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

Kylie Gusset on Sourcing Ethical Wool

Good afternoon, WOVEMBERISTS! Today we have an important BONUS POST from Kylie Gusset, creator of the awesome Ton of Wool project. This afternoon she speaks about sourcing ethical wool and several issues for us to better understand as consumers of WOOL. How Climate Change Is More Painful Than Mulesing Ever Was. When we talk about… Continue Reading Kylie Gusset on Sourcing Ethical Wool

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

Louise Spong and Jenny Dean on Natural Dyeing

Last night we heard from Louise Spong about The South Downs, Southdown sheep, and South Downs Yarn. You may have seen a few glimpses of the beautiful palette that the yarn is available in. Louise only uses natural dyes, and she is indepted to Jenny Dean, who is her mentor and partner in crime in… Continue Reading Louise Spong and Jenny Dean on Natural Dyeing

Louise Spong on Tracing Provenance

As part of our focus on small producers, Wovember Team Member Tom met up with Louise Spong, founder of South Downs Yarn and Jenny Dean, expert natural dyer, and visited Graham Langford, one of the three shepherds that own the Nepcote Flock of Southdown sheep. Cup of tea warning: make a brew and get comfy,… Continue Reading Louise Spong on Tracing Provenance

Jane Dryden on Growing Wool

One of the things we love doing most of all with WOVEMBER is celebrating the many stages of work that go into the production of WOOL; this is one of the reasons why we loosely theme our WOVEMBER posts around Growing Wool, Harvesting Wool, Processing Wool, Working with Wool and Wearing Wool. Of course many… Continue Reading Jane Dryden on Growing Wool

Filling in the gaps

When TEAM WOVEMBER started researching topics we asked you, dear reader, what you wanted to see in terms of content. Here at WOVEMBER we have always featured  independent wool growers and small businesses and when Ravelry group members suggested a stronger focus on this we were only too happy to make 2015 the year of the small… Continue Reading Filling in the gaps

WOAH-vember !

An extra WOVEMBER post today with an important announcement. YOU HAVE ABSOLUTELY GOT IT ON THE NOSE THIS WOVEMBER!   We asked you for your WOVEMBER contributions this year and we have had such an incredible response to our call for submissions. We have been OVERWHELMED with woolly contributions and, staggeringly, we have now come to… Continue Reading WOAH-vember !

Celebrate single breed wool this WOVEMBER!

LOUISE is here tonight to tell you a little bit more about the KnitBritish Breed Swatch-along and how you can get involved with discovering the deep wonders of swatching – and WOOL – this WOVEMBER. I took this picture at Shetland Wool Week 2014. It is a fine (prize-winning) fleece and, to me, it speaks… Continue Reading Celebrate single breed wool this WOVEMBER!