Posts tagged Carno

Seems a long time since we looked at our quilting workshop at Corris Craft Centre.

We have recently said some goodbyes, we have tried to send some designs to Canada (no luck as far as we know) and we’ve been at Carno.

Does that mean that we have deserted our quilt shop in Corris, or our Wednesday fabric stall at Machynlleth market?

No, not one bit. We still, somehow, find time to do our patchworks and quilts in our workshop. We continue to entertain our visitors (or more often than not the visitors to King Arthurs Labyrinth).

We have had some enteraining and interesting visitors who have an interest in quilting and fabrics. Too few, but those we have had have been a joy. Today’s highlights were a lady from Canada and one who is going to add rug ragging to her many textile skills. A pleasure to meet you both.

Sales also have been better than ever. Still not enough to pay our Landlord with takings from the shop, but an improvement from this time last year.

It suddenly hit us that on 12th July we had an anniversary. One year since we commenced trading and crafting within our little unit in Corris. Wow, so much has happened between the two 12ths of July. Cannot believe that we have been here one year (plus a bit now).
Where has all the time gone?

A full summer season, the dreary winter months when we saw virtually nobody from one week to the next, and now the visitors are here in droves again.

Must be getting old…. Are we enjoying it?

Part of us says yes, and part no. We enjoy the camadarie with the other crafters. We don’t like the politicing. We would love to know where the centre is going, we would love to work with our Landlord rather than be in the dark. We would love to see more people interested in crafting (and especially textiles), we would love to be able to say at the end of the week that we had made any money.

Financially, the enterprise is a nightmare and a real worry.
The constant juggle between our mortgage and the rent due on the shop. The hope that someday we may be able to have a holiday and unwind.

Its a very stressful life being a crafter in rural mid Wales.

But does anyone else care?
You don’t dear Reader, the council doesn’t even know we exist, the Welsh Assembly cares even less (it having no time at all for the lot of ordinary people in rural Wales).

But we care; we care for crafting, we care for traditions and we care for our local Welsh community and all those within it that struggle to make ends meet every day of the year in the face of official indifference.

We try to make a difference and we try to improve the lot of our fellow locals and our tourist guests.