on ‘The Wool Shed, Jamieson and Smith Woolbrokers, Lerwick, Shetland. These are the hands of the managing director, Oliver Henry, or as he is more commonly known – The Wool Man. Oliver’s talks about sorting and grading fleece are one of the highlights of Shetland Wool Week.’ – Jeni Reid
on One of the wondrous things about WOVEMBER is how much WOOL information comes through in your comments. A few years ago several remarks on this post informed me that a Bellwether is a castrated ram that wears a bell around its neck and leads the rest of the flock about. The bell enables the shepherd… Continue Reading Wovember Words: Bellwether
on ‘Cat heaven. If you ever want to make a cat happy, just leave some fleece or knitting sitting out.’ – Jeni Reid
on Following from this post about sheep counting words in Cumbria, TEAM WOVEMBER have been doing some sleuth work re: other sheep-counting words in different places and regions. According to a source quoted below, a variation on Yan Tan Tether Mether Pip was used in Lincolnshire, with a further version was reported to have been in… Continue Reading Wovember Words: Een Teen Thuther Futher Fipps
on ‘My chilly legs modelling leg warmers. The blue is Aran yarn, possibly Rowan Magpie and the stripes are handspun BFL which was dyed with little packets of Kool Aid. They smelled marvellous.’ – Jeni Reid
on We shall be hearing more from Kate Graham this evening, and as we were thinking yesterday about coloured fleeces and their sale and use, I came across the phrase “Hodden Grey” in K.G. Ponting’s worthy tome, The Wool Trade. Herdwick photo, © Kate Davies The Herdwick is a very hardy breed found in Cumberland and… Continue Reading Wovember Words: Grey Hodden
on We shared this photo by Jeni Reid here a few days ago. This beautiful coloured fleece was discarded with only the white ones from the clip being sent on to the Wool Marketing Board. Many of you commented that you would have found a use for the fleece and that this lovely wool really shouldn’t… Continue Reading Nature's Natural Colours
on ‘Fair Isle jumpers on sale in Jamiesons, Lerwick. Ideal for people like me who struggle with colourwork.’ – Jeni Reid
on ‘Shetland ewes from Yell. Taken at the National Association of North Atlantic Sheep and Wool Conference in 2013. Lovely wise faces.’ – Jeni Reid
on The practice of putting bells on one’s sheep is no longer widespread in the UK, however there is some evidence that it was once much more popular in the UK than it is today, and sheep bells still seem to be used in other parts of Europe. The sounds of sheep bells featured in a… Continue Reading Wovember Words: Canisters and Cluckets