OPEN DAY 31st Oct 10am - 3.30pm

Right peeps, things are getting rather ready for the open day, and I am far too excited, I even have a new dress!!!!

My dad has been working so hard, planting pots of flowers to go outside, and painting windows, he is such a peach. And my mum has been cleaning, I am scared to go even wash my cups up in the sink incase I make a mess!!

Ok, so for the details. I have a unit on an industrial estate, so it might not look from the outside what you are expecting, it has a large Creamy stoned house at the front on the bridge, the turning right next to it, it has signs on it for the NALDER ESTATE.

This is the address:

The Nalder estate

Main Street

East challow

Nr Wantage

OX12 9SY

There is a sign out the front for the NALDER ESTATE, this is what you need to look for, I have also heard it called the Old canal building, use the post code for your satnav.

It is in the village of East Challow,

If you are coming from Faringdon as you come into East Challow (past HAINES a kind of reclamation place) you turn the corner and go up over a bridge, just before you go over on your left is the big house and there will be a sign with the Nalder estate on it, turn left in there, there will be someone on the gate to direct you in (probably my dad or my uncle, l might give them distinctive bobble hats, so if you see two old guys in stupid hats you know you are in the right place, there is a HUGE carpark, and the unit is suitable for wheel chairs access as I have large double doors.

If you are coming from Wantage, as you come out down the hill as you come over the bridge on your left you will see the big house on your right, turn in there.

This is the google map, the large industrial estate you can see on there is where my workshop is, once you are in the car park you will know where to go.

There will be tea and coffee and some bubbly, and cakes and nibbles. I have some idea of people who are coming, but would love it if you told me so I could make sure there is enough cake. The gates will be open from 10am, you will not be able to come in before then I am afraid, we will be closing 4 latest but more likely 3.30 because it gets very dark and we want to make sure everyone leaves the premises.

Please have a look at the shop for my mobile contact incase you need to ring me about directions or anything, you do not have to have previously told me are coming, it is open to anyone who would just like to come and look around.

I'll leave this on the blog for now until the weekend so you have all the info you need, I will also update the shop through the week, as I might be a bit wired on Friday.

See you sat!!!

xx

Posting orders

Alright folks,

OK, as most of you know we have a postal strike, but, it doesn't run tomorrow or the beginning of next week, so I will post all packages out tomorrow, if you would like me to leave it until after next week that's fine, please leave a note in your order of your preference.

I do have some really nice autumn treats today.

This is my absolute favourite in the sheilas sock; Autumn rainbow

Fibre!!!!

Right, well I have been dyeing alot of fibre, when I get into it I can't stop!!!!

I have alot of fibre here to dye, some gorgeous blends, so that will feature largely in this weeks update. I have also got on order some very very very special fibre coming, it might be akin to a certain sparkle sock blend ;)

People have been asking me about autumn colours, this week is also about the autumn coloured yarns, hehe.

If you are coming to the open day and you like fibre, you are in for a treat!

Some fibre I did yesterday

Happy spinning ;)

Open day is comin yiiiiippppeeee!!

So I might have a solution to the putting wholesale on a waiting list thing, because really I love to wholesale, but I have to work on that for a bit to see what I can do, but I think its definately do-able, I will do some investigations and let you know, but I am confident there will be a solution very soon ;)

Secondly, there are so many yummy yarns coming in the next month or so, I am well excited hehehehehehe.

I am going to add some extras to the update now is so blimin cold, aran in semisolids and multicoloured, plenty of dk and chunky's, and loads of fibres and treats.

Now, point of the post! The open day; preparations have started, the unit is looking lovely, and mom and pops have planted flowers in tubs outside, and finishing touches have been painted on the windows and things to make it look lovely (my dad has been painting like a crazy man, he really is a peach). I am really looking forward to it now, and I had a few emials from people asking if it was ok to come....... really peep's its open to anyone who would like to come and have a look around,  it will be lots of fun, bring your knitting too, there are sofa's hehe!

The site will be open from 10am to 4pm, Keep an eye on the  blog for more details, I will post a map etc on here for you.

I am so excited!!!!

xxxxxxx

Dyeing and update = indulgence/inspiration

OK, so I figured I needed to dye things and have some fun dyeing seeing as its all numbers and theories around here at the moment, so I am dyeing all sorts of things today and tomorrow, I have slowly started the update and it will continue over today and tomorrow. I also have managed to fix my steamer, so there are some colours that people have wanted FOR AGES, however they are not quite dry yet, so I can't take the pics yet, but they will be done either this afternoon or tomorrow morning so keep an eye on it if you have asked me for something to be redone.

