Looking Back at 2023
Our Cairngorm Colourways
For (almost) every month of 2023, I took inspiration from the beautiful national park around us to create 11 Cairngorm colourways. Each skein told a story of the stunning landscapes that surround Unaroo HQ. From the frosty Cairngorm Mountain Railway to the warm hues of old stone cottages, we covered the length and breadth of the U.K.'s largest national park.
The Scottish Wool Producers Showcase
March 2023 brought one of my highlights of the entire year. Eva, the festival director of this and The Scottish Yarn Festival, asked me to share my passion for British wool at the Showcase by hosting a talk. I took a room full of wonderfully woolly people through the history and future of this once-great industry. It was certainly a nerve-wracking experience, but it was so much fun to do, and I would do it again in a heartbeat.
Following this talk, a local sustainable tour operator asked me to write a blog on Scottish wool and textiles. You can find that first venture into wool blogging on the Wilderness Scotland blog - search their website for ‘Scottish wool’.
Two Shows, One Year
In 2023, we appeared in person at both The Scottish Wool Producers Showcase and The Scottish Yarn Festival. Two shows in one year was hard work but oh, did we have fun meeting everyone at these events.
From the one-day wonder of the Showcase in March to the welcoming warmth of The Scottish Yarn Festival in September, both events were bursting with energy, and the connections that we made were a real highlight. Warm smiles, shared stories, and lots of squishing made it all more than worthwhile.
MND Scotland Fundraising
In September, we decided to make every yarn order work a little harder. We swapped out mini skeins with every order, instead choosing a 5% donation to MND Scotland. Together, we raised £21.13 for this meaningful cause. While that might not sound like much, we will continue this donation for the foreseeable future. Small changes can make a big impact, and we will donate 5% from every skein sold at the end of each quarter.
Our Advent Countdown to Hogmanay
December brought a different kind of magic when you opened our weekly advent countdown to Hogmanay. We had never done a weekly advent before, or indeed any advent, so this was a wonderful new venture. The countdown may be over, but I know that the memories still linger, and I can't wait to do it all again next Christmas.
Looking Ahead to 2024 With Big Dreams
An Update to our Shop Updates
To prevent another burnout, and ensure that every update is a vibrant celebration of yarny goodness, we will be doing fewer updates this year. Our shop updates will be in March, June, and September.
To keep fulfilling our mission and keep the creative fire burning, it is time to set some boundaries. After many late nights and long days making the magic happen for the last two years, I'm making a few changes to ensure the future of Unaroo.
From now on, you'll find me at work on Tuesday and Thursday nights, and on one full day each weekend. This means the orders will now be shipped on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. This does not mean that you won't see a few exceptions, but I know that will be able to achieve even greater things by finding this balance.
Look out Perth, We're Back
Unaroo will be back at the Scottish Wool Producers Showcase on 23rd March 2024, ready to share more stories and the joy of beautiful handdyed British wool. Will we see you there?
There might even be a few more shows on our 2024 bingo card so stay tuned for updates.
Our 2024 Goals
This year, I've already been hard at work planning out the year ahead, and I am dreaming big. From featuring in a printed publication to sharing our story and the wonders of British wool more, I am setting my sights on new goals. I'd love to see our wool shop stocked in a fabulous shop and, if we are really lucky, finding our own workshop space to take this adventure to the next level.
If you've made it this far, thank you. Thank you for being part of this woolly journey, for choosing British wool, and for bearing with me on Unaroo's first venture into our very own blog. Here's to more stitches, more stories, and a whole lot of yarn in 2024.