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Anyone near me ?

(10 posts)
  • Started 13 years ago by Su Maddocks
  • Latest reply from Su Maddocks

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  1. Su Maddocks
    Member

    Hi ladies - I have only just got into the forum and realise how starved I am of "stitching chatter". I used to live on the Wilts/Glos borders and was part of a group of like minded ladies whilst working at the local NHS Trust. Having retired, moved to Devon and been widowed in the last four years, I have become a lone stitcher (apart from my youngest daughter)and miss the company of other addicts! So my question is.....are there any ladies in the North Devon area who would be interested in meeting up to share a coffee (or G&T)and have a chat about the possibility of meeting up now and then to share our interests?

    Posted 13 years ago #

  2. Auntie Beryl
    Member

    Hi ! Mrs Maddocks, I suggest you have a word with your local Library. Andrea and I go to a Craft Club . We meet twice a month and there are about 14 of us. The hours are 6 to 8pm . Our Libraries are glad to have people using them . Our local Townswomens guild meets there too.We dont have to pay for the room and we get tea and biscuits ! We do donate to a local charity though .Its worth a try!

    Posted 13 years ago #

  3. Brigitte Gant
    Member

    I am in South Bedfordshire, so not really within easy driving distance to Devon. You could approach a local paper to publish a call to needles. I am so lucky that stitchingwise there is quite a lot going on near me. I hope you are lucky and get to form a group. I am quite happy to sit and stitch at home, but it does the soul good to meet up with other crazy people and have a good old chinwag and laugh together.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  4. Barbara Stone
    Member

    I'm in Bristol, so not too far away, but still far enough to make meeting difficult. I know how difficult it is when there's not too much going on, cos I'm on my own down here, but I have other hobbies where I meet up with other folks, so I can have a good laugh with them. Good luck with finding other like minded stitchers.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  5. Su Maddocks
    Member

    Thanks for your input ladies...have been lucky to make lots of friends here but none very interested in stitching and they find my addiction amusing. Perhaps I will have to be content reading all your chatter until I get something sorted. Shame it looks as though I am unlikely to meet any of you at Jane's next week...better luck next time

    Posted 13 years ago #

  6. Jean Strange
    Member

    Hi have been thinking (yes it did hurt) but preparation for next week and back to school! I don't know where in Devon you live but have you discovered Smuggler's Needlecraft in Ilfracombe? Husbands relatives live there and I discovered it before it was a neeedlecraft shop (origianlly a gift shop) but it is still run by the same couple, as far as I know. It is small but an Alladins cave and I wonder if they might know of any clubs etc. in the area. Last time we were there it was a Sunday and unfortunately they were closed. The couple who ran it orginally were very friendly and helpfull. They advertise in the magazines so you should be able to find a phone number easily.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  7. Su Maddocks
    Member

    Thanks for the info. I have to say that unfortunately I do know the shop you refer to and no longer go there as it is absolutely filthy. I tried it out four times last year. Every time it was closed (despite me ringing first to check the opening times) and I had to ring the number on the door for someone to open up (waiting 15 minutes on one occassion). They say they sell Stef Frances threads but when I got there they only had a few colours and did not offer the full range. They also had very few of the other specialist threads they seem happy to advertise having. The packs of Madeira threads hanging on the door where covered in dust and I had to give up handling them I was getting so filthy. The person serving knew nothing and after the fourth try I gave up going there. I was really dissapointed as it is the only shop in the area and used to be very good. GOSH doesn't that make me sound a grumpy old so and so....I'm not, honest, just very dissapointed. It's about 40 miles from me (I live in Clovelly) but I felt sorry for anyone making a longer journey to get there.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  8. Jean Strange
    Member

    It certainly does seem to have gone down hill!! As I said it was a couple of years ago when I was in Ilfracombe and the shop was closed so did not get to see the state inside. Glad I didn't make a special journey. I seem to remember that they were advertising 7 day opening then and were not open on the Sunday I was there. I won't be making any arrangements to visit any time soon. Thanks for letting me know.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  9. Jean Strange
    Member

    Hi Su
    I don't know what's been happening at Smugglers, but since our on line chat I have seen in the magazines that Smugglers was runner up in the Retailer of the Year catagory in the magazine comps!! I then saw an advert which gives new contact names and an e-mail address for the shop. It might be worth investigating whether it has changed ownership and what their stock etc is now. Will try to locate the advert and let you know the e-mail etc.

    Posted 13 years ago #

  10. Su Maddocks
    Member

    Hi Jean, thanks for the info. I have a friend who has bought a holiday bungalow not far from Ilfracombe and am popping up to see her in a couple of weeks so will go and have a nosy. It will be grand if it's in new hands and been brought back to it's old standard. HOW it could have even got a single vote in it's old state confounds me. I visited the Burford Needlework shop earlier this month, an old haunt from when I lived in the ares and it reminded me what Smugglers SHOULD be like. Will let you know - Su

    Posted 13 years ago #

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