From the back cover...

"There's a little yarn shop on Blossom Street in Seattle. It's owned by Lydia Hoffman, and it represents her dream of a new life free from cancer. Lydia teaches knitting to beginners, and the first class is "How To Make a Baby Blanket." Three women join. These four very different women, brought together by an age-old craft, make unexpected discoveries -about themselves and each other."

I wasn't sure if I was going to like this book, but I quickly became caught up in it. I became attached to the characters so much that I was moved to tears twice!! (Not something I can remember happening while reading a book since I was a kid reading Stone Fox and Where the Red Fern Grows) So... I decided to make it a bookring.

Mailed it off on 9/26/05 to #1. Enjoy!!

#1 AnglersRest UK
#2 Hellie UK
#3 Sterile UK
#4 StoryChaser UK
#5 calalilly UK
#6 cnfotp UK
#7 tutleymutley UK
#8 Nell-Lu UK
#9 Scruffykaz UK
#10 Inver UK - Here now!
#11 Molherb UK

The Shop on Blossom Street has had quite a trip around the UK. Thank you all. Soon it will be off to continue its journey in Australia!

#12 catsalive New South Wales, Australia
#13 woosang New South Wales, Australia
#14 aleonblue Queensland, Australia
#15 sally906 Northern Territory, Australia
#16 kalasue Western Australia
#17 Makita21 Western Australia

When the book makes its way back to the United States...

#18 southernfryed South Carolina

Bookring Guidelines
- Please make a journal entry when you receive the book so we will all know it has arrived safely.
- When you have finished it, make another journal entry to let us know how you liked or didn't like it.
- In the list above, click on the person next in line to PM them for their address.
- If you receive a PM for your address and you know you won't be able to read it in a few weeks, please let me know so I can change the list.

Received today. I am stunned, as this was sent Surface. I wonder when my books to you which were posted by surface mail the same day will arrive?

Thanks for sending.

I know this only arrived yesterday, and I have a few rings here, but this one had the sort of cover that said "Read me now"!, so as hubby was away I started this one in the wee hours, and will probably finish it over the weekend. So far I love it!

Finished this morning on my sunday lie in! What a lovely book and thanks so much for sharing. This is in my top five of excellent reads for the year. I love the way each chapter is devoted to one of the members of the group, and I felt like I got to know them. Now eagerly awaiting "A good yarn" to continue the story.

I have Hellie's address so will be off on its travels on 4th October.

This arrived today....
Royal mail suck don't they?!
I'm kind of in the middle of three books at once - long story as I nevr do that lol, but will get to this soon; I know what you mean about the cover!!!
Thanks all!

update: 16/10/05

Indulged in this today after an abysmal weekend. Was so lookingforward to 2 days off after an abysmal fortnihgt at work, even though I was working in pub on Sat night...
As it ended up I wasn't. Datryted with wortst toothache ever mid Fri pm at work, and called dentist, Got appointment, thank God, yesterday afternoon. Ended up having to have tooth removed, and it was so infected I have to go back to have final nerve taken out this Saturday as he put five needles in and still couldn't numb it. I was litertally xcereaming and digging my nails into the dental nurse's knuckles.
One of worst experiences of my life.......
Was asleep beofre 5 yeterday and just lain in bed most of today, By 1 I felt like I wnted to read, and picked this book..disctracted me form sore mouth and antibiotics making me throw up!

Loved it - made me cry 4 times i think, but I loved how through devoted chapters we got to know each character. Beautifully written.
I've ben to Seatlle too, and loved that on a naff day descritions of the Puget Sound allowed me to recall that trip.
The odd thing was that the wa Blossom Street and a good yarn were described, it felt more like I was reading a book set in a small town in America than in a hig city - obviously the community sense comes through really well...
I don't have children, but hope to one day, but I know people who have struggled to conceive - one has and now has a little girl whom I hope to meet very soon, one still hasn't and has about given up...the adoption thing rang true in this case. one still hasn't and refuses to accept it may never happen - she just can't...I also know poeple who have had miscarriages, so it still made Carol's story poignant.
As for Alix, Jacquie and Lydia, well let's be honest, whilst maybe not the same as theirs, we all have issues we just can't let go of, don't we?
I related in that sense...
I really felt like I knew these women, and will be watching out for the next book to see where they end up...

Will contact sterile for address and send on...
Thanks for sharing this lovely book.

After the fantastic reveiws given of this book I am itching to read it! I have to read another ringed book that arrived just a day before this one (which was waiting patiently for me on the dining table when I got home today) Please be patient with me and I will get it on its travels again asap!

Waiting for Storychasers address on 4th November. Will post on Monday 7th November.

RELEASE NOTES:

To be released to Storychaser tomorrow Monday 7th November. 2nd Class.

