Australian Independent Producers & the Shops that Support Them

I try to think globally and act locally. This carries over into a desire to support our wool industry and I've been keeping a list of local independent yarn producers with a web presence for months.

I had set myself a challenge of purchasing a new product from a local producer every month this year. However, bringing forward my backyard landscaping project by 12 months means there won't be any spare cash for a while unless I can spin pavers and gravel. I thought I 'd share my list with you all. Those not on a yarn diet might like to partake.

Please note that I am not recommending any of these producers and artisans in particular. In the main I have not sampled their wares. Neither is this list in any way comprehensive. I add to it all the time as I find new artistans. Also, for the purposes of this list the keyword "hand-dyed" also serves for hand-painted. The list is divided into those who are largely doing it for themselves and shops which support indie producers.

*updated 12/02 to include producers suggested by Ceri and Michelle, many thanks, ladies, and a few more from my list
*updated 15/02, 19/02, 23/02, 12/03, 17/03, 18/03, 19/03, 20/04, 24/06, 26/08

Owner/operators or those who largely sell their own product

343Sharon on ebay
hand-spun; hand-knits

Artdelana on ebay
hand-dyed; knitting yarn; spinning fibre

Baa Bum Handknits
hand-dyed; knitting yarn; hand-knits; soakers

Belissa Cashmere has cashmere and silk yarns available through Ozeyarn
knitting yarn; spinning fibre; knitted garments

Benbellen Alpaca
knitting yarn; hand-knits; Alpaca

Bendigo Woollen Mills
knitting yarn; spinning fibre; patterns

Braeside Alpacas
Hand-dyed; spinning fibre; Alpaca; Corriedale; silk; Merino

Celia’s Basket
Hand-dyed; knitting yarn; spinning fibre; hand-knits; patterns; hand-spun

Colour Revolution and on eBay
Hand-dyed; knitting yarn

Coloured Jules
Hand-dyed; knitting yarn; spinning fibre; wool; Alpaca; silk; accessories; hand-knits; kits

Counting Mermaids
Hand-dyed; hand-spun; knitting yarns

Creswick Woollen Mills
Mostly woven goods, but some spinning fibre and accessories

Ewe Give Me the Knits
hand-dyed; spinning fibre; dyes; knitting yarn

Fibreworks online at http://www.yarnsonline.com.au/ & http://www.ozeyarn.com.au/
Hand-dyed; knitting yarns

Flinders Island Fleece
knitting yarn; knitted garments

Gumnut Yarns
hand-dyed; embroidery thread; wool; silk; mohair

Happy Spider
Hand-dyed; knitting yarn; hand-spun

Highland Cottage Crafts on eBay
hand-dyed; knitting yarn; hand-spun; accessories; spinning fibre; dyes

Jumbuk Wools
knitting yarn; natural colours; greasy; hand-knits

Kaalund Yarns and at Purl Yarns
Knitting yarn

Katt’s Woolly Wonders and on eBay and Etsy
Hand-dyed; knitting yarn (mostly sock)

Knitting By Zen and on eBay
Hand-dyed; knitting yarn; stitch markers

The Knitting Ninja and on eBay
hand-dyed; knitting yarn

LisaG
needles; accessories; hand-spun; knitting yarn

Live 2 Knit
hand-dyed; knitting yarn; accessories

Martas Yarns
Hand-dyed; knitting yarn; accessories

Mollydale Knits at Purl Yarns
Hand-dyed; knitting yarn

Moseley Wool Store on eBay
hand-spun; hand-dyed; knitting yarns; hand knits; spinning fibre

MoXWord
stationery with a knitting theme
Knit blogger, Jejune, has her gorgeous knitting art cards for sale. Not fibre, but Jejune is a talented woman and a mate and this is my list.

Myoora Craft
knitting yarns; Polworth; Merino; Alpaca

Nola’s Funky Fibres at the Bead and Opal Wool Queen
Hand-dyed; hand-spun; knitting yarns

Nundle Woollen Mill
Knitting yarn

Pear Tree Yarns online at http://www.purlyarns.com.au/
Knitting yarns

Pierre the Yarn Snob
stitch-markers; hand-dyed; knitting yarn

Potty Knitter knitting patterns; knitted and felted garmets and accessories on eBay

Rainbow Wools and from Ozeyarn
hand-dyed; knitting yarns; dyes; spinning fibre

Sheeps Clothing Made It, Etsy and Blog
hand-dyed, hand-knits, knitted accessories

Sheepychic
Hand-dyed, spinning fibre, hand-spun; knitting yarns

Signatur Handknits and at Ozeyarn
Kits; knitting yarns

Siren's Fibre Yarns on Oztion
Handy-dyed; knitting yarns

Spin ‘n’ Knit Fibre Design on eBay
Spinning fibre; knitting yarn; accessories; hand knits

Supasoft Alpaca Carding Services
Will card and spin alpaca for you

Suzanne's House of Wool
hand-dyed; knitting yarns; hand-spun; spinning fibre; accessories

Tasknits Collection
Hand-dyed; knitting yarns; spinning fibre

That Spinning Place
Spinning fibre; knitting yarn; hand-dyed; hand-spun; accessories

The Shopping Sherpa Made It and Blog
hand knits; accessories

The Uralla Wool Room incorporating Mollydale Knits –
Hand-dyed; knitting yarn; kits; patterns; accessories

Tizteazles on eBay
hand-spun; hand-dyed; knitting yarns

Tree Tops
Spinning fibre, hand-dyed, knitting yarn

Waverley Woollen Mills
knitting yarn

Wendy Dennis
Hand-dyed; knitting yarn; spinning fibre; knitting needles; spinning wheels; drop spindles

Wool Cottage
knitting yarn; patterns

Wool Dancer
Hand-dyed; hand-spun; knitting yarn

Xanadu Llamas
knitting yarn; Llama; spinning fibre

Xotic Yarns
stocks Nundle knitting yarn

Yarnivorous
Hand-dyed; knitting yarn




Some On-line Shops Supporting Local Indie Producers

All Eco Natural and Organic Living
knitting yarns - recycled sari silk, banana fibre yarn, hemp yarn , organic wool and organic cotton yarns

Bead and Opal Wool Queen
Hand-dyed; hand-spun; knitting yarns; hand knits

Glenora Weaving


Hawthorne Cottage

The Knittery
Hand-dyed; knitting yarns

Ozeyarn
Fibreworks; Belissa Cashmere et al; hand-dyed; knitting yarns

Purl Yarns
Pear Tree Yarns

Rare Yarns
NZ company using Aus fibre, among others

Spin ‘n’ Knit Fibre Design and on eBay
Spinning fibre; knitting yarn; accessories; hand knits

Styk to Your Knitting
Hand-dyed; knitting yarn; Corriedale

That Spinning Place
Spinning fibre; knitting yarn; hand-dyed; hand-spun; accessories

Virginia Farm Woolworks
Spinning fibre; spinning equipment; dyes; accessories; knitting yarn

Wool Cottage
knitting yarn; patterns

Yarns Online Australia