Day Three in the Big Blue Bradford Bus

3rd July 2010

On day three in the Big Blue Bradford Bus, we drove out to Welshpool to visit the Collinette wool factory shop. As an avid knitter, I was practically out of my seat for the whole journey, so I was expecting it to be a woolly wonderland, but it exceeded even my sugar-fuelled expectations. It was one of those only-happens-in-cartoons moments, as five knitters got through the door and simultaneously ran off in separate directions, squealing with excitement… if we hadn’t been among fellow knitters it could have been quite embarrassing. Amused, perhaps, by our enthusiasm, the proprietor gave us a tour of the dye works – which we were astonished to discover is still only worked by twelve dyers – and the spinning room, full of top condition 1970s equipment. As the man said, if it aint broke, don’t fix it!

Apart from the large volume of stunning wool (which we spent many hours on the journey home balling up in the minibus), the new and interesting patterns and designs and the truly informative tour – he was so excited that people were interested – they gave us cake. Seriously. Go there. It rocks.

After our day of collective excitement we decided to relax in the evening with a trip to the beach… as you can imagine, our… ingenuity… came out immediately, along with our inner six-year-olds. Okay, I admit it, we may have buried Jamie… but only a bit! And Liz fell in that hole, honest!

Photos: Liz and Jamie get stuck in with their new snazzy yarn; like six year olds; 'uh, guys?'; the Indicent Pit, Oh No!