Sue Blacker on Labelling

We are delighted that SUE BLACKER is here tonight to weigh in on the labelling theme of this week. Here Sue describes the different forms of labelling that need to be adhered to and considered at the Natural Fibre Company and at Blacker Yarns.   A rose by any other name? Oh I wish it… Continue Reading Sue Blacker on Labelling

Small Producers Previously featured on WOVEMBER

One of our readers kindly suggested that Wovember should give exposure to independent wool growers & their wares. This is something on which we have definitely focused on previous years, but in all the information residing here, perhaps the relevant articles are not terrible easy to find! We have added a SEARCH form to the… Continue Reading Small Producers Previously featured on WOVEMBER

Designing a Yarn, Part 4

Sue Blacker joins WOVEMBER again for the conclusion of her 4-part series on designing yarns from a wool mill’s perspective; if you didn’t catch parts 1, 2 and 3, you can find them here, here, and here. There are some interesting points in this article about blending wool with other fibres such as silk and… Continue Reading Designing a Yarn, Part 4

Designing a Yarn, Part 3

Sue Blacker joins WOVEMBER again for part 3 of her series on designing yarns from a mill’s perspective; if you didn’t catch parts 1 and 2 you can find them here and here. Blacker Yarns: what works? This is the question of the fibre/yarn compatibility… Personal taste does play a role here – we tend… Continue Reading Designing a Yarn, Part 3

Sue Blacker on Growing Wool

WOVEMBER readers may remember that several posts featured Sue Blacker’s work with wool last year. Sue works across the wool industry in myriad ways, designing yarns and patterns for Blacker Yarns; Managing and Directing The Natural Fibre Company; and keeping her own flock of sheep. These posts harvested from Sue’s blog this year give some… Continue Reading Sue Blacker on Growing Wool

Shepherds on Wearing Wool…

As you know, our theme this year for WOVEMBER has been ‘Closing the Gap’. We wanted to do this because we believe it is wrong that textiles derived from oil are allowed to appropriate the pleasant associations of WOOL for their marketing strategies. We also feel that the more information there is in the public… Continue Reading Shepherds on Wearing Wool…

Jane Cooper on Working with Wool & WOOLSACK

We thought we would continue on from this morning’s WOOLFEST post with a piece about another hugely important cultural project involving British Wool – WOOLSACK! Woolsack was established so that Athletes competing in The Olympic and Paralympic Games could take a handmade cushion away with them as a personal welcome gift from the UK. Makers… Continue Reading Jane Cooper on Working with Wool & WOOLSACK

Sue Blacker on Working with Wool…

Continuing on with our theme of hearing about people’s creative work with WOOL, today we shall hear from Sue Blacker about designing with the breed-specific wool that is spun at The Natural Fibre Company. At the start of WOVEMBER we explained that some of the people who would be writing here would have a hand… Continue Reading Sue Blacker on Working with Wool…

Working with Wool…

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…

Sue Blacker on Growing Wool…

Sue Blacker with her sheep, photograph © Sam Morgan Moore Sue Blacker is well known to wool enthusiasts as she has a hand in the whole fleece to garment process from start to finish! In running The Natural Fibre Company she works with many woolgrowers who get their fleeces spun there; as a knitwear designer… Continue Reading Sue Blacker on Growing Wool…