Welcome - a little about me.
Welcome to my little space on the internet. I thought it might be nice to introduce myself and give a brief little history of me.
My name is Joanne (or Jo) Badger, I live in a little village just on the edge of the Peak District. As a child I was either outdoors in the woods or indoors being shown how to bake, craft, all the usual good stuff of the 70's & 80's in a working class family.
In my late teens I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, and to this day I still struggle to pace and suffer with burnout a great deal. In 2009 I was diagnosed with ME or CFS as well as primary immunodeficiency. Last year I was also diagnosed with ADHD Combined, I am still coming to terms with this as an older woman as well as waiting for medication and worrying about that.
I have had varied jobs as well as going to uni to study systems modelling. I have worked for goldsmiths as a wax cast mould injector then spent years raising my son.
In 2005 I decided whilst on a rainy cornish holiday, to knit a pair of socks. I hadn't knit for years. I very quickly decided I wanted to learn to spin my own yarn, so spent the rest of the holiday looking for a drop spindle and wool, to no avail.
When we got back home I continued my search and founf Wingham Wool Work was only up the road from me. I got in touch and went to meet Ruth, the owner, who taught me to spin that afternoon. Long story short, I became a frequent visitor to the shop and felt a very strong connection to the place. After a while Ruth asked me to work for them, I was delighted. I spent 9 wonderful years working there, if you have ever been we will have probably met, or at Woolfest. Before working for Winghams I was already spinning, weaving and dyeing at home.
Sorry I did mean to keep this short! - As well as working I had studios in Sheffield at The Hide then with Yorkshire Artspace. I was then fortunate enough to get a studio at SOAR Works where I stayed for six years as well as working for them for a year in the community.
In 2023 I injured my spine badly, trapping my sciatic and femoral nerves. I was unable to do anything for months, but slowly am on the mend, I still can't walk as I used to and need more support but I am just thankful to be ble to do what I can. I am trying to find my mojo again in the textile arts, and have fun with my makes again, like the little outifts and wigs I used to make for BJD's
In July 2024 I found a little shop had become available in Elsecar Heritage Centre. It is just down the road from where Winghams was (they had now moved to Gloucester) and the place is very accessible friendly. It was a lot of hard work moving, but I had great help and support, and am beyond grateful to everyone who helped make this happen. It has always been my dream to have a little shop where I can work and people can visit. Now everything is in place there I am getting back to creating thankfully.
If you have read this far, thank you for sticking with me! I hope to add more to this blog as time goes on, I hope you find it interesting x