November is a month for remembering – starting with Bonfire Night (‘Remember, remember the fifth of November’) and leading into Armistice Day on the 11th. People are wearing poppies now (we have some in the shop on behalf of the British Legion), and, for the first time, I have felt that I should reflect this more sombre time of the year in the window of the shop. I have started listening to Proust’s Remembrance of Things Past on Audible too, having avoided it this far – it is rather soothing, and excellent to accompany knitting, although not ideal for any kind of long distance driving.
However, we do not want to focus too much on the past, because we also have a lot to look forward to. Christmas is suddenly just around the corner. How did that happen so fast? And we are busy here in the shop this month. As usual we have the regular Social Stitchers sessions, starting Tuesday 5th at 11am. Everyone is welcome to come, knit or crochet or embroider, and chat with like minded people. The other sessions this month are on Tuesday 12th (2-4pm), Saturday 16th (2-4pm) and Tuesday 26th (7-9pm). The cost is £2 per head, tea and coffee provided.
We are currently completing a Beginners Crochet course and the granny squares are coming along nicely. On 16th November we have two courses – we are starting a Learn to Knit Socks on Double Pointed Needles course at 4pm, but we are also running a one-off crochet course – Festive Mini Stockings – in the morning. Spaces are available on both courses if you are interested.
On 28th November, along with many other businesses in Fakenham, we will be open late – to 8pm and we will be doing this every Thursday until Christmas. We are aware that it is not always easy for people to come and see us during our usual daytime opening hours and we hope that you will enjoy having this opportunity to come by for a bit of yarn shopping, whether for yourselves or for Christmas presents. The first date coincides with the opening of the Christmas Tree Festival in Fakenham, which is well worth visiting in its own right, so I hope you will come along.
On Saturday 30th November we are delighted to be hosting another pop up shop with Blue Fern Yarns. Shannon will be with us from 10am to 4pm and will be bringing along her beautiful hand-dyed yarns. And we are very pleased to say that she has dyed an exclusive colour for us which I am collecting next week, so watch this space. The same day, or thereabouts, marks the third anniversary of the shop. I am so pleased to still be here (you would be amazed how many people walk past exclaiming in surprise that I have survived), and am very grateful to all of you who have kept me here! There will definitely be cake to celebrate. The date coincides with the Christmas Light switch on in Fakenham – I believe there will be stalls and fun all day long, so what better time to visit?
Going back to remembrance – if anyone is interested, the photos in my shop window are of my husband’s grandfather, who flew with Bomber Command, and of my mother’s father, who fought in North Africa. His story is particularly interesting because South Africa was neutral in the Second World War, but a lot of South African Jews joined up to fight with the Allies for obvious reasons. The other two men I would remember in this context are my husband’s paternal grandfather who was in the Navy and fought in the Pacific, and my father’s father who was in the trenches in the First World War, was gassed and went back and then volunteered again in 1939. He was captured during the retreat to Dunkirk and spent the rest of the war as a POW. Mandy tells me that her grandfather did not return from the war and that her grandmother was driver throughout. It occurs to me that these stories will be told less and less as the generations following that war generation move on, so now is the time to gather them from the people you love, if you can and before it is too late.
