Monday 6 February 2012

Taking an indefinite break

Hi folks! I hope you're all doing well.

The title of this post says it all, really. As of today, I will no longer be making Luna Wolf cloth pads. The pads that have just been uploaded will be the last Luna Wolf pads available for sale. (I won't say "EVER!", because that sounds a bit melodramatic, but at least for the forseeable future.)

Why am I winding down Luna Wolf? A few reasons, but first and foremost because I've been doing this for almost five years now, and I'm ready for a change. I've made about 2000 pads during the time Luna Wolf has been open. That's a lot of hours cutting, sewing, photographing and uploading. I've introduced new designs, written a tutorial, sold fabric/menstrual cups/pouches, hosted giveaways, and written articles. I've loved every minute of it, but I'm starting to burn out. After fighting it for a while, I finally came to the conclusion that it's time to close this door and open a new one.

The secondary reason for closing Luna Wolf is that my supplies have gone up in price significantly the last couple of years. Not just fabric, but electricity, sewing machine needles, thread, etc. I can't make a living from pad-making anymore unless I hike my prices way up, and I wouldn't feel right asking £8 for a day pad. (Of course the other option is to become a pad-making superwoman and churn out 30 pads a day, but the reality is that on a good day, I average five pads.)

A few weeks ago I started working as a freelance audio transcriber, and I'm really enjoying the work. The files I transcribe are often very intresting, and I also get to use two of my favourite skills: touch-typing, and correcting people's grammar. ;) I'd like to get certified in medical terminology, and maybe eventually get an administrative position in a hospital.

I have really enjoyed creating and building up Luna Wolf. It's been a fantastic learning experience, and it's allowed me to meet some wonderful people - customers, suppliers, bloggers, and fellow crafters alike. Luna Wolf is also responsible for putting me on a Prince's Trust training course, and meeting one of my very favourite people - my good friend Gemma. I wouldn't change a minute of it.

So how will this work? As stock dwindles, I will condense all the Luna Wolf pads into one category so they're easier to find. I will also continue to offer the Karmic Cloth pads on sale until they're all gone. (I have a bunch of those still to sew up.) The bamboo fleece will stay up until it's all gone; ditto the pouches and cups. I intend to keep the site live so that I can continue selling the patterns/tutorial, and will add some links to other pad sellers that I recommend. I may sell off some of my quilter's cotton and poly fleece - it depends whether or not I can bear to part with it. I certainly do have a lot of it! As always, I will keep you posted.

Thank you to everyone who has supported Luna Wolf over the years. Whether you've spent your hard-earned money on pads, "liked" me on Facebook, been a reliable supplier, or just read my ramblings on this blog, it means more to me than you will ever know.

- Vicky