The other week I popped over to the nearby market town of Chipping Norton, to meet up with a fellow blogger/Twitterer, Cristina Colli. She has the most gorgeous lifestyle and interiors blog with exquisite photographs that put my snaps to shame, appropriately called 'Positively Beauty' and she was showing me the new wool and haberdashery shop on the block, The Fibreworks.
I can remember this little shop in other guises, but it has never looked as beautiful as this. Light, airy and yet cosy, it is a treasure house of lovely and unusual yarns, with a well lit bay window area, where you may sit comfortably to knit or browse one of the many craft books on sale. Claire and Lesley, the shop owners, are always on hand with advice and help, should your latest creation be proving a challenge.
I don't knit - craft and needle felting being my 'day job' five day a week at least, I shy away from having a crafty hobby. But the wonderful wools on display were almost enough to tempt me.
I did lust over the pretty haberdashery section though and invested in a couple of thread winders, with the noble intention of beginning to tidy my tangled thread box. The shop (despite the absence of people in my photos) was bustling and humming - Chipping Norton needed a shop like this.
I was actually there to talk about doing a needle felting workshop there next year; I am already booked to do a weekend course down in Bath, this January for a private group. After some discussion we felt that starting with a simple thing such as a flower brooch would be a good three or four hour project for beginners.
We haven't decided on a date yet, but if you are in the Chipping Norton area and think you might be interested, do contact The Fibreworks, we should hopefully have sorted a date out soon. Their blog is here with photos of the various workshops and happy crafting customers they have had in the short time they have been open.
Here is Cristina, asking advice about some hand warmers she had begun at a knitting course there. Claire and Lesley give everyone a warm welcome, so do pop in if you are local or even just passing through. Chipping Norton is a really great little town with a wide variety of independent shops and a bustling atmosphere. You might even bump into me if I've winkled myself out of my studio.
There is a review of both of my Puddletown Tales books (featuring my needle felt toys) on the UK Handmade blog, and a giveaway of one of each titles. To enter, you need to click here to visit the blog and answer the simple question. I'm also adding a signed postcard and pin badge with each one. CLOSES TUESDAY NIGHT DEC 6TH UK TIME!
And finally...thank you to the Cuteable blog, for giving my Teeny Tiny Toadstools a mention!
