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Covid-19 Update, 13th October 2021



(Yet) another update - this time on several things.

We're not in lockdown any more in the UK, although where I am, the Covid infection rate is still pretty hefty, and rising again, as is the hospitalisation rate.

I'm still working from home, because I have long-covid, and that means I can still work without the exhaustion of commuting.
But The Art house, where my studio is, is open and functioning again, so if anybody needs to visit me for fitting, etc, we can now arrange to meet up there.
And I'm still making, delivering, and taking orders, and my Etsy shop is open as usual (I'm even doing better at remembering to 'restock' items that sell out!).

I won't be trading at any of the markets this autumn.

Some of you may know that I'm one of the latest in a long line of traders to fall out with the organiser of the market I previously traded at, (currently, I don't think I'd even get through the door as a customer).
So I'm taking some time off from doing markets, partly because of the long covid I'm dealing with, partly to re-assess how I set things up when I do trade again, now I no longer have to worry about the restrictions and demands placed on me by the organiser.

I have no doubt there'll be rumours that I've retired. Suffice to say, I haven't.



Covid-19 Update, April 17th 2021



Another update...

We're slowly starting to come out of lockdown in the UK.

As things stand, I'm still working from home.

The Art House (where my studio is) is still closed to visitors for the foreseeable future, and it's currently still illegal for me to have people come to the house for fitting and measuring (for the sake of decency, I'm not going to ask anybody to do this in the back garden).

So I'm continuing with online and long distance ordering and delivery. thankfully the Royal Mail are still doing an incredible job, and everything I send out is getting to its destination safely.

We're not out of the woods yet, so hang in there, and keep being careful everybody!



Covid-19 Update, November 3rd 2020



Another day another coronavirus update…

Wakefield district never went into the arranged Tier 3 regulations that were due to start this week, but it is now, along with the rest of England, under lockdown again.

As with the first lockdown, I am still working, but from home.
The Art House, where my studio is, is so far remaining open, but to studio holders only – no visitors are allowed.
But because I travel via public transport, and that’s restricted to essential journeys only, I can’t really get there as of tonight. I would walk, but last time I did it took six hours, being a fair way away. :)

But, I think I have everything I currently need at home, and our local post office is still open, and that is within walking distance, so I can still post things, without coming into contact with anybody other than at the post office itself - and that's a big shop that allows ample space for distancing.

Obviously, as non-essential businesses have to close to the public, you now cannot travel to the house to be fitted or measured.
You can still order by taking measurements yourself, or by giving me sizes, and I can still post toiles and slopers for fittings.

You can, however, come to collect things from our drive, provided you have already paid for them, as ‘click and collect’ is still allowed.
You can’t now come into the garden to collect, as that’s not allowed, but the drive is ‘public space’ (because there is no gate between the drive and the street).
However, I would ask that only people local to us do that, to minimise travel. For everybody else, there is still the Royal Mail.


Talking of which, obviously, we’re heading towards Christmas, when things get busy anyway, and I’m guessing that lots of people are going to now be shopping online, as in April, so there may be delivery delays.
Once I’ve handed things over a the Post Office, that’s out of my hands, though if you think something has gone missing, you should still let me know so I can get onto it.

Finally, I will be taking part in the Virtual Torm, with much thanks to those organising it, and will have a video so you can see my studio virtually, even if none of us will be able to be there for a while, and some other stuff up my sleeve, as well as some special offers.





Covid-19 Update, September 2020



Time for another update.
Once again, I am still working, and I am still posting orders, and making and taking orders.
As things currently stand, I’m still working from home, rather than my studio. The building at The Art House is now open, so I can currently access any supplies that are in my studio (this may change if we’re locked down again).
But for various reasons (limited capacities on buses and trains, that potentially triple my journey time, the potential for local lockdowns, the looming threat of another national lockdown as the second wave of the virus takes hold), it makes more sense for me to choose one and stay there.
If I move all my equipment back to the studio, and we’re locked down again, I won’t be able to work at all, so it’s simple maths.

Very few of my suppliers shut down completely during the lockdown, and as far as I know, they’re all still open, or have reopened, although they pretty much all have slower than normal delivery for now.

However, I am now able to have people come to the house for fitting, measuring, and collection of orders (if we’re locked down again, and banned from having people visit, this will naturally change – though as I write, Wakefield district has been taken off the watchlist for local lockdown).

When possible (i.e. weather permitting), we do everything outside (thank heaven for large and relatively private back gardens), minimising the risk for everybody and for measuring and fitting, masks and gloves are the order of the day.

Onto the Reenactor’s Market (TORM) in November. At the time I’m writing this, it is scheduled to go ahead in November, although with differences such as mask wearing, limits on numbers allowed in the building, lists being kept of attendees for contact tracing, wider aisles, some outside trading, etc, etc. Clearly, this could very, very easily change, as the virus progresses.

I have no control over whether the market is on in November, obviously, but if it is on, I will be there, which brings me onto my plans for my stall.

