#59: Tools for Life with Grace Whowell

Episode 59 includes a conversation with Grace Whowell, owner of the UK craft business Beyond Measure. BM aims to sell beautiful and useful tools and supplies for makers focusing on textiles. Grace sources the kinds of high-quality tools that could become future heirlooms to be handed down through generations of crafters. However, as we hear, that is just one of the ways that she keeps sustainability and social responsibility at the core of her business. We also grapple with the eternal question of how you run a business based on selling goods whilst simultaneously trying to minimise your impact on the planet, and if it’s possible to resist growth.  Support the podcast over on Patreon! Grace Whowell is the owner of tools and supplies purveyor Beyond Measure. They can also be found on Instagram @beyond_measure_uk.  Listen to Grace’s conversation with my friend Saskia in Episode #25 of A Smaller Life podcast. Beyond Measure offers an array of craft workshops at their premises in Todmorden, West Yorkshire.  Previous Check Your Thread guest Wendy Ward is supporter of, and occasional tutor at, Beyond Measure.  Beyond Measure stocks Louisa Owen Sonstroem’s book Hand Sewing Clothing.  Listen to Episode #15: Hand Stitching Clothes with Louisa Owen Sonstroem.  Grace stocks beautiful turned wooden pin cushions made in Yorkshire by Hugh Leishman. Beyond Measure make regular donations to charities Labour Behind the Label and The Runnymede Trust. The Rag Market in Hebden Bridge is a twice yearly event, the next one is taking place on 15th October 2022. Find them on Instagram for up to date info @hebdenrag.