ISN'T IT GOOD, HAND PAINTED WOOD?

.... I've been a bit slow on the blog recently, because it's taking a while to paint the back room planks. 

... And it's not just planks, we been doing up the whole of  back of the shop, so our classes will be more comfortable and it feels, well, warmer! The base coat on the floor is Dulux Light Buff and the grain lines are middle brown. I sang The Beatles Norwiegan Wood a lot.... it's a wonderful song.  The walls are chalk white paneled doors again, and it's all very cosy, and ready for visitors! Hooray! See you soon x

ACCIDENTS HAPPEN.

I hate to make you cringe on a beautiful morning like this, but we have been shocked to hear of a knitting related accident, which must be prevented from happening again.

One of our regular customers, the lovely Miss T, who always has a pair of socks on the go, managed to fall on a 4mm sock pin which went right through her foot. Miss T will be OK, and is just about able to walk, but has endured a huge amount of pain, caused by her favourite hobby.

We wish Miss T a speedy recovery, and hope that she isn't put off knitting.

PLEASE! We urge you all to get tougher slippers, and keep your pins safe.

Knitted first aid sign by Sue Russel

OUR LIBRARY.

PYF now has a library for public use.  We have collected craft books, embroidery and knitting patterns for many years and have had some generous donations. Here are a few of the shelves!

Mary Cox from Croydon, has given us her mother's lovingly kept Stitch Craft magazines, which are catalogued in decades going back to 1947. There is also an entertaining folder of patterns cut out of other magazines, and some garments knitted in 3ply.

Rothy O'Brian, the last of the terrible knitters of Dent, has leant us folders with very early crochet patterns, and some unique patterns like helmets with ear flaps and jackets for whippets.

There are folders for babies, his and hers, lengthy 2 ply underwear, and things to do with odd ounces. 

You are welcome to spend time with our library. Photocopies are £1.50 and we can help you translate the older patterns into modern language.

MAKING BUNNIES

You may remember, dear reader, that last easter time, there was a lot of rabbits.

Rocky found a pattern for Bobby the felt bunny, and kindly gave it to us. The last person to make Bobby, possibly lived in Romford, and was determined the pattern should never be thrown away. Purely by chance, I inherited another Bobby the felt bunny when my friend Richard died. I think Richard might have made him, and he happily lived in Barnes.

When we looked at the pattern, it had been traced in a rather odd way, and some of the pieces were back to front. Our friend Kate, lovingly sorted it out, re-made the pattern and made a new Bobby, chewing a more modern yellow carrot.  I'm sure you'll agree he is very sweet.

Bobby patterns are on sale soon, or you can make one as part of our our Christmas presents class. How could a strange relation resist a bunny like this?

AND THEN HE GREW PINS....

Hedgehog sprung to life when he grew pins, and leapt on our Rosemary. 

He was pleased to meet her properly after all this time in her hands. 

He'll stare you out, and do you needles £3.50 a pair - if you approach him in the appropriate manner.

PICK, MIX, RIP, SEW.

For a complete new look this winter, start here! Charge yourself up by looking through this season's fashion collections, then make your way to the scout hut behind the old gun shop on Brick lane, for a vintage sale.  Choose a £10, £20 or £30 bundle bag and fill it with old clothes. Take it home, try them on, in as many ways as is physically possible. 

Get ready with the scissors, a dye chart, pins and needles, and customise. 

For help with customising, bring your ideas to Fleur's "Get it to fit, Love it forever" class at Prick Your Finger on the first Wednesday evening of every month. 

OUR NEW FRIEND.

Sometimes our creations don't always turn out how we expect, and it can be such a lovely suprise. 

We are  bonding with Rosemary's hedgehog. He's much bigger than we thought, not finished yet but he introduced himself to us yesterday afternoon.