In an effort to minimise risk for customers, as well as us on the stall, I’ll be taking certain steps.
All stock will be wrapped individually. Livery badges already are individually bagged, but small clothing items such as arming caps and hose will be bagged up separately, and all larger garments will be in biodegradable plastic garment bags.

I’ll be asking people NOT to try on garments, unless they’re collecting orders specifically made for them. And I’ll have signs up to that effect. Due to this, I’ll be allowing people to try garments on at home and return within 14 days for a refund or replacement (the latter where that’s possible).
I’ll be asking all customers to pay by contactless card payment where possible, and ideally by card where it’s not possible (though if you don’t have a card, I will still take cash and cheques).
We’ll be wiping down the card terminal with anti bacterial wipes before and after each use.
We’ll have a bottle of hand sanitiser available for the use of customers, as well as ourselves.
Where I have to fit or measure people, I’ll be sanitising my hands, and I’ll ask clients to do the same – I’ll then also be wearing PPE such as a mask, new gloves, and possibly a visor – I’ll also request that clients wear masks unless they’re exempt on physical or mental health grounds.
Normally when measuring, I ask you to complete the top section of the form, but we’ll instead be asking you to read out your name, address, and other details, and we’ll write them down.
I’ll be disinfecting tape measures before and after every measuring or fitting session.
Pins will come from a new pot, and go into a ‘used’ pot, to be disinfected later.
(These are the same steps I’m taking at home when people attend for fitting or measuring.)

If the November market is cancelled, and I don’t see you lot till March, these steps are all likely still to be in place in March for everybody’s safety, as I doubt the virus will have made an ‘exit, stage left’ before then.

As with my last update, for more regular info, see my facebook page.



Covid-19 Update, October 23rd 2020



Things are changing, so time to post another update.

I’ll try to keep it short, cos these are getting boring now.

You’ve probably seen that T.O.R.M. (The Original Re-enactor’s Market) has now cancelled the physical market, and will be online only. So obviously, I won’t be in Coventry next month. So don’t go.
In truth, I’m quite relieved about this – I made the decision to go if it was on, to support the market, but I’d be lying if I said I was keen on the idea.

Wakefield is in Tier 2 now, which is semi-lockdown.
As the rule now is to avoid public transport wherever possible, I’m still working from home.
I’m really missing my studio now.

Anyway, as Tier 2, I am still allowed to open for work, but I’m following the personal guidelines of not allowed to let anybody into the house. I can still make fittings and deliveries, and measure people, but in the garden. (Hot chocolate freely offered if it’s cold!) If close contact is necessary, I’ll be wearing PPE (gloves, mask, etc) and disinfecting stuff like tape measures before and after – I’ll also ask you to wear a mask, so please don’t be offended (this assuming you have no mental or physical problems that makes that difficult).

And obviously, if you have symptoms or have been told to isolate, we may have to rearrange at short notice.

Currently, although West Yorkshire / Wakefield is in Tier 2, we’re in the part that sticks out into North Yorkshire, which is currently Tier 1, and our more local infection rate matches North Yorkshire, (which is about a mile down our street), than the nearest West Yorkshire town, (which is five miles away.

So, quick summation – no Torm other than online you can still come for measuring / fitting / collection we’re in tier 2, but only by default of a local authority aberration.






Covid-19 Update, March 2020:



I am still working, and I am still posting orders, and taking orders (my Etsy shop is open - see 'Shop' in the menu).

To comply with British lockdown rules, I have switched over to working from home. My studio is closed for the duration of the crisis, and I cannot gain access to it (the whole building is closed).
Obviously, I am unable to accept visitors for ordering / measuring / fitting, etc, until things change. I can still send out measurement forms for those wishing to order, and I can send toiles and mock-ups through the post.

In order to minimise my time out of the house and in contact with other people, I am posting once per week, or once every five parcels (that is the sending limit at our PO at the moment). I can walk to the Post Office without contact with others. The P.O. is in a large shop, with plenty of space for social distancing, and full screens between staff and customers.

I have no symptoms of the illness. Should I develop symptoms, I will immediately stop working until I am better.

So far, all my suppliers (or back up suppliers) are still open and still stocked, although some are experiencing delays due to heavy demand.
The exception to this is with the company I use for embroidery packaging, so if my supply runs out, I may have to alter my usual packaging.

Current advice (from the WHO) is that the Covid-19 virus remains active on card and textiles for up to 24 hours, and on plastics / hard surfaces for 3 days.
Normally I use paper tape on all packages, and cardboard boxes or paper padded envelopes, so I'm suggesting that when packages arrive, you quarantine them for a day or two before opening, and that you wash your hands after handling. If I have to use plastic tape, (because there is no local supplier of paper tape), I'd additionally suggest that all areas covered with tape are wiped down with disinfectant or detergent.

See also my facebook page for additional updates.

Please stay safe, and stay healthy, my friends.



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