I acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the ACT, the Ngunnawal people. I acknowledge and respect their continuing culture and the contribution they make to the life of this city and this region.

Sunday, February 11, 2007

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

18 comments:

Olivia said...

fabulous list, thanks!

Anonymous said...

You can also shop on-line at Waverly woollen mills (Tasmania) and Nundle wollen mills - larger producers and also worth supporting (though I also have - not so much a wekness as a full blown craving- for hand spun/dyed/and-or painted yarns!
Wonderful list
Thanks
Ceri

Anonymous said...

i have printed your fabualous list for future refernce . thank you for putting it together
diane

Bells said...

Oh I love it. Thanks Taph. You've saved me hours of internet research!

Susan said...

What a great list - thanks for sharing

wooldancer said...

great list there, sure to be a fav for all Aussie fiber fanatics!! You can also find Unique Handspun & Handpainted yarn & fiber at wooldancer.etsy.com (a shameless plug at self-promomotion.. enjoy yarn, enjoy life!)

happyspider said...

*gasp* there's me!!! squeaaallll

Denise said...

Great list, Taph - what an excellent idea. Your research and super-librarian skills are showing!

wooldancer said...

thanks for the add Taph! pop back over & go in for the mystery colourway prize.. Yarn Hugs *-*

That Spinning Place said...

Great list! Thanks for putting That Spinning Place on it. Much appreciated! Cheers, Wen

Kate said...

Thanks for the inside story on the patterns coming up! I'd love to buy a copy when you've finished them : )

Ginger_nut said...

Thanks so much for the link Taph! I have a bit of backlog in my bloglines, so I nearly missed it. I will be sure to link it from my blog.

Cheers, Ginge!

Anonymous said...

Thank you so much for adding me to your list Taph, you've made my day!

Ruth.... said...

Hey!! *Beem* I'm so stoked to have made your cool list! Thanks so much, Taph...and thanks for the nudge, Mandie..hehe..wow!!

The Bear said...

Oh cool! Nice to be on the list and also to be on the list with a few friends! Great job!

Anonymous said...

Wow, I just thinking of doing something like this myself!
Thanks for the resource!

Anonymous said...

Hi all. You've missed us in your list. Lara Downs is also an owner operator who supplies hand dyed yarns via a web site www.lara-downs.com.au and via her outlet in Melbourne (Fitzroy) - part of the Beautiful Silks outlet at 101 Victoria St Fitzroy. Come and see us some time.
cheers
Pam from Lara Downs

Ginger_nut said...

Hiya Taph -

Just thought I would drop you a line to let you know that the Pierre The Yarn Shop etsy shop has gone and I am now selling at GingerKnits.com

Cheers,
Meg