blankets for something reasonable.

I’ve always crocheted because I love it and I would crochet regardless but to receive my costs and some reimbursement  for my time will be lovely.

We talked about lots of other things we could do together too, crochet wise. There was so much to talk about! I feel there will be plenty of coffees to be drunk in the future.

We’ve started with just one blanket. This one.

Watch this space.

Love, Lucie