Miss Julie

Julie came in to show us this beautiful cabled throw she has knitted for her daughter Jenny who has just started university. Knitted in Debbie Bliss's cashmerino aran, it is very soft and snuggly - a truly stunning gift and keepsake.

Knitting babes

We had a junior workshop at Jolie on Saturday morning. These knitting starlets were very keen. Nayeli and birthday girl Emily mastered knit and purl, lace work and cable.

Mother and daughter Emma and Tansy joined us too, and were also very accomplished.

Our three knitting musketeers were kept well supplied with birthday cake and treats.

With a well deserved shopping experience at the end. Well done girls!

Not to be outdone.....Ollie has picked up his knitting again and Eddie has just learnt. What a nice quiet occupation for half term.

In Bruges

Dany went to Bruges for an idyllic weekend with Phil to celebrate a certain birthday.

I've never been there before and it was beautiful. A completely unspoilt medieval city. We cycled all over the city trying to spot locations from the film In Bruges and took the obligatory canal boat trip.

Lots of Madonnas in Bruges - in fact over three hundred.

We had to have the obligatory mussels with frites and beer of course.

A riot of colour at Le Pain Quotidien's terrace cafe.

This was my favourite shop in Bruges. Madam Mim, Hoogstraat, 29. I went back three times.

Delicious vintage and homemade items, run by a really sweet couple. Lovely.

Happy days!

Knit and wine

Tuesday 18th October. 7.30 - 10pm.

Mad hatters

Thank you to everyone who knitted a hat or two ...or ten for Age UK. We have dispatched them all to Innocent at 'Fruit Towers'. Special thanks to Sandra and Vicky, Hellie, Paula, Carolyn, Sue F, Diane, Brenda, Mary, Jane and Rosalind.

Hats off....

...and thanks to Brenda, for producing the most hats for the Innocent/Age UK campaign. They are all gorgeous too!

Little Innocents

Mini hats so far for the Innocent smoothie/Age UK campaign.

Cake, coffee and crochet

For lovely Sue N's birthday last Thursday.

Glam chop

Coming soon - new yarn and patterns from Erika Knight.

Linda knitted up these fab fur cuffed mitts from one of Erika's patterns using her exclusive Fur and Maxi wools. Available shortly as single loose patterns for a range of lovely accessories each using 1-2 balls yarn. Eye lashes, model's own!

The big knit 2011

Jolie has supported a charity every year for National Knitting week since we opened in 2005. This year we are supporting Age UK in conjunction with Innocent smoothies.

If you would like to get involved all you need to do is knit a little woolly hat to fit on an Innocent smoothie bottle. These are then sold in supermarkets up and down the country and 25p for every one sold goes to Age Uk.

Patterns are available from http:/innocentdrinks.com/thebigknit Choose from a basic woolly hat suitable for beginners, or try a pineapple, banana, or a woolly sheep.

How about a unicorn - if you're feeling really ambitious?

Or even Jack Sparrow? Or be inspired and make up your own pattern.........

We will be sending all hats dropped off at Jolie on 12th October - not long, sorry, but they are very quick to do - I made two stripey ones in an hour. If you are not local to us you can post your hats directly to Innocent - the address is on their website.

Great for using up scraps of double knitting and 4ply. Happy knitting and for a good cause!

Knit and wine

Very pleasant Knit and Wine Tuesday evening. Laura, Sarah and Caroline did a little late night shopping......

Carolyn was impressed with Sarah's beautifully knitted Nordic cushion.

Sue B and Caron did a little knitting and a lots of whining ......and wining, of course.

Agnetha and Annifrid?

Sue and Sarah modelled their crochet shrugs at Knit and Wine - Mamma mia, did Abba have this pattern too?

Linda's birthday

September is a bumper month for birthdays at Jolie - Linda, Karen, Dany, Libby, Trish, Julie and Ann....... Linda had a double cream doughnut thing.

And matching nail varnish to go with her present. That's some colour coordination.

Home sweet home

Dany made Linda a garland. Fabric, glue, paper scissors. Quick and easy - love it, no sewing!

Knit and wine

Tuesday 27th September 7.30 - 10pm.

Summer crochet workshops

Young Charlotte brought her crochet squares in to show Linda who was more than impressed with her achievements. Ros was on a 1-2-1 refresher crochet and cracked on with her pattern reading and hooking.

Gypsy Rose Dany......

Oh what a summer - if you can call it that. There's been more rain than sun. Dany, Phil, Eddie, Ollie and dog Billie did however manage a few lovely days in Shropshire, staying in these wonderful vintage showman's caravans. Phil and I had the red and yellow one.

Eddie and Ollie had the green one.

Both were very quaint with wood burning stoves and electric lights - all mod cons! We had 22 cupboards in ours!

This was Eddie and Ollie's fireplace in the green 'van'.

The 'vans' are on a little campsite in the grounds of Walcot Hall. If you are staying within the grounds you are free to wander around the gardens and arborteum which are very beautiful.

There is even a lake, with a little boat.

Billie came too, but didn't find the gypsy in her soul. She wasn't keen on 'glamping' . Always the opportunist, she stole the sausages out of the frying pan on the campfire. Needless to say she wasn't popular that evening.

Ollie lent her some cool specs when she'd been forgiven.

We visited Bury Ditches an iron age hill fort nearby. Billie and Ollie re enacted some ancient local Britons.

Shropshire is a beautiful county and we explored some pretty places, but Walcot Hall was a real find we'll definitely be back. www.walcothall.com

What a day! We had two Knit and Chats last Thursday. We celebrated Beryl's birthday in the morning and had a special Jolie cream tea in the afternoon (Donna was there for both, how did she manage that?). Beryl had some great cards and beautiful turquoise charm bracelet with a pretty peridot charm - Beryl's birth stone.

And Erika Knight came too! Erika joined us to show us her new venture or rather adventure.

Erika is launching a new yarn collection - all pure British wool and expertly spun in Laxton's mill in Yorkshire. We had a preview of colours and textures and patterns too.

Jane fell in love with the 'fur' - infact, I think she wanted to take this little friend home with her. Watch this space for more news on Erika's yarns @ Jolie.

Feeling fruity

What to do with a few raspberries and a couple of eggs? Individual raspberry souffles from Nigel Slater's wonderful little book Real Fast Puddings. Ready in 12 minutes, fat free and delicious!

There were rather more calories in Scarlett's Victoria sponge she made for James's birthday. It all disappeared in a flash tho.....