Sunday 27 February 2011

Use it or lose it - Bodkins of Thundersley

I wrote earlier in the year about using local shops... but I left a recent discovery off the list.  Tucked away in Thundersley village is a proper wool shop called Bodkins.  Over 50 years old and with everything that you did not know you needed in there and I think it has the potential to be my bank manager's nightmare.


Whilst looking around, we got to chatting about how independent wool shops were disappearing and I was really shocked to learn that if you excluded the shops in Leigh-on-sea and Southend the next nearest shop as the crow flies is in  Erith in Kent but I bet it is not a patch on Bodkins!


Here is the web link: http://www.bodkins71.co.uk/ and below are some pics I took on my trip there


Now you know that this is going to be good because...
You start to dribble when you see what they have in the window, Rico,
 Debbie Bliss, Eco wools, Sirdar, Sublime... let me into the shop... NOW!

The owner, Jo had escaped from behind the till and was sorting out piece of Mini Pompom work for a customer...  it looked as though she was knitting up Rainbow Puffed Rice


Just look and lust!
My official driver for the trip - aka as my lovely sister Annette, and yes, she bought the pattern and wool so far she has only completed the front but it is only 12 hours later


And the great thing about the shop is there is something for everyone's price range and we are not talking the dreaded Chemist's shop wool


I bet you are all wondering whether I bought anything, well here it is but missing two balls cos I have already knitted up a bag from Nicky Epstein's, Knitting Block by Block which I will blog about soon





















From designer wools, via mid range to affordable wools, this shop just rocks and the service is brilliant.  I haven't even mentioned the buttons, ribbons, threads, pattern books, there is just so much in one little shop.  Where can you stand and chat, swap sloe gin recipes, debate the erratum slips in books, to say nothing of knitting porn, you know when you just look at books and dribble?  Do you know when I grow up or when I win the lottery, I am going to have a shop like this, I wonder if I should check my ticket now?


PS - There is even free parking, it really doesn't get much better than this, does it?

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