All I wanted was a ball of string. Well, white nylon twine to be exact, a very versatile product that hangs picture frames, threads-up Roman blinds and strings home-made kites. It’s the sort of thing you used to be able to buy dirt cheap in dark little shops with ‘monger’ in the title, staffed by blokes in brown coats with names like Arkwright and Granville. No longer. I’ve traipsed the city centre today; haberdashers, pound shops, market stalls, stationers, post offices, no joy. An upholsterer offered to sell me some by the metre, but that’s a ridiculously expensive way to buy it. I could go and check out the couple of remaining ironmongers in the city, but they’re a drive away, as are the D.I.Y centres.
I ended up in Waterstone’s first-floor coffee shop, having a hot beverage and sulking. There’s a good, large window overlooking the street, ideal for people watching and surreptitious scribbling. There are some benches opposite and they’re very well-used, especially by smokers. You have to be quick though, they don’t tend to stay long, especially at this time of year, although today was relatively mild. I drew these into my A5 cloth-bound sketchbook with Faber Castell Pitt pens sizes F and S. I’ve tracked down some cheap nylon twine on t’Internet. All is not lost.
scribblah 
Did you try Wilkinson or maybe Staples re string? Another place in the Marina where they sell stuff for the boat industry – where the fishing boats are moored.
Remember Woolworth? we could get everything in there. I have used ‘total care dental floss’ for my pictures hanging on the wall and they haven’t fallen down yet. Good luck
Mary
Thanks. I tried both of those, but not the chandlers. Dental floss sounds interesting 🙂
Ironmongers near me closed down this year. They stocked everything but did not sell enough.
I know, it’s everyone’s fault really, rather get in the car and drive to massive DIY superstores 😦
Lots of reasons given for how the interweb thingy has lead to demise of the High Street. Don’t remember ‘they just don’t sell it’ being one of the reasons!
And the huge out-of-town developments 😦
Thanks for sharing-been there often as time goes on….
It’s a pity, isn’t it…..
Reblogged this on JHladikVoss57's Blog and commented:
time passing…reminds me of things that are no longer there. Blessed to have lived long enough to be annoyed!