I have to decide between blankets, throws, scarves and maybe cushions. Scarves are a must as they sell well at our local farmers’ market – and people have been asking me about large throws, big enough to cover a sofa or top-to-toe a bed. I am not so sure about about cushions, but they do seem to becoming a popular among interior designers again.
It is an exciting time and, together with our weaver Roger Poulson, we hope to work out a design which says something about the provenance of the wool, which is one of the main reasons I keep sheep. After all, wool is one of the most sustainable natural materials you can get. Each year, sheep produce a new fleece, making wool a renewable source of fibre.
We don’t dye our wool . Our throws and scarves are all designed using the natural colours of the fleeces. Fortunately, Ryeland sheep come in white and coloured fleeces. I am looking forward to welcoming a couple of new coloured ewes this autumn to add to the variety of fleeces we can use.
During October’s Wool Week, people were encouraged to pick up its knitting needles and celebrate all things wool. Knitting parties are being planned for cafés, schools and even beaches as part of the event.
Oxford has some fine haberdashery and wool shops, such as Darn It and Stitch in Blue Boar Street, off St Aldates, and The Oxford Yarn Store in North Parade, which runs a regular series of courses for beginners and more skilled knitters.
The organisation behind the event, The Campaign for Wool, is inviting people to host their own knitting party for family and friends. To help you cast off in style the campaign is offering invitations and a free knitting pattern for a blanket and matching cushions on its website. Wool Week celebrations ended with a special appearance by a flock of Merino sheep in the courtyard of the Royal Academy of Arts in London (pictured).
For more information about Wool Week and to download a free knitting pattern, visit the website: www.campaignforwool.org
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