Oh and...I have decided to bring in some very very special new yarns, they are proving a very hard to get hold of, but they are AMAZING! And.... guess what? I finally managed to get more sparkle sock, its winging its way to me, I am hoping it'll be here next week, but I can't promise anything.

This new refreshment of yarns is getting me VERY excited :)

Please keep leaving your thoughts and comments about the clubs its really helping me to figure out what to do.

Also I have some new patterns in this week......

This gorgeous shawl from Carol made from scrumptious 4ply....

 

Clubs........

I have been persuaded that clubs are really a good idea, I have to be honest that I have in the past struggled with the complicated admin of the clubs as previously they allowed people to sign up at different times , I have with Mr Wool and Jo decided on a new way of doing them that will enable me to easily ensure that they are sent out on time each month and with Jo doing all the admin you can rest assured that this will happen

We came up with the idea of a 6 month project club, small projects, one a month, with different yarn each time including some VERY VERY special yarn, along with a pattern each month for the project with that yarn. It would go on sale with limited places from mid Nov, and it would start on the 15th of Feb (I know that seems like a bit of a gap, but the entire club would have to be made in advance to make it run smoothly. It would cost around 100 pounds for the entire club. I would do NONE of the administration, infact I want nothing to do with it, I would just be providing the designs and the yarn, and the rest is up to Jo.

What do you reckon?????

Yippppeeeeee

OK, well, we are still working on the business plan, but today, I feel like we are getting somewhere.

Saturday was quite scary, we worked out all the costings, lol, and then yesterday we brain stormed and figured out loads of things and today we started putting plans into action and I am confident I can make everything work, I don't want to stop wholesaleing, because I love it so much, however I am going to have to put prices up and put orders on a waiting list, it will have a set amount of time dedicated to it, but once that weekly limit is up, thats it, so waiting times will increase inevitably, but its either that or my company won't exist because the figures don't work out. 

Today feels like the first day of me being a director should have been, not like the total meltdown I had, lol, I appreciate the help I am getting really very much, I needed someone to look critically at the business and say nope, yes nope get rid of this and that etc, and actually it makes my life doable instead of ridiculous.

The two people helping me both said, what is the point in having your business if you don't earn proper wages, and I laughed alot, that really helped me to decide to ditch the things I was holding onto really tightly.

I am very excited.

xxxxxxxxxxxx

Ally Pally, Updating shop and life ramblings

Firstly, if you are visiting Allypally, you can buy my yarns from 3 stands: RKM wools (they have all the scrumptious) Tall yarns & Tales have lace lace lace and sock and I think also Woolfish have some too.

Hey!!! What an absolutely stunning morning, I LOVE my drive to work at the moment, I have never really had to drive work before seeing as I always lived in a city, but I am right on the edge of the cotswolds and the scenery is Stunning at the moment, the trees are beautiful, and I am getting in the mood for dyeing some gorgeous autumn colours. Its making me think too about where to live and stuff, I have always dreamt about building my own house, and being kind of self sufficient, I am not nieve enough to think I could do it completely, but I would love to have a go, and I would like my own peice of land etc, and I think for the first time in years I am thinking I need to slowly work towards that goal, I am kind of past my whole life revolving around work, and I am feeling the need for balance in my life. So I am starting to think about a plan, and you know me, I never do anything by halves, but for now its all about research research research, I accept its a long term goal, but its never to early to start!!!! It also gives me inspiration to keep working hard to pay of debts and get myself into a more flexible position.

So in that vein hahaha, I have started updating the shop, and I have a long way to go, as I have boxes of blimin yarn to go on.

Also I am thinking about new yarns and things for the winter, and I was wondering, what kinds of yarns do you guys want?? Lace is still selling well, but I wonder if you guys like arans and wools, what thicknesses and fibres are you looking for, are you looking for multicoloured yarns, or semisolids all the time, I confess semi solids are easy for me at the moment while its busy, but I just want your thoughts really if you leave a comment I will reply with a 10% discount code for the shop for you to encourage you to leave a comment, it will last until Monday. hehe....

oh and keep an eye on the sale page, there are things still going on there to clear the shelves

xxxxx

um, nice things, lol.

OK, I had a cracking day yesterday, worked so hard in the tidy workshop, and also best news of the day I found out that Princi is in the UK (Cardiff to be precise) for a whole year. My heart nearly exploded with happiness and excitement.

