Wool Week, York Minster, Nobby and the Union Jack.

I think I've said before that I like odd requests. I enjoy a challenge, and an excuse to do something a bit out of the ordinary.

Sometimes though, I have moments where I wonder what I've let myself in for!

The idea for my most interesting project this year started at Bakewell Show. Richard from The Sheep Show casually strode over and asked if I thought I could make a Union Flag from wool. " I don't see any reason why not"...... I said.

I didn't really expect to hear anything more about it, but a few weeks later I got an email from the NFU's Regional Public Relations Officer for the North East. They wanted the flag making as part of their campaign to have wool included in the 2012 Olympics ( more information here) a campaign which Richard had been supporting all summer.

We swapped a few ideas and what followed was about 5 weeks of sketches, charts, samples, spinning, dyeing and crochet. I decided on crochet rather than knitting so that I could easily make the pattern the same on both sides.

The final result can be seen below, as well as more impressive shots here and here


The photos were taken at a special Wool Week event at York Minster on October 12th. The event was part of the national Campaign for Wool but also to celebrate the success of the NFU petiton.

We spent the day spinning outside the South Door of the Minster while Richard and Ed drew the crowds with The Mini Sheep Show. A full write up of the event can be found here.

We also managed to find a use for that 40ft scarf knitted at Bakewell. Emperor Constantine made a great model for the day!


We had a lot of fun with the tourists and also children from the nearby Minster school, who all had a go at spinning for themselves.

We were especially honoured to have been invited to this event as I'm told that this area of York is not a designated event area, and so the event was a the first of its kind.

So, in short, even if I was slightly upstaged by a Norfolk Horn, I thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience.

Thanks must go to the NFU who looked after us so well, and especially to Rachael who made such a great job of organising the whole thing. Also to the Minster staff who made us very welcome.

And if you still want to see more, there are many more pictures: Mini Sheep Show Murmuring Wheel and York Minster

Gotland fleece

Trying to get some interest for a friend of mine, Phil has just sheared her flock and she has some beautiful Gotland fleece available.

Pedigree Gotland Ewe fleeces from the Pedwardine flock based in South Lincolnshire. Shorn twice per year.
Full or half skirted fleeces. Price £6 per kg - average weight 1.5 -2kg Postage at cost.

Smaller quantities available at £1.50 per 100g for ewe fleece. 21 ewes sheared in all.
£2 per 100g for lamb curls ( any quantity). 30+ lambs sheared.

Anyone who is interested can contact me and I will pass on her details.

Hand Spinning Workshops

Dates for our next Spinning Workshops at Amber Valley Alpacas have been arranged, they are ;

Wednesday 10th November 2010

Tuesday 7th December 2010

Thursday 6th January 2011

Sunday 23rd January 2011.

Cost of workshop is £37, a Gift Voucher can be purchased for Birthdays and Xmas.
A deposit of £20 per person is required which will be returned if the workshop does not go ahead.

The workshop runs from 10am - 4pm, all equipment and materials provided, but if you have your own wheel or fibre please feel free to bring them along.

Light cooked lunch will be provided, vegetarian alternatives are available, please let us know beforehand of your preference.

Please contact to book your place. Details here

Bakewell Show 2010

Our third year at Bakewell Show, what can I say that isn't like repeating myself?

Fun, friendly and muddy as usual!

The oversized scarf idea came into action again, it came to over 40ft this time, see future posts for what we did with it!

Here it is in progress, photo kindly supplied by Dot Lumb:

We enjoyed working with The Sheep Show again of course.

How many sheep shearers does it take to spin a yarn?


Don't worry, my wheel did survive the experience!

Shearing for the Lions

The demonstrations seem to be getting further afield, Worcestershire in April, and now Cumbria in August!

We had been invited by a fellow Accidental Smallholder foum member to do a sheep shearing and spinning demonstration for the Windermere and Ambleside Lions Club Family Fun Festival at Bowness-on Windermere on the 1st of August.

We have demonstrated in some lovely settings, but this one will take some beating for views:

We were in the bandstand at the top of the hill so had a good view straight over the top of everyone else's stalls and over the lake. Apart from a bit of drizzle first thing, the weather stayed good too and the event attracted lots of interested visitors.

Philip was shearing Herdwicks, the native sheep of the area. We were told to be careful as they were a bit wild, but they all behaved pretty well.

We would like to say many thanks to David for inviting us and we hope that the event was a big success for the Lions club

Inkerman Buzz 2010

I'm not exaggerating when I say we were delighted to be asked to demonstrate at the 2nd Inkerman Buzz, in Inkerman Park, Chesterfield this year.

We loved it last year so were really pleased that they wanted us to go again. It's a great setting for an event and attracted plenty of visitors, many more than last year. The weather was just right too.

We didn't get any photo's though! Tut!

The Inkerman Buzz is all about the theme of Sustainability, Well Being and Community. Visit the Buzz website for more information about the day, photos and details of their other events this year.

Wonderful Wool Experience

Saturday 3rd July 2010. The Wool Experience at Blaze Farm.

I was honoured to be allowed to have a hand in the organising of the event this year. I was lucky enough to be able to arrange for some very exciting stallholders, including WildFibres with their SpinOlution wheels, which they were kind enough to let lots of us have a play on during the day.


Other exhibitors included our Black Sheep Spinners, Edale Woolworks, Newtoft Woodcraft, ELF feltmaking demonstrations and The Amoré Group with their fancy yarns. Also one of the Black Sheep flock, our good friend Dot Lumb, promoting her new YarnMaker magazine, the first edition of which is in the post to me as I type!!

We all had a really good day, lots of spinning and chatting going on and lots of icecreams eaten ( of course!)
Philip helped out with the shearing demonstration again, and even did a few with the blade shears, which seemed to draw a crowd.

Here's hoping that it is as good, if not better next year. Most of the exhibitors have already said that they would like to come back again, and a few more people have asked to be squeezed in too, so it's looking like the barn will be pretty full. Can't wait!