It's all about me ...

Hello and thank you for visiting my page!

As my first blog post I thought I would share a little bit about me and my life here in Lancaster.

I was born and raised in Preston, Lancashire. My parents worked long hours as social workers and I would sometimes spend weekends with my grandparents in Manchester. My lovely 

Irish Grandma would spend time with me doing word searches and I'd watch her knit, it was mesmerising and she would always have something on the go, knitting for grandchildren or her local yarn shop whilst telling me about her childhood growing up on a farm in Athlone. I can't remember exactly when but Grandma taught me how to knit.  The problem was I would have a day or two there practising and then go back home where I'd practise, get it wrong and then practice that! I still have an odd way of knitting, completely dropping the needle to wrap my yarn around, I didn't realise I was doing it wrong until a certain partner (now husband) sent a video of me knitting to his mum who declared "you are doing it wrong Kate!͛

It has never bothered me except now I notice my tension isn't great and I want to teach myself to knit without dropping the needle! Something else for the to-do list...but I have to knit and if I'm not knitting, I'm thinking about it. Or the Tudors. I have a pattern book so I can actually knit the Tudors. (Thanks, Karen.) 

I lived in London for 14 years, working with homeless children and families living in temporary accommodation for various charities and organisations.

I joined my first knitting group in London, the most amazing bunch of women, I felt I'd met my tribe and we still go away once a year for a knitting weekend away. *Knit, eat, drink, buy yarn. Repeat!* They gave me confidence and support in my knitting, helped me through tricky patterns or a new technique but much more than that, Thursday night was a place of sanctuary, somewhere to forget the day and have a laugh with non-judgemental,  like-minded people. 

I loved London and didn't think I'd ever move back home. It was only after tying the knot with a long lost friend Andy from school, and expecting our second daughter that we decided we needed more space, nearer to family and somewhere greener. We decided on Lancaster and we all love it. 

 

I started a knitting group almost immediately and it runs every week, it's great and again I enjoy going to chat, learn and laugh. 

My eldest, Minnie, goes to a local school out in the countryside, surrounded by cows, sheep and winding road, hills and dales. I spend my days doing school runs, looking after/being dictated to by my youngest, Amber who is almost three and running the girls to their social appointments.

By night I knit, knit, knit, listen to music and enjoy a glass or two of delicious wine.

I'm proud of Lancashire, coming back after so long has opened my eyes to the gorgeous countryside, the friendly folk and the very woolly sheep. 

I want Northern Yarn to celebrate all of that and showcase the beautiful wool and yarn that is produced here.

And knit with it. A lot.

Kate. x