Jane is working on her circular sock machine that dates back to the early 1900's. An amazing piece of technology of the time that was used by many home workers to help the war efforts during WW1 to make socks for the soldiers.
Wild About Wool
21 October 2021
Chiltern Open Air Museum
I just have to share a little gem in the Buckinghamshire countryside with you. If you’ve never been to the Chiltern Open Air Museum, go! It’s absolutely delightful. Full of old cottages, sheds, barns, gorgeous gardens and open spaces, a flock of sheep and of course, a spot to grab a coffee and a piece of Victoria sponge.
I visited last weekend for their Wild About Wool event and I was suitably impressed by what was on offer. I fell in love with a circular sock machine, chatted to fellow crocheters and knitters, had a lesson in felt making and got chatting to a fellow Aussie who’s family also worked in the wool industry back in Australia. Small world isn’t it.
The Museum was opened in 1981 as a charity that rescues "threatened historic buildings, which would otherwise be demolished, and rebuilds and preserves them in a traditional Chilterns landscape." (COAM website). And a wonderful job they are doing too!
The Museum Site Map - Full of beautiful gardens, open spaces, antique machinery, craftspeople, barns, huts, cottages and spots for a well earned rest after you've explored the many corners of this beautiful site.
The Dig for Victory allotment - One of the many gardens growing produce for consumption in the cafe and refreshment hut. Complete with scarecrows to keep the birds away from the precious crops.
If you're at a lose end this weekend I definitely suggest you give the Chiltern Open Air Museum a try. Grab your hat and scarf and get out in the fresh air for a nostalgic and enlightening browse around this beautiful corner of Buckinghamshire. The staff are incredibly friendly and knowledgable, the Victoria sponge in the little refreshments hut is delicious and the sheep and Jess the sheep dog are lovely. There's not much you won't love about it. Let me know if you go. I'd love to hear what you think.
My quest for getting you all to embrace the wonders of wool continues. I hope you’ll use my FREEBIEFRIDAY discount code this Friday and every Friday on the run up to Christmas to treat yourself to some new winter woollies. It’s getting cold out there.
Colourful Ramblings
Life has been somewhat topsy turvy for the past few years. With Covid affecting the whole world and then my own little world being challenged with the tedium that comes with trying to sell my house and move to somewhere new; I've been feeling somewhat overwhelmed. The one constant in my life has been my yarns, hooks and needles. I honestly think they are to thank for getting me through the past four years with a semblance of sanity in tact.
If I was to rank 2022 on a scale of 1 - 10, it's a solid 5. Neither wonderful nor disastrous, in school report terms, "could do better".
A new life and a new start is in reaching distance, I just have to be patient. I’ll keep doing the right things to make it happen and hopefully, before long I’ll be sharing with you my new adventure.
This day was always going to come, the day I say au revoir to all of you who signed up to my newsletters, visited my website, bought my products and offered kind words of support. Many of you did that regularly and I’m really grateful.
It took a pandemic to make me realise that I am enough. Yes, the me that I am today is more than enough, I don’t need to be anything more. I discovered that I don’t need to wear make-up and wash my hair every day (yes, I used to wash it every day - how ridiculous was that) and my pared back wardrobe was more than enough too.
