Do you remember the first time?

Do you remember the first time?

“Do you ever feel like running away?"

"Of course... Sometimes I feel like I want to run away from everything."

"I remember having that feeling once when I was at the Daisy Hill Puppy Farm... I climbed over the fence, but I was still in the world!”

― Charles M. Schulz, The Complete Peanuts, Vol. 11: 1971 - 1972

It has been said, starting a business is one of the most difficult things one can do, and however, I must disagree, for today, writing my first ever blog post has to surpass that. However, instead of running away, I was advised to put my sensible hat on and open a new chapter.

Let me introduce you to an idea I had just two years previous. As a lifetime knitter, I recognized a huge gap in the yarn market for a luxury Irish yarn. Fast forward, two years later, here I am, making feeble attempts at putting words to keyboard and trying to make sense of that idea.

FairyLawn alpaca was born out of an ideal, an Irish farming childhood and the pure love of knitting. Alpaca yarn is one of the most luxurious, beautiful yarns to use. It’s three times warmer than sheep wool, hypoallergenic and has up to 22 natural shades. It smells like hot tea and digestive biscuits. To work with such a gorgeous product, one feels they have stumbled across a little gem and are truly lucky! The Alpaca originated from Peru, however, these animals are so adaptable, they are able to thrive in our climate and even survive our summers, outdoors! In comparison to Peruvian climes, Ireland feels more like a long holiday in the South of France.

Growing up in rural Ireland is an actual adventure. Being the youngest of 6 (with over 40 first cousins to boot!) school holidays were on a par to spending a season on the Lost set. Imaginations were much helped by parents who not only encouraged playing outdoors, but also reading, while indoors.  Knitting became a healthy obsession, alongside the books. For my dolls and teddies, 
I became the House of Missoni. Eventually, I moved onto life size sweaters, creating a dark blue and red Dennis the Menace, oversized jumper, which I wore religiously, to school. Oh, I felt I were envy of others. . . . .  but the best was yet to come!