on 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
on 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
on 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!
on In the last week of WOVEMBER we received some amazing contributions which were just too good not to share which is why WOVEMBER will be continuing until Friday. This is therefore not the last post of WOVEMBER! Though the month has run out of days there was just too much good content for us to… Continue Reading Soft Fell sheep and their fleece #3 : logistics and finances
on Given our earlier nursery rhyme themed WOVEMBER words and ahead of our Friday Night Vi-EWE-ing tonight, aimed at the next generation of wool lovers, Louise thought it might be apt to share with you a great wool educational resource designed for children. The British Wool Learning resource has been created by the British Wool Marketing… Continue Reading it's never too early to cultivate a love of wool
on Often the simplest sentiments have deep roots which are neither simple nor sentimental. Let’s look at an old favourite nursery rhyme… Original version: Bah, bah, black sheep, Have you any wool ? Yes, marry have I, Three bags full; One for my master, One for my dame, But none for the little boy Who cries… Continue Reading Wovember Words: Baa Baa Black Sheep
on During WOVEMBER we have already had a little look at which wool yarns are best suited to certain projects. Interested in finding out if there are pure wools which are best suited to socks Louise tasked designer, and author of Sock Anatomy, Clare Devine in finding out. Happily, Clare jumped at the chance to investigate…… Continue Reading Pure Wool for Socks (no nylon here folks)
on Here at WOVEMBER we recognise the importance of the wool journey and we have been very lucky to have had such insightful contributions looking at sheep farming. In today’s post we look at the experiences of first time crofter Chris Dyer. Originally from London, archaeologist Chris decided to take over a croft in Bressay, Shetland… Continue Reading Chris Dyer: crofting aspirations
on Team WOVEMBER’s Louise cannot resist a woolly song or poem. I was searching for a song for your Sunday listening pleasure and I found Click Go The Shears, an Australian folk song from the turn of the 19th Century. This is a totally new one on me, but may be familiar to some of you.… Continue Reading Wovember Words: Click go the shears
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