September 2014
Sheep to Chic
I’m a visual artist and feltmaker. I live in a small holding on the edge of the Peak District National Park, which provides much of my inspiration for painting and the natural materials (wool and vegetable dyes) for my feltmaking. We have a flock of rare breed sheep (Shetlands and Soays) and use their wool for a range of handspun yarns and felt artefacts in the natural colours: almost black, through greys and browns to honey shades and creamy white.
I’m a member of New Mills Gallery, a cooperative of artists who run the Gallery to sell only their own work. I also teach on the MA in Cultural Policy and Management at Sheffield Hallam University.
We will be bringing to Bakewell:
- British rare breed fleece in all the natural sheep colours, from our own flock of Soay and Shetland sheep, in all states:
In the grease
Washed
Washed and Carded
Handspun into yarn
- Felt pieces for crafters, and hangings, made from this natural fleece
- Artefacts made from the felt in natural colours: e.g. bags, i-pad covers, phone cases, cafetiere covers.
- Hand-made felt hats
- Corsages in hand-made felt
- Natural hardwood bobbins
- Natural hardwood and antler toggles
We’ll also be running a spinning demonstration.
Freeform crochet
Run by Pauline Fitzpatrick, this workshop will run on Sunday at 10.30am.
An introduction to freeform crochet, with suggestions on how to get started, guidelines for making a scrumble and putting a finished piece together.
Students will need to bring a selection of yarns in various weights and textures plus crochet hooks to match.
The cost of the workshop is £15.00, which includes your entry ticket to Bakewell Wool Gathering. You can book online.
The Threshing Barn
Janet Phillips has relocated her business from her Staffordshire farm to a newly converted spinning and dying mill alongside the river Clough on the border between Cumbria and Yorkshire Dales. So the business The Threshing Barn feels right at home retailing its Spinning and Weaving supplies in this mill. The mill is surrounded by sheep in the fields and the views are over the fells.
Since relocating Janet has taken on the exclusive distribution for Strauch Fibre Equipment who make robust drum carders, wooden ball winders and wooden swifts. These products fit in well alongside the products from Schacht, Louet, Ashford, Gaywool dyes and our exclusive distribution of the amazing PLY magazine from the USA. Janet is also still offering workshops from the mill and is also busy travelling all over UK to run workshops for guilds and groups.
You can find out more at the Threshing Barn website.