Beads and bows in Penrith

LifeMakesMyFaceAche · 2026-10-13T14:21:37+00:00

[[https://www.facebook.com/login/?next=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fstory.php%3Fstory_fbid%3D122133038966916049%26id%3D61577481484645%26mibextid%3DwwXIfr%26rdid%3DuHGxJy7pv4gKKyki%26share_url%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.facebook.com%252Fshare%252Fp%252F19i3v6Un6G%252F%253Fmibextid%253DwwXIfr&rdid=uHGxJy7pv4gKKyki https://www.facebook.com/share/p/19i3v6Un6G/?mibextid=wwXIfr]] One to avoid then!

MyOliveDog · Today 19:49

AskingQuestionsAllTheTime · 14/10/2026 15:09

I was going to post that but I couldn't instantly find it and then forgot. Thank you!

There is also https://www.spiked-online.com/2020/02/10/the-purity-spiral/

Oh, and I think Ravelry's stance can be explained by one of them having a trans child?

Edited

Show quote history

One of the founders of Ravelry came out as trans about 10 years ago.

StealthTroublemaker · Today 08:10

RNApolymerase · Yesterday 10:16

My algorithm on Facebook keeps showing me more little shops and businesses jumping on this one. Even things that have no possible connection to selling Harry Potter anything in the first place. They are blocking and deleting anyone who doesn't immediately agree that this is the best thing ever. I suppose it keeps people happy.

I think it’s just trying to boost engagement whilst jumping on a bandwagon.

Grammarnut · Yesterday 22:29

alcovecupboards · 13/10/2026 17:56

So just to be clear - they are choosing not to sell things associated with someone they dislike, and that's bad. But an organised Mumsnet boycott because you don't like something the store is doing - is good? The hypocrisy never ends here, does it?

Go away, alcove. Go and do a JKR sewing kit.

RNApolymerase · Yesterday 10:16

My algorithm on Facebook keeps showing me more little shops and businesses jumping on this one. Even things that have no possible connection to selling Harry Potter anything in the first place. They are blocking and deleting anyone who doesn't immediately agree that this is the best thing ever. I suppose it keeps people happy.

AskingQuestionsAllTheTime · 14/10/2026 15:09

RNApolymerase · 13/10/2026 23:34

I saw this on Facebook and a similar announcement from a similar shop somewhere else.

Anyway it's knitting. I think knitting went particularly spirally a while back. It's probably the done thing to make this sort of announcement if you are a knitting shop so all the other knitters know that you are Good.

podcast about knitting purity spiral
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000d70h

I was going to post that but I couldn't instantly find it and then forgot. Thank you!

There is also https://www.spiked-online.com/2020/02/10/the-purity-spiral/

Oh, and I think Ravelry's stance can be explained by one of them having a trans child?

RosaBaby2 · 14/10/2026 07:04

Saw it a few days ago...

Silly sausages!

Tootsurly · 14/10/2026 07:04

Beads and Bows: "Love is love! Love everyone! Be loving just like us!"

Also Beads and Bows: "JK Rowling is an evil, lying hateful witch!"

Saucery · 14/10/2026 07:01

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 14/10/2026 06:46

I thought retail was struggling. It seems like commercial suicide to refuse to stock HP merchandise just as the new TV adaptation starts. Perhaps they don't need to make a profit.

Looking at their existing stock and workshops etc I don’t think it would be a huge part of their range. It will have come up on their supplier list and they just won’t have ticked that box, like hundreds of craft suppliers do every week across the UK for different items. Bet they aren’t refusing to deal with the supplier overall.
They just prefer to make it sound like a stunning and brave stand against JKR herself when she walked into the shop with a suitcase on wheels full of twee embroidery kits with a huge mark up.

likelysuspect · 14/10/2026 06:54

But wont somebody think of the chinese children making these things, they need an income!!!

Shedmistress · 14/10/2026 06:49

Rightsraptor · 13/10/2026 23:20

I remember a thread a good few years ago about crafters and how vicious and mad they can be. They were banning people from wool shops & using pattern resources and I don't know what else.

It sounded like a parody of something but it was real.

Ravelry 10 years ago went into meltdown because they were sharing patterns for young girls to use as 'packers' to pretend to have penises, and many people said 'hang on a minute' and were banned for it.

