No matter what you enjoy doing, there are times it feels like a slog, like a chore and like ‘is anyone even listening?’.
I am thrilled to announce I had my own wee breakthrough for Little Miss Drop Stitch and I know a few of you have spotted us in the media already.
There is quite a famous [UK top 40] podcast in the UK called Help I Sexted my Boss. It is presented by Jordan North (a top radio presenter) and William Hanson (the UK’s leading etiquette expert). The podcast has a wonderful crew behind it and an international following.
It’s good silly fun but INCREDIBLY RUDE. Unfortunately, Little Miss Drop Stitch featured in the rudest segment I think the podcast has ever had and will have. The show makes me smile and let’s me feel that just being myself is cool, so I am delighted with every moment we featured on there.
Well, I didn’t but my kinky crochet did.
As I am a little fan of William and Jordan, I wanted to send something to them that I had handmade. Because I admire the duo, it didn’t matter to me if I heard back or not and it was gifted with good intentions.
Those of a sensitive disposition should perhaps go to the travel blogs section for a moment.
Help I sexted my Boss recently went on a UK tour and beforehand the lads were work-shopping characters they could be. Camp Man was a suggestion (I’ll not tell you the catch phrase!) as was a sidekick named Arseless Chaps.
Well, you never know when inspiration will strike and why everyone else wasn’t thinking of crochet bottoms is beyond me.
2024 Rachel tries to use her craft stash first and I’m pleased to say that I only bought yarn for the skin colour.
I present to you my imagining or Arseless Chaps and Campman. I also wrote a letter to go with it.
I sent recorded, signed and tracked delivery all of it…and to this day my parcel says it’s stuck in London. Give yourselves a good talking to Royal Mail! This was the third time something tracked and signed had, well…not been tracked nor signed.
I was so worried that the hours and hours of my hard work had gone to waste. Then, one morning a card came through the letterbox addressed to myself. It wasn’t my birthday and my heart began pounding when I noticed male handwriting.
“Come on then…which one wants me back”, I thought. Nervously, I tore open the red envelope and scanned straight to the bottom, which was signed: “William”. “I’ve never been out with a William”, I thought to myself. Then the penny dropped and I was absolutely delighted.
I had received a luxury greeting card with executive self seal envelope, hand written by William himself. He wrote that they loved the dolls and they would feature on the podcast in the coming weeks. The thought of that, for some reason, made me feel completely sick.
As quick as I could, I told all my friends, family and colleagues what became of my-soon to be famous-crochet bottom.
The front of the greeting’s card is a print of an original artwork, which I won’t spoil for future recipients. Despite being nothing top secret, I’m sure William has an etiquette rule on publishing one’s post, so I shall keep that to my eyes also.
The podcast had commented there is an approximately an eight month wait for a response from William ‘in the fullness of time’, so I gained some confidence that they really must have liked my crochet to respond forthwith.
On the 3rd of September, I had an early text from my (soon to be) sister-in-law. She said that my crochet had featured on the podcast right at the beginning. I suddenly felt very nervous but Jenny assured me that they absolutely loved them. And I’m delighted, proud and happy to announce that they did.
William read a little of my letter and mentioned my name. Little Miss Drop Stitch specifically didn’t get a mention, but the kinky crochet was a real hit and they made short videos for their YouTube and TikTok just of my dolls. Seeing all the positive comments was just the boost I needed to keep at LMDS.
I thought I’d just feel proud to see my work held by celebrities and in the media, but there were a whole range of emotions more I didn’t anticipate. Firstly, I was so chuffed at how funny they found the dolls; I didn’t expect them to laugh so much. It’s such a fuzzy feeling making people laugh, unexpectedly.
Secondly, I realised how much people appreciate and acknowledge the creativity and skill that has gone into something. I’m sure all of us crafters can be guilty of not admiring our own skills as we are so used to what we do best. I’d spent the run up to the episode thinking about the eyes not being perfectly straight and one yarn being a different tension to the other, but the joy William and Jordan exuded at my work made me have a word with myself to appreciate my skills as much as I do others’.
But it’s not over! Our Jenny messaged me again the week after as she had seen the video recorded version on YouTube, my dolls have been put on (hopefully permanent) display in the background! I take so much pride in this and you know what, being on a shelf with a photograph of Dame Patricia Routledge (Hyacinth Bucket) is exactly where I deserve to be .
I’m very grateful for the boost in confidence and the warm reception from the Help I Sexted My Boss team. If you aren’t already 1) a G &Diva, or 2) of a sensitive nature, well go and give the podcast a listen or a watch.
Thank you all for your continued support…now I wonder if Tom Hardy would like any knitting? 😉
Take care, Rachel G x
Little Miss Drop Stitch 