#Yoghurtgate!

I have to say this has been one of the most surreal weeks of my life!

It all started with a frightening incident with a yoghurt pot and a simple tweet -

The Western Gazette then duly printed a story about my ordeal after asking me for a quote

The Central Somerset Gazette also printed the story on their website

before I knew it the story was being picked up by more and more journalists, bloggers and celebrities who re-tweeted and shared the increasingly bizarre headlines.

The Telegraph talked about the "drive-by-yoghurt chucker" and named me as the "West Country haberdasher"

Friends in London started texting me pictures of the article printed in the London Metro - a paper I used to read every day on the way to work in the City.

The "Drive-by yoghurt attack" headline also started a host of Bugsy Malone style attack tweets, almost as many as the tweets correcting their geography as of course Sherborne is in Dorset not Somerset as they stated.

A lovely student from the Bournemouth Buzz called me for a further interview and published another story promptly afterwards

Yahoo news picked up on the story adding their spin on the events calling it "drive-biotic"

First thing Monday morning I was interviewed live on the BBC Devon breakfast show by the charming Simon Bates who was very sympathetic about my experience. I was also interviewed by a journalist for Radio Somerset who was most insistent I should have called the police by now.

It was rather extraordinary that Andy Comfort's (@andycomfort) Radio Humberside drive time show was dedicated to the event on Monday, asking listeners to send in their suggestions for songs relating to the incident.

Celebrity bloggers added fuel to the fire with @panoparker getting over 2.5k retweets for calling it "The most British headline ever"

@ReporterBoy's vote for "headline of the week" brought much amusement to many

 - even the boys at BuzzFeed where

Alan White upped the anti and went straight for "Headline of the Year"

Simon Singh (author of The SImpsons) @SLSingh voiced his concern about an upcoming trip to Sherborne!

and so it went on....

Although all of this media attention has been quite amusing it doesn't take away from the original act of nonsense that started all of this.

Being targeted by anyone with anything when you are alone in the dark at night is really frightening and I would urge anyone who knows anything about this incident to come forward to ensure the idiots at large are brought to heel asap.

I would like to thank the two boys from Sherborne School who stopped to ask if I was OK at the time and all of my lovely customers, contacts and friends for their messages of support this last week

I am still waiting for my advertising deal with Petits Filous but until then it's time to get back to my crochet!

Many thanks

Ali

The West Country Haberdasher!

It seems I now have a few more updates to make to this article!

on 3rd Feb 2016 actually included this darstedly crime in an article entitled "21 WTF Crimes that could only ever happen in Britain" - I made it to no 12!

finally on 22 February 2016 it was mentioned on "The Poke" Facebook page - it attracted one or two comments and several likes too!

Will this story ever end?!

Workshops in 2016

I think we all have a long "making" wish list and adding ideas to it wont get the projects done, my Pinterest board has over 1000 pins and those are just the ones you can see - not the ones hidden away on secret boards. If I just dedicated the time to making rather than browsing for more ideas I would feel so much more rewarded.

So many customers of mine say they don't have time to start let alone finish a project - but if you come to a workshop you will get results faster than staying home and constantly putting your crafting time to the bottom of the pile of things to do.

We have taught hundreds of people over the years and nearly every one admits they would never have done the project in their own time and they are always so thrilled with what they have produced.

Whether it is sewing, crochet, patchwork, embroidery, knitting, drawing, dressmaking or needle felting we are sure to have something to interest you more than netflix.

So, stop what you are doing, book a day off, arrange a babysitter, do whatever it takes just book a workshop and find some "me time" to do what you have always said you would do!

Today is the tomorrow you talked about yesterday - just do it!

Churn Dash Quilts

I am a huge fan of modern versions of the churn dash quilt design. I am forever adding new ideas to my Churn Dash Pinterest board hoping to one day find the time to make one!

I really love this pastel rainbow design by CrazyMomQuilts

and this one by Mixiheart

We are starting a course to learn this quilt pattern on Tuesday 19th January, during the 4 week course we will learn how to sew half square triangles, create the blocks, add sashing and a border, and then layer with wadding, quilt and finally bind the finished quilt.

Here is another lovely example by Material Girl Quilts

The course would be suitable for beginners as we will teach you everything you need to know about cutting fabric and sewing up the patchwork top.

To get 10% off the Churn Dash quilt course use code "churn10" at the checkout.

There was a brilliant article in Country Living website this week about how "crafting is good for you" and we can't agree more!

Our workshops are going from strength to strength with lots of customers signing up to learn new crafts in 2016 and we look forward to teaching more and varied crafts as the year goes on. I have heard so many customers say how they "don't have time" to do craft but then they come on a workshop and find the time and don't look back.

We also have regular craft groups each week, Crochet Club meet on a Wednesday night from 7.30-9.30 and we also run a free YarnBee each Friday morning from 10am-12pm.

We look forward to seeing you soon!