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 14/10/2026 06:46

I thought retail was struggling. It seems like commercial suicide to refuse to stock HP merchandise just as the new TV adaptation starts. Perhaps they don't need to make a profit.

Justme56 · 14/10/2026 04:26

RNApolymerase · 13/10/2026 23:34

I saw this on Facebook and a similar announcement from a similar shop somewhere else.

Anyway it's knitting. I think knitting went particularly spirally a while back. It's probably the done thing to make this sort of announcement if you are a knitting shop so all the other knitters know that you are Good.

podcast about knitting purity spiral
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000d70h

I watched the whole knitting thing play out at the time - very unpleasant. It did however make me realise that those who often boast about kindness and compassion in their bios are often some of the nastiest people on the Net.

Tears0fTheMushroom · 14/10/2026 01:25

LifeMakesMyFaceAche · 13/10/2026 15:24

The image

Mushroom cat is highly amused by this virtue signalling poppycock

RNApolymerase · 13/10/2026 23:34

I saw this on Facebook and a similar announcement from a similar shop somewhere else.

Anyway it's knitting. I think knitting went particularly spirally a while back. It's probably the done thing to make this sort of announcement if you are a knitting shop so all the other knitters know that you are Good.

podcast about knitting purity spiral
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000d70h

BBC Radio 4 - The Purity Spiral

Gavin Haynes heads into the eye of the moral storms gripping some unlikely communities.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000d70h

Rightsraptor · 13/10/2026 23:20

I remember a thread a good few years ago about crafters and how vicious and mad they can be. They were banning people from wool shops & using pattern resources and I don't know what else.

It sounded like a parody of something but it was real.

BackToLurk · 13/10/2026 22:45

They are unironically selling this. Bless them.

AskingQuestionsAllTheTime · 13/10/2026 20:52

Saucery · 13/10/2026 20:33

Ah Beads And Bows, the last bastion of the crafting world purity spiral. 🙄
There will no doubt be a trans identifying male in one of the groups who has thrown his needles out of the case about HP embroidery kits. People who want one will order online/go somewhere else.

I seem to remember that nothing on the internet used to be more vicious than the knitting community, but maybe the transphiliacs have overtaken them.

MatronPomfrey · 13/10/2026 20:48

Wonder if these are new kits? Will be looking for a new project once I’ve finished my new scarf using the new Ravenclaw self-striping yarn.

hastenotwaste · 13/10/2026 20:47

alcovecupboards · 13/10/2026 17:56

So just to be clear - they are choosing not to sell things associated with someone they dislike, and that's bad. But an organised Mumsnet boycott because you don't like something the store is doing - is good? The hypocrisy never ends here, does it?

They are perfectly welcome to boycott JKR if they want to. They should not be libelling her. They seem to be unaware of the difference.

Saucery · 13/10/2026 20:33

Ah Beads And Bows, the last bastion of the crafting world purity spiral. 🙄
There will no doubt be a trans identifying male in one of the groups who has thrown his needles out of the case about HP embroidery kits. People who want one will order online/go somewhere else.

trailerT · 13/10/2026 20:24

EmpressDomesticatednottamed · 13/10/2026 19:57

Crikey, well it's very obviously not a space for everyone, if I go bead shopping I prefer not the have to face a lecture. I bypassed a cafe the other week because the front windows were lavishly decorated with exhortations about love and being kind, I went somewhere else where I could have a coffee and a bun in peace. Being true to myself naturally.

Edited

Bead Shopping 🛍️-that has made me laugh !

ExplodingSmittens · 13/10/2026 20:18

Pudmyboy · 13/10/2026 18:00

Who is organising a boycott? One poster has said 'one to avoid then', some boycott!

Edited

To be fair I will probably avoid them to. I’ve managed to avoid Penrith for the last 35 odd years and have no immediate plans to return so it should be a fairly simple process.

TheBayHorse · 13/10/2026 20:11

As a Cumbrian, I'm embarrassed for them. "Our shop is for everyone" except those who understand basic biology.

Pancakeflipper · 13/10/2026 20:09

I just dislike the virtue signalling - gets them some publicity though doesnt it? Don't think they've been open long.

Hopefully the wonderful bookshop in Penrith will keep their views off social media so I can just buy lovely things without division.

readbutdonotpostoften · 13/10/2026 20:04

I did think there were parts of the country which remained sensible, Cumbria being one of them (well most of it) but obviously not!