From Spreadsheets to Spindles:

My Inspired Beginnings

Most people’s journey into the Early Medieval period involves a dusty history book or a late-night documentary. Mine started with a school admin job and a son who decided he wanted to be an Anglo-Saxon.

For years, my world was governed by the rhythmic ka-chunk of the school photocopier and the endless hunt for missing glue sticks. But when my youngest son decided to join a 5th–7th century re-enactment group, I didn't just help him pack a bag—I fell headfirst down a rabbit hole that went deeper than a school budget deficit.

Current Household Status:

Son: Successfully re-enacting the 7th century. Me: Still trying to get the onion-skin smell out of the kitchen curtains.

The "How Did They Make That?" Problem

It started innocently enough: "I'll just make him a tunic." Then I wondered, "But how did they get that specific blue?" Suddenly, I was trading my stapler for a drop spindle and an extraordinary amount of plant material.

Before I knew it, I was tumbling through the centuries. My life became a beautiful, tangled mess of eras:

  • The 7th Century: On Mondays, you’ll find me elbow-deep in a simmering pot of weld or madder, trying to explain to the postman why my hands are permanently stained 'Anglo-Saxon Yellow.' If I’m not spinning raw fleece, I’m at my Oseberg loom, Tablet weaving like a woman possessed.

  • The 19th Century: When the dye pots are cooling, or the weather's just too cold, I retreat to the "new-fangled" 1800s. I’m a sucker for the Victorian magic of crochet, using a hook and cosy acrylic yarn to whip up chunky cardigans and blankets for the modern world.

  • The 21st Century: A normal mother and wife, just working her School Admin Job!

Part Admin, Part Weaver, Full-Time Time Traveller!

I haven’t quite escaped the fluorescent lights of the school office just yet. I’m currently balancing the high-stakes world of lost PE kits with the ancient art of Tablet Weaving Looms. 

I still have the organisational skills of an office pro, but these days I’m more interested in cataloguing sheep breeds than school records. By day, I am still the master of the school register and guardian of the spare pens. By night, I’m essentially a 7th-century textile spy operating from within the 21st-century education system!

Recreating History, One Weave at a Time

My home office is currently engaged in a turf war with bags of raw fleece and balls of acrylic yarn, and I’ve become very adept at hiding my drop-spindle behind a stack of paperwork. 

Whether it’s a historically accurate weave for a shield-wall warrior's belt or a cosy crochet cardigan for a rainy Tuesday, everything here is made between phone calls, coffee breaks, and a never-ending love for the craft.

Think of my work as 'archaeology meets art'—I use historical grave finds to keep things authentic, but I always add a twist of modern-day fun.

"Holding a recreated piece of history in your hands."

That's the feeling I hope my customers will experience. I want to spark curiosity about the Anglo-Saxon era and inspire a deeper exploration of this fascinating time period with every purchase from Woollenwarp.co.uk.

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