You probably remember me talking about the Spanish, and she really is the pinacle of that, the time when we lived and had parties everyday for while in my little house after I broke up with Anth, and it was probably one of the best most important times in my life, we all squeezed in my little house and we just had pure unadulterated fun. Well she is back for a year, and I resolved to go at least once a month for a weekend in Cardiff and that might increase just a bit more now!!!!!

So, thats amazing for me, it really is.

Its counterbalanced with the ongoing business analysis that is happening, with my accountant and best freind, and well, thats not so much fun. My costings have changed alot, and this weekend will be the clincher, we have nearly all the info we need to do a proper business analysis, and well, I feel a little anxious about it, I know there are some areas I am running at minimal profit, but I am wondering how it is going to effect the business, I guess it will mean major restructuring of the business, I already know that wholesale is in the balance here, I guess I don't need to be worried, but I know there is a major overhaul do, so its scary.

Anyway bring on knowledge and then I can make a plan, lol

xxx

Behind every fyberspate there are 2 minds.

Lets just say, I figured out what's been wrong, the little missing chink in the Fyberspates armour got fixed yesterday, and I feel completely back to normal, my normal bubbly self, there are some things I am good at, and others I am not, so the things I am not, i'll leave to the other.

xx

Gorgeous freinds

My DARLING friend Karen decided to come and help me on the weekend, and we had such a wonderful time, she is one of those special friends that makes so much effort to help you when you need it most, and she just new that I needed to get control over everything again. So she came and did the clubs for me, and then we spent a very long day on Saturday putting the workshop into order, but not her order, or anyone elses order, but MY order, somethings here are clearly not working for me, and its not feeling like my space, so saturday we made it my space, and its gorgoues (just intime for the open day as well)!!!!!!

So KAREN, thankyou, thankyou for not letting me get away with 'what do you think?' and being strict, you are a total sweetheart.

.

Calmness is coming back

OK, I kind of lost it yesterday afternoon, lost it because I felt so out of control with everything that I was sort of permanently shaking for about 4 hours. Weirdly Mr Wool knew I was struggling and just turned up completely unexpected, finished off, checked  and submitted my vat return, made out some massive invoices I was not sure about, bought me cheesecake, gave me big hugs and bought me a pint after I just gave up in a big heap on the floor. Then once I had calmed down, he talked my way out of the way I felt, and I felt a whole lot better.

THANKS MR WOOL, YOU ARE THE BESTEST FREIND A GIRL COULD HAVE.

We sat down and figured some numbers out, and schedules etc, and we decided I have to cap my wholesale. People who are currently my wholesale customers can stay, new ones will go on a waiting list, and all of my wholesale orders will be done only two days a week, no more, and it takes as long as it takes, no more stress, I am really a one woman band, and although I have some help, wholesale is not profitable enough to do it 5 days a week, so, its going to be 2 only, and I need to focus much more on my shop, which actually is the thing I love dyeing for the most, but which unfortunately I have hardly any time to do at the moment. I will also strip out anything which takes up too much time, as I said before clubs, lol, I HATE running clubs, they drive me nuts.

I also have to enforce the rule of working on my own alot more, I need my time to be creative, and its not really happening.

So, although though I am a go getter and I love expanding and growing, I realised that its currently at the cost of my happiness, I have a distributor for scrumptious, and thats what they get commision for, is for the volume, and its little input from me apart from desiging, and thats how I like it.

So, I feel so much calmer today, I still have that wholesale order to finish by this afternoon, but this is the last day of tight deadlines, and Karen is coming this afternoon for a few days to help me with a few things, so I think we shall laugh and have fun, and eat lots of cake, and hopefully I will start feeling a bit more like me again.

Oh and thanks to Dee too, for sharing, you helped me think about stuff loads, big hugs.

xxxxx

Post office issues - as if my stress levels wern't high enough already

Ok, we have postal strikes, so if you have made and order and it doesn't turn up in 2 days its not me OK!!!!!!

Orders are going out just fine, there is no delay with them from my end, but I am getting a few emials from people asking where their packages are, we have had some strikes this week, and there are more to come:

Just wanted to let you know.

Now I am going to cry because I have a massive deadline to complete by tomorrow, and ISTILL  have no yarn because of the numpty couriers.

Great start to my first day of being a director or what.

edited to change link to one thats today, not 2007 ARGHHHHHHHH

xx