It was a year ago this coming week that I sent an email to three people, which email turned out to be the seed that would grow into a new business that would consume my time, my heart, my mind, and my experience of ongoing pandemic life.
An online fibre arts magazine existed in my imagination for many, many years before the pandemic forced it, enabled it, extruded it into existence. Indeed, Digits & Threads isn’t the first attempt I made during that time to start one; it’s just the one that went anywhere.
It exists now because my business partner decided it was worth doing. It exists because we have other sources of income to support our families, that enable us to take a year without pay as we build it up. It exists because my kid was in school, safely, the entire school year, in person, which is a privilege I do not take for granted—not only for my ability to work but also for his mental health and our health as a family.
Every damn thing is connected to everything else, in ways that aren’t new this year but that are easy to miss at any other time.
Today is Mother’s Day, which is a day I hate to rain on, but a dear friend told me she looks forward to what I post this day each year, so I’ve copied it here:
I love my mother and I love that happening to be female makes me the kind of parent that's a mother, but to me this day is for the folks who find mothers or motherhood complicated, who feel unseen on this day, who experience this day in grief or feeling loss. I am a parent because of someone else's loss, and this is not a day I enjoy celebrating, because the way it's celebrated is based on an assumption that motherhood is uncomplicated. It's not. Even as the gifts my kid made me at school filled my heart up and made me smile. I'm sending love to those of you who feel you need to hide from the world's messaging today. I see you.
This afternoon, I’m going to warp my new loom. I’m terribly excited about it. I’ll be making the very beginner project in Liz Gipson’s Weaving 101 class, and unlike anything else I’ve woven, I’m using colours I actually like. (Read: I’m not grabbing random odd balls of yarn from my stash because they’re the right weight and quantity; I’m grabbing odd balls from my stash that I would like to wear when this project—a cowl—is completed. Yes, that means I’ve chosen an undyed dark brown aran weight wool and an ancient skein of Noro Kureyon in dark brown/black with some dark colours in there too. And no, you weaver who’s going to cry out in fear that I’ll use the Kureyon as my warp—worry not. The other wool seems to be plenty strong for the warp; I know the Kureyon is not.)
Onward!
Kim
We’ve got May discussion threads going:
One about books, and one about crafts.
Come hang out and chat!
Items of Note
This hits close to home, and I’m really grateful for her work!
Why yes, I did post a video unboxing my loom.
While I’m on a kick taking online classes, this one may be next.
I love everything about this, from the decision, to not announcing it for a year, to how they framed it when they did announce it. It may seem like the way publications and companies can take a stand is to do it against something, and loudly. But there is real power exercised in where we choose to shine our lights, on how we’re proactive about the causes we care about.
Speaking of online classes, Carina is awesome!
What I’m making: Rathtrevor Socks. Will I make two? I’ve never made a pair of socks, after all. Also, I suspect I’m making this first one small, so perhaps I will complete a too-small pair that I’ll gift. Anyway. Obviously also I’ll be starting a woven cowl.
What I’m watching: Jupiter’s Legacy, which my relative-by-marriage is in, so that’s fun. Also Coroner, which strikes the perfect balance of procedural and personal.
What I’m reading: About to finish the first (of nineteen!!) books in the Blackdagger Brotherhood series by J.R. Ward. I tend to get about three books into lengthy series like this before I call it quits. I’m honestly surprised I don’t hate this one yet. The kid and I are about to finish The Magic Misfits, by Neil Patrick Harris, which is great. Not earth-shattering, but thoroughly enjoyable. He wants to keep reading in the series together, so we probably will.
What are you enjoying (or hating) reading these days? Head over to the book discussion thread!