Knitwits Yarns knitwitspenzance.co.uk
As well as being the day for a fantastic Royal Wedding, last Friday also marked our financial year end, which means I've been the proud owner of Knit Wits for 6 years now (which seems impossible!).
Financial year ends are a great time for reflection and for looking forward. I'm pleased to say that, despite the economic situation and endless doom and gloom in our press (which, personally, I think has a lot to answer for) our turnover is up on last year. Not massively but significantly and I am mightily relieved! Recessions tend to hit earlier in Cornwall and last longer and this one is no exception. We started for feel the bite as early as 2007 and took the brave (and - dare I say it - expensive) option to build a website. The decision seems to be working but it's also opened us up to the knitting community in ways I could never have imagined.
It's easy to think of websites as just online/worldwide shops and I'd be lying if I didn't admit that was our first priority when designing the site. What has also happened, though, is it's brought us right up into the online knitting community and in touch with, literally, hundreds of knitters we'd have never met otherwise. We have knitters who've seen the site and then come down on holiday and visit us (always fun!), knitters who are on holiday and then start to become customers as they feel they know us and can visualise where we are (very gratifying) and knitters who read the blog and email me and order wool and some who even become friends.
Sadly the internet is so often used for bad and dodgy things but it's also a great tool and, used properly it can bring unexpected rewards.
For all of who who have bought from us in the past 12 months, we say thank you! Please pass the word on to each of your knitting friends! Word of mouth is, undoubtedly, the best selling tool and, whilst we can't always supply everyone with exactly what they want exactly when they want it - we do try! The more wool we sell, the more new and lovely wools we can buy and the happier our customers are - and, thus, are the wheels of industry kept turning!
Happy New Year!
Thursday, 5 May 2011
Tuesday, 3 May 2011
Long Weekend
Knitwits Yarns knitwitspenzance.co.uk
Well ..... what a weekend it's been! We've had friends to stay who have spent the last 10 years or so living variously in Chile, Dubai and, most recently, Panama. We managed to get to see them in Chile - which was A M Azing and they've managed to get down here a couple of times so it was great to catch up, see how hugely our offspring have grown and down one or two sherbets to celebrate - and we managed to see the whole of THE wedding - which we all thought was lovely - and wasn't she gorgeous and both our boys now fancy her sister! (along with most of the young, virile youth of the country, judging by comments on the 'net and Facebook).
The farm where we live offers "glamping" (that's glamorous camping for the uninitiated) so Sev and Mel and their children stayed in a Featherdown tent so as not to interfere with T's GCSE revision (ha!). This is what a Featherdown tent looks like:
so, as you can see, they didn't "rough" it and we had a lovely barbecue with them on Saturday night in the tent.
I understand that the rest of the UK is currently bathed in glorious sunshine and would just like you all to know that we are in thick cloud, squally showers and strong northerly winds. On Sunday night we had the most terrific thunderstorm and lightening (we think) actually hit our house and blew all the phone lines. Thankfully we'd disconnected all the computers at the first crash of thunder but nothing was re-connected until today. On the one hand it was really nice not to be tied to the computer, the boys couldn't waste hours on Facebook and there were no emails. On the other hand, we had no phone calls and felt completely cut off. It's amazing how often you say "Oh, we'll just look that up on the 'net" and then you realise that you can't!
Then to top it all we went into the shop today and discovered that the torrential rain which accompanied the thunderstorm had flooded the back. Fortunately, it's most superficial and no wool was ruined (just a few magazines) and the dehumidifier is beavering away frantically to suck it all up.
That's two minor disasters - rather dreading what the third might be ............!
Well ..... what a weekend it's been! We've had friends to stay who have spent the last 10 years or so living variously in Chile, Dubai and, most recently, Panama. We managed to get to see them in Chile - which was A M Azing and they've managed to get down here a couple of times so it was great to catch up, see how hugely our offspring have grown and down one or two sherbets to celebrate - and we managed to see the whole of THE wedding - which we all thought was lovely - and wasn't she gorgeous and both our boys now fancy her sister! (along with most of the young, virile youth of the country, judging by comments on the 'net and Facebook).
The farm where we live offers "glamping" (that's glamorous camping for the uninitiated) so Sev and Mel and their children stayed in a Featherdown tent so as not to interfere with T's GCSE revision (ha!). This is what a Featherdown tent looks like:
so, as you can see, they didn't "rough" it and we had a lovely barbecue with them on Saturday night in the tent.
I understand that the rest of the UK is currently bathed in glorious sunshine and would just like you all to know that we are in thick cloud, squally showers and strong northerly winds. On Sunday night we had the most terrific thunderstorm and lightening (we think) actually hit our house and blew all the phone lines. Thankfully we'd disconnected all the computers at the first crash of thunder but nothing was re-connected until today. On the one hand it was really nice not to be tied to the computer, the boys couldn't waste hours on Facebook and there were no emails. On the other hand, we had no phone calls and felt completely cut off. It's amazing how often you say "Oh, we'll just look that up on the 'net" and then you realise that you can't!
Then to top it all we went into the shop today and discovered that the torrential rain which accompanied the thunderstorm had flooded the back. Fortunately, it's most superficial and no wool was ruined (just a few magazines) and the dehumidifier is beavering away frantically to suck it all up.
That's two minor disasters - rather dreading what the third might be ............!
