Truly local yarn soon

Lifted from the latest Poacher's Way newsletter, Spring 2010.

Eco sustainable wool mill on horizon for Bowning - Crisp Galleries

These are exciting times for the Crisp family, with the recent announcement that their historic ‘Gwandoban’ shearing shed (circa 1856 and moved from Harden to Binalong in 1914, then to Bowning eight years ago) will be rebuilt to house the new Yass Valley Woollen Mill, in conjunction with the Armour family, of Bookham.

With a majority of Australia’s woollen mills closed, and China now processing 82% of the world’s wool production, the Yass Valley Woollen Mill is set to become Australia’s premier processor of superfine wool.

The ‘mission’ of The Yass Valley Woollen Mill is to produce an Australian grown and made, eco sustainable yarn and fabric that can be totally transparent along the supply chain.

Between them, the Crisps and the Armours have a vision to create not only a productive and sustainable mill but also a valuable tourist and educational facility. The ‘great hall’ which runs the length of the 50m building will be transformed into a viewing room, with retail space selling products created with Yass Valley yarn.

The Yass Valley Woollen Mill is a serious commitment to the wool industry to ensure its sustainability into the future.

CAN'T WAIT! - Read the full press release on the Crisp Galleries website.

Stylin' yarn

Interesting article in the November 2008 Country Style (the magazine formerly known as Australian Country Style) on Katherine Wood and Burrawool .

I haven't tried Burrawool, but KMS has and she loves it . I'm trying to curb my desire for this yarn but it fits so well with the Boodle Development Policy (local, indie, chemical free, only comes in natural white, black or grey etc...) that it's hard. If we just happen to be driving through Robertson at any time, it will mean I was meant to have some of this fibre.

Country Style is available at the Dickson , Tuggeranong and Woden branches of the ACT Public Libraries. And you can still buy it in the shops if you're so inclined.

And then there was Nundle

Nundle Retro 4ply wool. Beautifully soft. I just want to cuddle it.

Little bits of Nundle Luxury Loopy Mohair in a bag for "because it seemed too good to leave behind for $5". She was right. No idea what they will be yet, but something gorgeous.

A ball of Jigsaw sock yarn. Not actually for me. Mum bought this for herself but is delegating the actual knitting to me. She did note that the purple in this yarn matches the purple in the 4ply she bought for me. What an amazing coincidence!

And finally, the fibre. This is a harsh single. Odd and the same texture and physical compostion as the Chinook stuff I brought home from the Smith Family last year and have been knitting the bulky rib beanies from. Just thinner and dead white. I am without words or ideas and would have left it there if I'd seen it.

Oh, and no OPTIM/camel fibre blend. They tried to convince me that the hideous white cow pat of fibre above was it. Apparently the metamorphisis of my parents was as temporary as it was inexplicable. *sigh*

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