When I'm in London and I hear a northern accent I immediately feel a connection and have a look to see who it belongs to. I can recognise the ones from my part of West Yorkshire and I want to rush up to the person it belongs to and start talking about 'home'! I have so far resisted the urge, but it is only a matter of time!

Similarly local place names always leap out of newspaper articles. But the other week I'm not sure whether it was because 'Todmorden' leapt from the page or it was the photograph of an attractive young woman surrounded by sheep which made me stop and read the article.You must by now have got used to me banging on about my desire for a lamb or two.

Anyway the article was about Beate Kubitz who gave up a high-flying job in the city, moved to Todmorden bought some sheep and now runs the very successful Makepiece company which makes THE most gorgeous knitwear.(You could say she took one enormous 'Leap' to quote the title of my business partner, Ian Sanders' first book). The website is lovely. What makes me smile is that in and amongst the list of very swanky London stores which now stock the designs are notices about fashion shows in Hebden Bridge (a small pennine town with a reputation for bohemia for those uninitiated among you!)

The one drawback is that at the moment there isn't the facility to buy online but I think that is coming later this year. I have my eye on one or two of the rather fabulous gossamer-like creations. And I love the fact that each piece says 'Spun in Bradford knitted in Todmorden'.

So next time I meet one of those Yorkshire voices down here I might just whip off my cardigan and start to wax lyrical about 'home'! You have been warned.

www.makepiece.co.uk