Award nomination for Jenny Wren’s Yarns

Award winners Jenny Wren's Yarns, of St Peter's Street. Lois Mickleburgh and her mum Sue Newbery (Image: Archant)

Ipswich independent craft and knitting store, Jenny Wren’s Yarns, has been nominated for another award.

Last year Jenny Wren’s Yarns was voted the Best Independent Yarn Store in the South East, in the British Knitting Awards.

Owner Lois Mickleburgh said: “We were very pleased and proud to win the award last year.

“Now we have heard we have been nominated for the same award this year.

“It was a great coup for us to win last year against some very well-known London stores, and we hope with our customers support, we can win it again.”

“It would be some more good news for Ipswich independent retail. Voting is now open.”

There has been a resurgence in home crafts like knitting and crochet, and making clothes and other things in recent years.

So what is the Top of the Pops for knitters? I asked.

“This time of the year it is shawls and accessories for many people, and some are already thinking about starting to make Christmas presents, planning well ahead.”

Crochet is growing in popularity too, she said.

“It is making a bit of a resurgence,” she said, “Beginners crochet is our biggest most popular class. A lot of people are wanting to learn.

“It is quick and instant and you get a lot of satisfaction out of it.

“We have a really wide range of customers, not your stereotypical knitters.

“We have quite a lot of young people, people in their teens and twenties wanting to learn, and older people too, and some men who do crochet.

“People do like to make individual, unique things as gifts for special occasions.”

Voting for the British Knitting Awards is now open, and runs until August 31, 2017.

http://www.letsknit.co.uk/awards

Jenny Wren’s Yarns is in St Peter’s Street, Ipswich.

Telephone 01473 805208.