on In a sense this is the most nebulous of our blog-post categories, because everyone from whom we’ve heard throughout WOVEMBER is in one way or another “Working with Wool”. However in another sense, we wanted to create a space for sharing the specific aspects of the various crafts and skills connected with wool – such… Continue Reading Working with Wool…
on This is the second in our WOVEMBER two-part ‘closing the gap’ special, which featured Lesley Prior this morning and Finisterre this evening, talking from different perspectives about their shared project involving WOOL. This morning Lesley described some aspects of the work involved in growing the wool that Finisterre use for their apparel; we heard more… Continue Reading Finisterre on Processing Wool…
on Napping: the process of raising the fibres on the surface of the cloth to give blankets a soft, fluffy appearance. This was done by combing the surface of the blanket with a teaseler, made from inserting teasel heads (a type of thistle) into a wooden bat. The ‘gig mill’ was a development from the hand… Continue Reading WOVEMBER WORDS #17
on Today we have two connected posts lined up for you – one from Lesley Prior for this morning, and then this evening, a Q&A with Finisterre, who are the company producing garments from Lesley’s raw fleece. In terms of our WOVEMBER ‘closing the gap’ theme, we thought it would be especially apposite to show two… Continue Reading Lesley Prior on Processing Wool…
on Now we have had a few days of exploring how wool is processed – both domestically and commercially – we thought it would be amazing to showcase a very special project which brings all that processing together! In 2011 the Kennet Valley Guild of Weavers, Spinners and Dyers undertook a historic recreation project, based on… Continue Reading The Newbury Coat
on As we will see in tonight’s post about somebody who does not have to ‘close the gap’ between growing wool and wearing wool: “Without a thorough knowledge of his raw material, a craftsman cannot do good work because he understands only imperfectly the reasons for his actions. Few craftsmen have the privilege of using a… Continue Reading WOVEMBER WORDS #4
on These photos were contributed to the WOVEMBER 2012 competition by Ericka Olsen Stefano… WOVEMBER wonders if they are Snow White Blacknoses, as featured in this documentary film, and what their wool is like? Can anyone enlighten us? ‘I’m sending in three photos of sheep in Switzerland. The unusual looking breed is from the upper Valais,… Continue Reading Snow White Blacknoses?
on We mentioned Deb Robson in our recommended reading for WOVEMBER post, and in “Growing Wool in pictures by Susan Gibbs“. If you have not yet seen The Fleece and Fibre Sourcebook we suggest you check it out at once! And if you ever have the chance to attend one of Deb Robson’s workshops, you will… Continue Reading Deb Robson on Growing Wool…
on A self-professed yarn-based craft addict, Kate Woolwinding submitted this post – and another, to be revealed later in the month! – as an entry to the WOVEMBER competition! Kate is a freelance writer and editor living on a windy Welsh hillside not far from the sea, and here are her words on Growing Wool. You… Continue Reading Kate Woolwinding on Growing Wool…
on Sheep have been bred in Britain for a very long time indeed – for their fleece, their milk, and their meat. It may come as no surprise therefore, that: “The words used to describe sheep of different age and sex vary in detail up and down the country. Lambs are EWE lambs if female; if… Continue Reading WOVEMBER WORDS #3