Arrived last week from Sterile and I forgot to journal its arrival...oops! Sorry folks. Will be starting it tomorrow.

I couldn't get on with this book. There was something about the style of the writing that I just didn't like. The writer was always describing why the characters did what they did, rather than letting their actions and reactions tell the story. As a result I couldn't empathise with any of them.
I guess it just wasn't my kind of book. I will be handing it on to calalilly when I see her next week.

Given to me last night by Storychaser when we went to the Havant OBCZ. I'm in the middle of a Mary Higgins Clark book but will start this as soon as I finish it, which shouldn't be long.

I enjoyed how the charactors in the book developed and that they all became good friends. It was a lovely book to read, especially in the middle of the night when I was kept awake with a hacking cough. Looking forward to reading the next one in the series.
Am emailing cnfotp for her address and hope to send it off tomorrow

Arrived this morning, thank you Calalilly for the lovely card, and of course Satnam for sharing! :D

I look forward to starting it as soon as possible, probably when I get in from work this evening...

This book got off to a shaky start: a couple of phrases were repeated and I thought the style of writing was going to turn out quite amatuer.

I am pleased to report that after these initial stumbles the book then took off. I thouroughly enjoyed reading it and I can't wait for A Good Yarn to come my way (I have signed up to another ring for it).

I think out of the 4 character's stories I found Jackie's the most touching but I'm struggling to place why... I guess it is the thought that it is may never be too late to put your past mistakes right.

I am waiting to hear back from tutleymutley for her address so that I can send the book on.

In the post to tutleymutley today - sorry for the slight delay, weather has been awful here and I haven't stepped outside for a couple of days :)

Thanks, cnfotp - received this couple of days ago. This was a recommendation from Anglersrest at the Devon bookcrossers meetups. It's always been my fantasy to own a yarn shop and run knitting workshops. I'm in the middle of a HUGE book, and I've had the usual run of bookrings all arriving at once, so I might be a little while getting around to this. Gee me up if you get impatient and thank you Satnam.

Well - it was a quick read, but I was a little disappointed following the rave reviews - it read a bit like I remember my Grandmother's 'Red Letter' magazine stories read: Superficial, sugary and fairly predictable. I liked the knitting quotes that headed each chapter - I'm a great knit and having a similar sort of store is one of my fantasies.
Thanks anyway, Satnam, and I'm emailing the next reader now.
Happy New Year, everyone...

RELEASE NOTES:

Posted today to bonny Scotland!

This arrived today. Thanks, tutleymutley, for getting it here and for the great card - good photo! Ta also, Satnam, for starting the ring.

I'm half way through another book, so will probably read this over the weekend. I'm looking forward to it.

Very easy to read, if a little saccharine and over-simplified. I'll get in touch with devilinpinksox and get this on its way as soon as I can. Thanks again for sharing, Satnam.

EDITED 23 JAN 2006, 12:45 - this is all packaged up and ready to go to devilinpinksox [now known as Scruffykaz]. I'll take it to the Post Office this afternoon.

Looking forward to reading

Started this book and didn't think I would enjoy it. It seemed a bit fluffy and predictable. Glad I kept trying with it though because it was all round good in the end. Predictable? yes!! moving? definitely.

Will send to the next person on the list as soon as I have their details.

Arrived safe & sound. Read first couple of pages. Looks like it will be my kind of read. Will try to get it moving ASAP. Am I really the last on the list. Couple of names missed out on the order....did they not want to read it! Anybody help with this!

Nearly half way through it. (2/6/06)

Inver was kind enough to let me insert a journal entry here.

I would like to thank all of you bookcrossers in the UK for making my bookring so successful. I have only started one other bookring and it stalled, so I am thrilled with this one. I would gladly do another bookring with any of you. I have already read the sequel to this book, which is called A Good Yarn, but if there is enough interest among you, I might pick up a paperback copy to send out.

The Shop on Blossom Street will soon be heading out for Australia. I hope it continues to do as well as it did with you folks.

Thanks again, Satnam

Well finally put aside the time to finish this book and get it on the move again...nearly off to Oz but was caught just in time to pass it on to Molherb who was missed out on the list.

I enjoyed the mish mash of characters and had vivid pictures of what each one looked like in my mind. It was a bit predictable and as someone else said 'a bit sugary', but I hoped it would all turn out for the best for each of them. It reminded me of the 'Quilters' series by Jennifer Chiaverini, which I loved too, with all the different characters. Made a light read before I get into 'To Kill A Mocking Bird', which will obviously be a bit more of a serious read.

Awaiting addy from next reader.

RELEASE NOTES:

Sending on to last person on the list in the UK before it goes of to Australia on its next journey.