Corris Uchaf, Wales
Posts tagged shop
Neglected our Quilting and our Blog
Nov 23rd
Well. we’ve certainly been remiss.
We have neglected both our quilting and our blog.
Whilst the shop is in a state of disary due to our unwelcome guests we have had a refit. The shop interior is as you will never have seen it before.
Lighter, better presented, more display area, more work area and easier for ourselves and our guests to get about. More space to actually quilt in as well.
Well worth a look even if we say so ourselves. Being neither professional interior designers nor shopfitters, we have to admit we’ve done a pretty good job.
But, don’t take our word for it. Visit Bumble Bee Quilting in Corris and tell us what you think either in person or by comment here (good or bad, we won’t take offence)
Our Quilt shop in Corris
Aug 2nd
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.
This is Wales, so the Sun shines
Jun 3rd
What a glorious week.
After the deluge of recent weeks Wales has recovered to be it’s usual sunny self. Everything has cheered up, the plants, the livestock, the birds and the bees, as well as the good folk at Corris Craft Centre.
A real air of optimism pervades the air all around our little idyll in Mid Wales.
We started a maket stall in Machynlleth on Wednesday selling mainly quilting fabrics. A great opportunity to meet new people and to see old friends as they amble through the streets and stalls of Mach on a very fine and pleasant day. We shall keep the market up as its an ecomonic way of selling and good advertising for us and for the Craft Centre. We have already had people, who saw our stall in the street, make their first ever visit to the Craft Centre. How sad that people living or holidaying for many years within 15 miles of Corris have never even heard that the Craft Centre existed. Yet what a joy for them when they make that first visit.
We have also had much interest from people getting involved in Teresa Anna’s Quilt. We look forward to seeing the designs and construction techniques of the different squares as they are returned over the next few weeks. Teresa Anna herself has put in some guest appearances as well, which is always a bonus.
If you would like to get involved in this personal worthy quest of ours, come and visit our quilting shop at Corris Craft Centre soon before all the material has gone as the quilt has a limit of 25 squares.
we all gathered together
Mar 31st
So, we had a group hug, one or two nibbles and shared a glass of rose sparkling wine.
Cheerio Ann, there is no doubt as to your worth to the current success of King Arthur’s Labyrinth.
You will continue as the part time book-keeper – but you have done so much more for Ian. Glad he appreciates it in the form of either a keyring or a broach (we were not too sure which it was). Anyway, hope you enjoyed the afternoon…..
All the staff of the Labyrinth (even Hugh awoke from his slumbers, so you must have been delighted as well as surprised) and the tenants of Corris Craft Centre were there to wish you well.
The new Season becons and Jackie now controls the shop, Chris Coffi the canteen and Hugh the underground men (the “moles”). Will Steve ever get any redder than tonight, will Garden Jackie ever control Mark’s urge to utter, will Ryan ever be sober, will Sammy ever grow taller than the spindliest cat, and will Hugh ever see the summer or will he sleep through it … Life is never so interesting as that experienced in rural Wales.
So, a ship you have never seen so stable, flounders on.
Us crafters, how do we think? Is this an opportunity or an irrelevance to our businesses?
Only time will tell………….
Cold and Blustery Weekend
Mar 19th
It was a cold and blustery weekend, high winds and bitter air temperatures that just went straight through you.
We could not sew in our shop with its mass of single glazed windows and lack of insulation. In fact it proved to be colder inside the shop than outside.
We put in an appearance on Saturday, but no more than that.
Time to catch up with the Commonwealth Games, and cheer on Michaela Breeze and the rest of Team Wales. Loved that cheeky grin as she nailed her record breaking snatch, and was moved to see this strong, powerful girl almost reduced to tears as our Anthem played for her. Good for you Michaela, great lifting.
We are really enjoying these games, and watching the sports that we don’t usually get to see like squash, badmintion, netball and table tennis. The swimming and cycling have been up to their usual high standard and very enjoyable, with even the Isle of Man entering into the spirit of things which is great.
What am I doing?
Mar 17th
I have been quilting for some years now, on and off, mainly whilst I was housebound as a single mum + 4 kids + elderly and increasing infirm Mother all at home. Quilting was a way doing something creative.
The kids have all flown, and Mum has passed on.
So, at the middle of last year a rare opportunity arose to sign a 3 year lease on a small craft unit at Corris Craft Centre.
A big venture, but with the promise of 80,000 visitors a year we reckoned we could make a profit if only 1/8 were actually interested in patchwork and quilting.
Hard work though. We are obliged to carry in the shop mostly what we make, and have to be open 7 days a week Apr-Oct. Very long hours/days/weeks/months.
Contractual hours in excess of the EU regulations ‘cos we can’t afford to employ anyone to help ease the pressure.
We create the designs, source the materials, sew the things we design, price and then hopefully sell ‘em.
I am the creative one and the inspiration. He indoors has only recently got to recognise what a needle and thread looks like and has no colour co-ordination at all. So its an end to end process, all Made in Wales.
There has proved to be a dearth of Welsh fabrics, so we are designing our own Welsh themed fabrics and hopefully we are going to get them printed in Wales at the Laura Ashley fabric printing factory in Newton, Powys. Finances allowing, as no grants or help is available anywhere from anyone for a small setup like ours.
But. he indoors has given me a web site (I did it!) and he created an online shop for me. So maybe there’s some (not much) hope for him.
So this is my spot to recount how things go as we approach our first creative full season as part of the Corris Crafters.
