The Universe Connects Us All

As scientist, I know that billions, if not trillions, of experiential "things" happen every day, from the momentous to the mundane. Somehow that doesn't diminish the power of that "one-in-a-million" feeling, even though I know statistically it happens much more than we would intuit.

My most recent "one-in-a-million" experience is the story of how the Nebula Image Woven Infinity scarves came to be in the shop. You see, these were a rare in-person discovery in the history of the blog & online shop. I'm always excited to see people wearing space-inspired clothes, from NASA logos to real space images, but I don't typically stop people on the street anymore - not only do I go out much less because of the pandemic, but when I do I usually have two kids in tow. A few weeks ago I was out close to home when a sweater stopped me in my tracks, and I couldn't help but say something. The wearer's response made my jaw drop: "Thanks, I made it! The pattern is actually a nebula." I immediately knew something special was about to happen.

As it turns out, my neighbor Julian McFarlane has been creating clothing from custom woven cotton fabric, including some made from the Hubble 25th anniversary image of Westerlund 2, for almost a year! I HAD to get his creations in the shop, but I wanted something universally wearable. Thus, the Nebula Image Woven Infinity Scarf was formed! The sample blew me away, so Julian sewed up a batch to put in the shop.

I was excited for these to debut, especially given the serendipitous discovery and collaborative creation, but that wasn't end of excitement! The first run sold out in less than 24 hours - quicker than any other launch! We will be restocking the scarves very soon (use that "Notify Me" link to receive an email when we do!), plus we're working on new products and new images. Julian is thrilled to have his creations being shared with an entirely new audience, and to have professional assistance as he expands his astronomical designs.

Sometimes the Universe seems to work in beautifully mysterious ways!

--Emily