A new shepherdess in Burpham

There are many things related to wool that that bring me a sense of wellbeing. Some that are directly relevant to the following set of interviews are: contemplating the interconnectedness of things; how history runs into the present and how paying heed to the future is important in all our actions in the present.  … Continue Reading A new shepherdess in Burpham

Oi și lână în România – sheep and wool in Romania

Today for our EU Wovember Words post we are in Romania where the word for sheep is oaie, and the word for wool is lână. To begin with the sheep (info from this report); In Romania there are two autochthon native breeds: Turcana, named also Zackel (“mountain peasant”, “Romanian”) or Walachian (“Romanian”), is the sheep… Continue Reading Oi și lână în România – sheep and wool in Romania

The Journey of Wool Yarn #1

During Wovember we always try to celebrate wool from the field to the finished object and to introduce you to some of the people involved in all aspects of wool work through that process. This year we thought that it would be really interesting to follow one particular story through that journey. Joy McMillan hand-dyes… Continue Reading The Journey of Wool Yarn #1

Q&A with Rare Breeds of Canada Shepherds: working at the (literal) grassroots to maintain rare breeds

Nancy MacMillan is an avid knitter with an interest in Rare Breeds and working with wool straight from the source. Pam Heath is a Shepherdess whom Nancy first met at the Ottawa Knitting Guild some years ago. Pam is a wonderful resource for all things Rare Breeds, and she and Elwood Quinn kindly agreed to do… Continue Reading Q&A with Rare Breeds of Canada Shepherds: working at the (literal) grassroots to maintain rare breeds

Between Producers and Consumers of WOOL…

Today we wanted to try something out here on the WOVEMBER blog and share a conversation between a Producer of Yarn (Jane Dryden of Home Farm Wensleydales) and a Consumer of Yarn (me, Felix, TEAM WOVEMBER MEMBER and WOOLFAN). Jane sent me some of her different hand knitting yarns and I swatched with them, noting… Continue Reading Between Producers and Consumers of WOOL…

Tarndwarncoort: birthplace of the Polwarth

We are sure you will agree that today’s posts have given a lot of food for thought.  We have one final bonus post tonight from natural dyer and knitter Julia Billings, AKA Woollenflower. This summer Jules was back in her homeland of Australia to teach natural dyeing workshops at Tarndwarncoort, Western Victoria. This is where the Polwarth… Continue Reading Tarndwarncoort: birthplace of the Polwarth

Friday Night Vi-EWE-ing – the 150 mile wardrobe

Good evening WOVEMBERISTS! This evening’s Friday Night Vi-EWE-ing follows on from today’s earlier and highly recommended post from Kylie Gusset. Kylie closed her discussion by speaking about the importance of buying “close to farmer fibres” and sourcing textiles from within a 100-mile radius. This inspiring film made in the USA focuses on a very similar… Continue Reading Friday Night Vi-EWE-ing – the 150 mile wardrobe

Rachel Atkinson on Working with Wool

This evening on the cusp of Working with Wool and Wearing Wool, we hear from Rachel Atkinson whom many of you may know through her blog, My Life in Knitwear. Today she writes about the role that sheep have played in her life and her plans to spin fleece from her father’s flock into a… Continue Reading Rachel Atkinson on Working with Wool

Wovember Words: Cloak, Suba, Kepe…

Today’s WOVEMBER WORDS explores different regional cloaks traditionally made from 100% WOOL to protect Shepherds from the elements. Wearing Wool has historically been very important for Growing Wool! Suba This suba is a traditional garment of Hungarian shepherds. The suba is awe-inspiring with its use of sheepskin in the body of the garment as well… Continue Reading Wovember Words: Cloak, Suba, Kepe…

Wovember Words: "Yows"

You may already have heard farmers in the North of England speaking about yows or in Shetland, speaking about yowes. I have found it spelled with an e and without, but in both those contexts it is a regional dialect word meaning ewe. When in Shetland recently for Wool Week, the Shetland Library in Lerwick… Continue Reading Wovember Words: "Yows"