A confluence of coincidence

Early in the New Year, the Fates conspired in a rather wonderful way!

Readers of the blog will remember that there was a Zandra Rhodes event which I went to in December at the Fashion and Textile Museum. While having a cup of tea afterwards in the foyer, I was approached by someone who was admiring my jacket: Pascale (and friend) from Stag and Bow.

We had a lovely chat. It turned out that Pascale is a weaver but does not make much any longer because of a young family and the venture that is Stag and Bow. We talked about Shetland, and weaving, and tweed, and scarves, and how fun the Zandra Rhodes event had been. Then we agreed that I would go to the shop in South London in January, once we had returned from our holiday in Rome. 

I went to Forest Hill, armed with samples, for the meeting and Pascale gave me a tour of the shop and its attendant workshops and garden, complete with woodworking shed. With plans to do all sorts of exciting things, it was a lovely morning, chatting about weaving and textiles, history and much else besides. I left with a commitment to send some of the studio products down to Stag and Bow. 

A few weeks ago that parcel went down to South London, and we have had a few emails back and forth with pictures of wraps and shawls displayed in the shop. It is exciting to have finally found a place in London for our pieces, after years of searching. 

This week a rather lovely email came in from Pia at Stag and Bow. In a beautifully poetic and poignant piece of writing, Pia has captured exactly what the studio is about and why we do what we do. It is almost unbelievable that Pascale and Pia could so exactly comprehend what happens in a far-away place like Shetland, which they have never visited, and to be able to write in such a fluid and emotive way. 

Thank you Stag and Bow! We are looking forward to much success and a long relationship. And here is a big thumbs-up to coincidence.