Sarah - Purlescence Cafe

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Wonderwool Preparations

April 8, 2013 Sarah No comments

Daffodils at Purlescence HQ

It’s been a busy month here at Purlescence HQ in leafy Oxfordshire. The snow has finally melted and the daffodils are doing a sterling job pushing themselves up through the frostbitten earth.

The plans are moving swiftly for our first show of the year, Wonderwool. A fabulous woolly festival taking place in Builth Wells over the weekend of 27th and 28th April. “Latest” is getting all enthusiastic about packing and is organising the trip like the Williams F1 team going to a Grand Prix.

Wonderwool last year was a cold and rainy affair and although it was being held in the wonderfully dry cow sheds of the Royal Welsh Showground, boy was it cold! By the Sunday afternoon hot chocolate had become a negotiable commodity and I was wearing almost all the clothes I’d taken for the entire weekend, as well as samples from the stand! After this freezing cold winter we have had, I’m am praying for a warm and sunny show, when we can suck on a Strawberry Mivvy, drink iced tea, and wear light cotton clothes.

We’re taking lots of goodies for the weekend, including ChiaoGoo needles and interchangeable sets, some fabulous new yarn from Sweet Georgia, all our new crochet hooks and of course all the gorgeous luxury yarn that you know us so well for. ”Latest” has promised to be on his best behavior, so do come and say hello. It’s a great chance to put faces to names (or faces to email addresses!) If there’s anything in particular you’re looking for or would like me to bring or reserve for you, then just drop me a line.

You can get more information about Wonderwool from www.wonderwoolwales.co.uk

That’s the news from Purlescence HQ this month where the yarn is soft, the cakes are fresh and the knitting is always beautiful.

Sarah none

New Showroom Open Day

March 11, 2013 Sarah 2 comments

New Purlescence Showroom

It’s been a busy month at Purlescence HQ in rural Oxfordshire.

A couple of weeks ago saw was our first Open Day of 2013, and it was especially exciting as it was the grand unveiling of our new look showroom. We’d gained a bit of extra space so decided to take advantage and give the Purlescence showroom a face lift. So a few Fridays ago we made a pilgrimage to Ikea and spent the rest of the weekend building and rearranging furniture and the displaying , re-displaying and oganising all the stock. Of course, I spent the next week trying to find everything again, but I’m so pleased with the end result. It looks gorgeous.

The Open Day was great fun, as they always are. It was lovely to see so many old friends and meet lots of new ones too. As always at these events, there’s plenty of knitting and crochet chat, exchanges of ideas and tips, and sharing of inspirations. All washed down with a restorative cup of tea and slice of cake. Oh and there may have been some shopping too!

If you didn’t make it this time, then we have open days planned for May, August and December. So sign up to our newsletter to make sure you don’t miss anything!

Although we are essentially an online shop, we are always happy to welcome visitors to our showroom. You’re very welcome to come on your own, but were also happy to arrange group visits too. So if you’d like to come over with a group of friends or knitting club, birthday, hen party, then get in touch first to ensure that we will be here and we’ll be happy to arrange a date and even lay on some tea and cake for you.

Welcome back to the blog

I’ve had a lot of people asking about the blog and I didn’t realise how much it had been read before. So I’m going to endeavor to put up something once a month telling you all that has been going on and what’s happening at PHQ. I’ve had offers of guest bloggers and even “Latest” has suggested that he might high-jack it from time to time to give his unique view on the world of knitting and crochet.

For those of you who haven’t met him “Latest” is Jonathan, my “Latest” husband . He helps out behind the scenes with the website, comes to the shows, and can often be found lurking around the tea room at open days, always ready to have a conversation, especially if it is about Cricket or Motor Racing. He’s a good chap and makes running Purlescence a whole lot easier.

That’s the news from Purlescence HQ this month where the yarn is soft, the cakes are fresh and the knitting is always beautiful

Sarah Open Day, Showroom, Visit

A partner’s eye view

October 10, 2011 Sarah 1 comment

Hello folks.

I thought it was about time that I got on the blog and gave a partner’s eye view of knitting, yarn, needles and life in general.

My mum was an ”off and on” knitter when I was younger. She could go months without knitting anything and then suddenly the front room was filled with balls of wool and wooden knitting needles. I very quickly got used to the phrase,

“Jonathan, touch that knitting and I’ll brain you!”

being shouted from the kitchen.

I even tried to learn at one stage, but I go fed up when I couldn’t knit a full on Aran sweater within about three hours of learning to knit. So I gave up and went back to annoying my brother. Years later and in early middle age (!) I still don’t knit, but I’m co-owner of Purlescence and still annoy my brother.

As a chap, I have always been drawn to the difference between MIG and TIG welding, I know why the Ferrari 458 is beautiful but I’d rather have an Aston Martin, and why you can’t be out LBW when the ball pitches outside leg. But since getting involved with Purlescence I really can appreciate the fascination of knitting. There are so many varients of yarn, so many combinations of needles, so many tools to make life easier, and each of them have their own purpose. I’ve learnt new words like: “Niddy Noddy” and ”Hexipuff” and met some of the most genuinely lovely people. This is not a pastime but a way of life. It can only spread happiness and joy to those who partake.

Am I likely to take up knitting? Probably not. I’m still too impatient and need instant gratification. But I’m glad to be a small part of the knitting community and I will never tire of the looks on peoples faces when I tell them I own a knitting shop.

Jonathan none

The things you find out…..

July 28, 2011 Sarah 1 comment

My latest (Jonathan) runs his own business too and recently he has employed a very bright 18 year old student for the Summer. Now Joel is very much into music and everything geeky but he could never be described as a nerd. More like a young Prof Brian Cox.

Joel took a look at our website and introduced me to a marvelous web stats site on Google. It gives you all the stuff that you want to know when running a business on the web, including the types of searches that will bring up references to your site. I was shocked to see that “Sexy Stockings” brought up links to Purlescence! What sort of business am I running here!!! I know that Google can make some boo boos now and again, but that has to take the biscuit!

I couldn’t help imagining the adolescent looking for a cheap thrill, found himself landing on our website looking for the object of his desires. I wonder if he was disappointed?

See you soon

Sarah

Uncategorized none

Lazy Weekend

June 14, 2011 Sarah No comments

One of the greatest motor racing event is the 24 Hours at Le Mans. A 24 hour endurance race around an 8 mile circuit in France that is the pinnacle of engineering (or so “latest” says). It makes a Formula 1 race look like soap box derby!

Le Mans took place last weekend and as “latest” was watching it, I had a great excuse to sit down and have a knitting endurance session myself. Other than the odd “pit stop”, I must have knitted for 8 hours solid. What’s more, he will be watching the Test Match this weekend, so civilised knitting will be undertaken to the sound of leather on willow. More cucumber sandwiches anyone.