The joy weaver
Our resident crafter Deana Park visits the woman creating bonds, not just blankets, with her big knits at workshops across Lancashire.
Walk into one of Ally Wilkinson’s workshops and you’re greeted by a sight that stops you in your tracks. Giant balls of wool and soft skeins of Merino fibre spilling across tables bring a joy akin to rummaging through a button box as a child. Within hours, a group of self-confessed non-knitters will leave clutching their own handmade blankets.
This is the magic Ally, founder of AllyBobKnits, has created – a craft that’s tactile, sociable and surprisingly simple.
It all started in childhood.
“My mum was a great knitter, but I got properly into it when my children were small,” she says. “There was this fantastic wool shop in Longridge with French patterns – modern, different. I loved them. That’s when I really got into knitting, mostly for my children but also for myself.”
For decades, Ally’s career was rooted in sales and marketing for major pharmaceutical firms, running workshops for doctors and nurses.
“I always liked the teaching side – meeting people, explaining things clearly, making sure they understood,” she says.
It’s a skill that would later prove invaluable in a very different setting.
Like many, Ally rediscovered knitting during the pandemic.
“When Covid hit, I thought: ‘What can I do to help?’ The NHS were asking for knitted hearts – one for a patient and one for their relative, since families couldn’t be with them in hospital. I made about 200,” she says.
But months of making tiny stitches took their toll. Arthritis in her thumb made fine knitting difficult.
Inspiration for her next step came from Stacey Solomon.
“I wanted something chunkier that would grow quickly,” says Ally. “I saw a throw on Stacey’s bed in a magazine and thought that was exactly what I wanted to make.”
One blanket became two, then friends and family started asking for their own. Soon, Ally’s professional confidence found a new outlet; she launched her first workshop in 2022 at Holden Clough Nursery in the Ribble Valley.
“It’s a lovely setting – the sessions always sell out,” says Ally.
Since then, she’s expanded to venues across Lancashire, including Eden Tearooms and Galleries, Barton Grange, Lytham Hall and Holdens & Co. in Whalley. Talks are also under way with Tatton Park.
Her approach is simple and encouraging. Her workshops attract beginners and those rediscovering knitting after years away.
“People often come as friends, sisters, or mothers and daughters,” says Ally, who was born in Garstang and raised in Longridge. “It’s as much about doing something together as it is about the end result.
“People start thinking they’ll never manage to finish a blanket. But by the end, they’ve got a beautiful throw to take home. They’re always so pleased with themselves.”
The throws are made from 100 per cent Merino wool, chosen after testing several alternatives.
“I wanted something that looked and felt good, but was also practical,” she says. “Merino is fire-retardant, breathable, hypoallergenic – and it regulates temperature. That’s why ski instructors recommend it. Merino is a bit of a luxury, but once you’ve used it, you can tell the difference.”
Her wool comes from farms in South America and South Africa. Each two-kilo ball is enough for one generously sized blanket.
“We roll it so it unfurls from the middle,” she explains. “If you unwound it like normal wool, it would snap under its own weight.”
Her business, AllyBobKnits, continues to grow – but she’s determined to keep it personal. She wants to widen her reach whilst keeping a warm and cosy workshop atmosphere. She believes traditional crafts still matter.
“I recently got an enquiry about a business convention for 100 people, but that’s not me – and imagine transporting 100 balls of wool!” she says. “Wherever I am, it’s still about helping people discover that sense of achievement, that they can make something with their own hands.
“Everything moves so fast now. Knitting makes you slow down. You can’t rush it, you have to focus, and you end up with something you’ve made yourself. Everyone leaves with something to show for their time – and usually, a few new friends too.
“It’s about the experience, having fun together and creating happy memories.”
