on As well as here you can find Team WOVEMBER on Facebook and Twitter and on Ravelry. Louise looks at how the world of wool operates in social media and introduces us to some of her favourite Tweeters! Who can remember the times before social media? Although find it odd that things like cassette tapes and dial… Continue Reading The Daily Bleat
on ‘Yarn spun from a silver-grey shetland fleece that I bought from Shetland Organics in 2013. Three ply and worsted spun. One day it will be a jumper.’ – Jeni Reid This traceable woolen yarn and its prospective future are reminiscent of this label…
on Following the earlier post about sheep collars there was the mention of a food very specific to Shetland – reestit mutton. Here at WOVEMBER we like to celebrate everything the sheep has to offer and thought we should look a little further at this. Reestit mutton has been a home-killed and cured meat in Shetland for… Continue Reading Wovember Words: Reestit mutton soup
on Sue Blacker joins WOVEMBER again for part 2 of her series on designing yarns from a mill’s perspective; if you didn’t catch part 1 you can find it here. Blacker Yarns yarn design: imagining the possible (and viable!) Why would we want to make a particular yarn? For Blacker Yarns we do have many options:… Continue Reading Designing a Yarn, Part 2
on ‘Lace on display at the Shetland Textile museum in Lerwick. It is breathtakingly beautiful and delicate.’ – Jeni Reid
on While I was thumbing through Sue Blacker’s book, Pure Wool, I came across a reference to St. Blaise which led me to investigate and uncover the story of the Patron Saint of Wool combers… If the yarn is to be worsted-spun, the wool is taken half-carded to a series of machines which align the fibres… Continue Reading Wovember Words: St. Blaise, Patron Saint of Wool combers
on After hearing from Sally yesterday about the work that goes into producing wool at the breeding and farming stage, we thought it would be nice to move along the chain to learn how that wool is then turned into a yarn. Sue Blacker of Blacker Yarns and the Natural Fibre Company joins us to talk… Continue Reading Designing a Yarn, Part 1
on ‘Two safe pairs of hands. Ella Gordon and Sandra Manson from Jamieson and Smith, the Woolbrokers in Lerwick, admiring a cobweb lace shawl.’ – Jeni Reid
on Today’s Wovember Words come from an amazing Victorian publication entitled Strawbridge & Clothier’s Quarterly and describe a type of open-weave and delicate fabric made from worsted-spun wool. You can still buy this fabric today, and it is very interesting to discover its use in Summer Costumes for Victorian ladies. I think it’s especially interesting because… Continue Reading Wovember Words: Nun's Veiling
on In week one of WOVEMBER we met Sally Antill who discussed the unique fleeces of the Soft Fell sheep that she and her husband, Michael, breed and their involvement in a fantastic community ‘sheep to shawl’ event, in Northumberland. Today Sally is here again to discuss the evolution of the breed, one which produces a… Continue Reading Sally Antill: Evolution of the Soft Fell sheep #2