Tuesday, 26 April 2011
Easter
Knitwits Yarns knitwitspenzance.co.uk
So for Easter day we did our usual walk to our favourite pub and it's always amazing that the same walk is different every single time. This time there was a definite first for us:
a rather beautiful male adder sunning himself by the path. We managed a few pics before he slithered off and on the way back, in the exact same spot, we met these lovelies coming down for their evening drink:
The path towards the north coast was looking particularly beautiful:
and I was wearing a fetching piece of knitwear(!):
Leaving the pub, late in the afternoon, the cows were coming in for milking:
and T debated whether to ride a semi-wild Shetland pony but decided he was just too big and the pony was just too small!:
A perfect Easter Sunday!
PS: Our royal family is attracting much interest so do come and have a look if you're in the area (and I put the bunting up today as well!).
So for Easter day we did our usual walk to our favourite pub and it's always amazing that the same walk is different every single time. This time there was a definite first for us:
a rather beautiful male adder sunning himself by the path. We managed a few pics before he slithered off and on the way back, in the exact same spot, we met these lovelies coming down for their evening drink:
The path towards the north coast was looking particularly beautiful:
and I was wearing a fetching piece of knitwear(!):
Leaving the pub, late in the afternoon, the cows were coming in for milking:
and T debated whether to ride a semi-wild Shetland pony but decided he was just too big and the pony was just too small!:
A perfect Easter Sunday!
PS: Our royal family is attracting much interest so do come and have a look if you're in the area (and I put the bunting up today as well!).
Friday, 22 April 2011
Happy Holidays
Knitwits Yarns knitwitspenzance.co.uk
As you can see, the Royal Wedding party is complete!
From left to right we have:
a footman with a corgi (with a fetching red, white and blue lead), The Queen and Prince Philip.
Then, we have:
Prince Harry, followed by:
the bride and groom, then:
Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall and, finally:
The Archbishop of Canterbury.
The actual knitting was the easy part! The fiddling with all the tiny details was the time consuming part but, ultimately, is what makes them.
They'll be in the shop window from tomorrow for about 2 weeks so, if you're in the area, please come and see them and pop in and say "hi".
Today - as the rest of the country is bathed in boiling sunshine - we have rain. Seriously! It's currently raining down here!!
Happy holidays!!
As you can see, the Royal Wedding party is complete!
From left to right we have:
a footman with a corgi (with a fetching red, white and blue lead), The Queen and Prince Philip.
Then, we have:
Prince Harry, followed by:
the bride and groom, then:
Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall and, finally:
The Archbishop of Canterbury.
The actual knitting was the easy part! The fiddling with all the tiny details was the time consuming part but, ultimately, is what makes them.
They'll be in the shop window from tomorrow for about 2 weeks so, if you're in the area, please come and see them and pop in and say "hi".
Today - as the rest of the country is bathed in boiling sunshine - we have rain. Seriously! It's currently raining down here!!
Happy holidays!!
Wednesday, 20 April 2011
Corgis
Knitwits Yarns knitwitspenzance.co.uk
Am currently sewing up corgis .............. seriously!!
With good luck and a fair wind pics on the site tommorrow.
Am currently sewing up corgis .............. seriously!!
With good luck and a fair wind pics on the site tommorrow.
Monday, 11 April 2011
Surreal Moment of the Weekend
Knitwits Yarns knitwitspenzance.co.uk
Surreal moment of the weekend was ................
........... T sitting at one end of the kitchen table putting together flat pack furniture; me sitting at the other end of the table putting together The Duke of Edinburgh.......
Surreal moment of the weekend was ................
........... T sitting at one end of the kitchen table putting together flat pack furniture; me sitting at the other end of the table putting together The Duke of Edinburgh.......
Wednesday, 6 April 2011
Teeny Tiny Knitting
Knitwits Yarns knitwitspenzance.co.uk
Whilst I am, predominantly, decorating our house at the moment (pulled the piano out on Monday and, boy, did we find some rubbish behind there including a cable needle and a very small pair of boys' pants [with Bart Simpson on them so, clearly, T's from many years ago])* there is also some knitting going on.
Tracey and I are knitting teeny, tiny fiddly things which, with a Royal Wedding only 23 days away, won't take a genius to work out what they are. They are great fun but unbelievably time consuming for such tiny things and result in a barrage of bizarre texts along the lines of "Harry only has one leg", reply "oh, yes, oops forgot to knit the second" and "does the Queen have shoes?" (she does now).
The aim is to have the entire ensemble in the window (and available to view here) by Good Friday at the latest so if any of you are coming down here for Easter or the wedding weekend or any part of the holidays, please do pop in and say hello.
Meanwhile I am awaiting the arrival of Prince Philip in a sandwich bag.
* Apparently my maternal grandmother used to pull her piano out every week and clean behind it. She is currently spinning in her grave at her slutty grand-daughter.
Whilst I am, predominantly, decorating our house at the moment (pulled the piano out on Monday and, boy, did we find some rubbish behind there including a cable needle and a very small pair of boys' pants [with Bart Simpson on them so, clearly, T's from many years ago])* there is also some knitting going on.
Tracey and I are knitting teeny, tiny fiddly things which, with a Royal Wedding only 23 days away, won't take a genius to work out what they are. They are great fun but unbelievably time consuming for such tiny things and result in a barrage of bizarre texts along the lines of "Harry only has one leg", reply "oh, yes, oops forgot to knit the second" and "does the Queen have shoes?" (she does now).
The aim is to have the entire ensemble in the window (and available to view here) by Good Friday at the latest so if any of you are coming down here for Easter or the wedding weekend or any part of the holidays, please do pop in and say hello.
Meanwhile I am awaiting the arrival of Prince Philip in a sandwich bag.
* Apparently my maternal grandmother used to pull her piano out every week and clean behind it. She is currently spinning in her grave at her slutty grand-daughter.
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