Hello from Butchcrafts!
Welcome to the inaugural Butchcrafts newsletter!
You probably signed up a while ago, but things have been ticking along and building up slow and steady.
First big news is that our monthly craft meet up will be starting in just over a week. We’ll be running on the last Monday of each month at the Grafton Arms. The venue has wheelchair accessible toilet, step free access to entire event and accessible seating.
BASIC INFO:
· BYOC (bring your own crafts)
· £3.50, Tickets at this link or on the night
· The Grafton Arms, M13 9WU
· 6-9pm
· Last Monday of the month:
February 26th
March 25th
April 29th
I’ll explore different days in the future to find what works best for the group, but exciting to get something in the calendar going forward!
What to expect?
We’ll be meeting in the pub to craft, chat and relax. Come on in, find a comfy seat and get crafting. You’re welcome to come alone or with friends. There will be members of butchcrafts about to chat and help you settle in.
We will have a limited amount of supplies and a few prompts if you aren’t working anything and you just want to spend a few hours making things… or if you’ve forgotten something at home.
The event will be running for a few hours, but you can feel free to drop in and drop out whenever you like. The event is ticketed but we won’t be on the doors checking tickets. If you’d like to buy a ticket on the night, I (Caitlin) will have the butchcrafts card reader. The ticket price is only there to make sure we cover the costs of running this event and have the resources to plan more. No one will be turned away due to lack of funds.
The event is held in a pub, but there is no requirement or expectation to drink alcohol. The Grafton has tea, coffee, soft drinks and water. You are welcome to join without the expectation of consumption.
Taking and sharing pics of your makes is encouraged. If you don’t want to be photographed, we will have stickers that you can grab and we will try and avoid you. While at the event, don’t assume you can photograph people you don’t know.
What to bring?
I take craft in as an expensive way as expensively as I take butchness. Bring anything you do that helps you connect with creativity, quietness, yourself. You could knit, crochet, sketch, whittle, mend things, write up your recipes, clean your leather, journal or read a book.
All crafts are welcome as long as you can clear up after yourself, take it home at the end of the day and there isn’t a high risk of damaging the pub we’ve very kindly been allowed to use. As it is a pub, the event will 18+ so you can bring projects that aren’t child appropriate, as long as you’re respectful of other’s boundaries. (So you can crochet a sex toy, but maybe don’t start a massive oil painting of one in use.)
Am I butch enough?
If you’re questioning it- yes, you are. This space is for anyone who wants to be in a space that centres butches. If that’s you, please come join! If that’s just how you feel for the day, come try it out. If you’ve felt connection with butchness in your past, present or thinking it might be in your future, come hang out with us. If you identify more with stud, boydyke, masc lesbian, you are also very welcome here.
Being respectful in the space
· Butch is a broad term and this is a space for anyone that feels resonance with it. You don’t have to be a woman to be butch. You don’t have to be a lesbian to be butch. This is a space for anyone who is interested in being in a room that centres Butches. Don’t let your expectations limit who you connect with.
· I wanted to create a butch space that wasn’t just about how sexy butches are. Whilst important (and self-evident), it’s nice to have spaces and community for all of the other parts of us. This is why I’ve introduced a no cruising rule at our previous events. It’s a hard life being handsome all day, this is a space where people can have a break from being hit on. Of course if you strike something up with someone there we’re happy for you, just don’t have that be your primary reason for coming.
· You’re welcome to be as extroverted or introverted as you feel on the day, and we ask you respect others doing the same.
· Keep contagions to yourself! We want this space to be as accessible as possible, so please stay home if you’re ill- even if it isn’t COVID. We’ll be extra grateful to see you at the next event.
These meet ups will be a unifying thread through all of the other events that Butchcrafts is running. We have skill shares, art shows and workshops in the pipeline that will be either short series or one-off events. At the heart of the project, these monthly meetups can be a consistent and low energy way to be in community. We look forward to seeing you there!
Xoxo
Caitlin