Sale Ending 6th Nov

I had a revelation this week. Sustainability starts with respecting my energy! I’ve heard this from my spiritual teachers for many years, but never fully connected it with ecology, which I was still considering as external to myself. But it isn’t. I’m a symbiotic part of the ecology around me. What am I but a temporary assimilation of rivers, clouds, sunshine and soil? And how can I respect the natural world and not over consume or exploit resources without applying the same principals to my own energy?

Since lockdown began, I’ve been predominantly working voluntarily; growing food, fibre and dye for the first season at my new allotment, making scrub caps and face coverings for my community but also setting up the new NW England Fibreshed. This is why I’ve been a little quiet! 

If you haven’t heard of Fibershed yet, they advocate for ‘local fibres, local dyes and local labour’ as a way to empower and regenerate regional ecology and economy. Working for this inspiring organisation has given me much needed hope during this chaotic year, so I urge you to check out their website for more information.

What I haven’t done recently is look after myself very well. At the beginning of lockdown, I was getting outside and doing more exercise than before. I explored my local dye plants during ‘the great pause’ but as the nights have drawn in, I’ve lost my work/life balance and exhausted myself. I had a mini meltdown last week, sobbed from tiredness, then realised, it was my own fault! I have no boundaries!

Having an emotional low gave me the opportunity to dig around in my dirt for some treasured insights. I’ve been doing so much research this year about sustainability and regeneration but am only just applying the principals to my own inner ecology. In the same way that we can’t have infinite economic growth on a planet with finite resources, we as individuals can’t sustain giving without allowing ourselves to receive.

After taking a day off to really rest, I felt much better and started thinking about how this applies to my business too. Am I respecting my resources professionally or working in a way that’s unsustainable? I realised, it’s time to review my time keeping and the huge lockdown discounts I’ve been offering from my online workshops.

It’s been lovely hearing back from students who’ve told me how taking my classes has helped them through lockdown. You can read a lovely review from one of my recent students, who’s kindly given permission for me to showcase her work in the images above, here. However, as the pandemic is ongoing, if I’m to sustain my business, I have to set a boundary, so am ending the sale a week today on Friday 6th November at midnight. This is your last chance to sign up at prices that will never be this low again.

The feedback I get from these workshops is always so wonderful and since becoming an advocate for Fibreshed, I understand the importance of well curated education in natural dyeing all the more. If you’ve been looking for training or just a new hobby to try at home, click through for full details of the Foundation in Natural Fabric Dyeing that’s available online now.

Thanks for supporting my work!