Hello, I’m Elaine and I would like to start off by thanking you for visiting my website.
Now let me tell you a little bit about myself, I am married to Barry and have been for 36 years and I have two grown up children and three lovely grandchildren. I have always been interested in knitting, dress making, cross stitching and lots more crafts too many to mention. However, it has been a dream of mine for many years to have my own knitting wool shop. I knitted my very first cardigan at the age of 11 year’s (it was lime green and it was made from some odd balls of wool my Nan gave to me), having completed my first garment I was up and away, I knitted everything from baby clothes to school jumpers for my brother. I even knitted my Nan a cardigan some years later. I have knitted many toys too.
Last year the recession hit the company that I was working for, some people were made redundant and others had their hours cut. I was one of the fortunate ones; I wasn’t made redundant my hours were reduced from 40 to 20 hours per week. Having two and a half days a week spare I had to do something, this was the opportunity to get back into my crafts; some that had been waiting to be completed for many years.
First I completed a cross stitch picture of a leopard for my husband, that I had started and wanted to give to him for his 60th birthday…..well two years late isn’t too bad is it? Not when you consider the piece had 159 colours in total and no runs, every stitch being a different colour. I also got back into knitting baby clothes, scarves for friends and family and other knitted items. I rejoined the patch work club at Threads and Patches, and picked up my double bed patchwork quilt, the bargello design, that I had started 6 years previously. I finished it in just one month and I was thrilled to bits with the finished result. So one by one, all of my projects were being completed. I even had time to help my husband on an exhibition stand at the Knitting and Stitching show at Alexander Palace (October 2009), where we were promoting our Picture Framing Business (Creative Framing Services); that specialises in framing needlework.
It was at one of the patch work club meetings that Sally, the owner of Threads and Patches, mentioned that she wanted to find someone to open a wool shop, in one of the upstairs rooms at Threads and Patches. I didn’t say anything to Sally at the time, but it had been a dream of mine for many years to have my own wool shop. I went home and discussed with my husband the prospect of us opening the wool shop. So on the 1st March 2010 The Knitting Basket wool shop will be opening.
Threads and Patches are unique; where else can you find all of your craft needs under one roof, and see lots of work on display. You will find all of your quilting and cross stitch materials at Sally’s shop, Threads and Patches; which is situated on the ground floor. Upstairs you will find Vanessa’s Craftability shop; offering card making, beading, jewellery making and scrap booking materials. The Knitting basket is also upstairs offering wool, knitting patterns, knitting needles and accessories.
There are lots of classes and workshops on offer; including quilting, card making, scrap booking, knitting, crochet and many others. Why not pop in to pick up a leaflet to see the full range of classes and workshop that are on offer. Who knows you may get hooked on to a new hobby for 2010.
We look forward to meeting you and would appreciate any feed back with regards to the brands of wool you would like us to stock.
