Spring!

It's March! Just when you were thinking how it's been dark for toooo long, and that everything was still sleeping.....you notice a little crocus, the catkins seem longer, the birds are singing just a bit more cheerily. And you remember the seed order you still haven't settled on. What colour sweetpeas this year......??
I'm waiting on a delivery of colours from Jamiesons of Shetland, so I can knit up some new jumpers in time for Wonderwool Wales at the end of next month. I've been taking inspiration from tweedy weave drafts for pattern, and colours from the shorelines along our part of Cardigan Bay.

While awaiting arrival of the big yarn cones, I have plenty of sample balls to knit up into some Springshiney hand warming mitts, to guard against the chilly March winds! Not on the website yet, but some will be in The Old Electric Shop in Hay on Wye at the weekend. Or message me! sue@llynfitextiles.co.uk

Introducing: A Very Special Fabric

So here we are! It's been a very long held dream to commission our own 'locally grown' wool fabric. Wales has an abundance of sheep, and excellent weaving mills still clatter away in scattered valleys.
People often ask if we keep the sheep, spin the wool - you know, a bit like the comedy sketch...write the song, sing the song..

No! We just don't have all that time. Our passion is for turning the yarn and cloth into clothing, and although that also necessitates its own skill in knowing which wool for which purpose - we're happy to leave the actual sheep to the experienced shepherd, and the processing to those who make it their business. After all, utilising each others skills and knowledge is what makes the world go round.

Our starting point was our own brief to ourselves: the wool had to be from Wales, Mid Wales ideally; we wanted to end up with two shades of grey, with enough tonal difference for patterning; one of the greys had to be pale enough for dyeing, should we wish; the fabric had to be suitable for clothing, not blankets, and the economics had to stack up. We realised that to make the job worthwhile, we would probably be looking at a goodly quantity of wool...

Who to go to? We settled on Natural Fibre Company who understood just what was needed and rose to the challenge of sourcing. We consulted at the same time with our weaver, and the fleece and spinning specs were settled. Then....just the waiting! There's a good reason why designers and manufacturers work up to 2 years ahead; especially with wool, it's a seasonal product and lead times need to be worked into the planning. Our first 50 metres arrived mid November - in time for design work to start for this year's pieces.

And what a beautiful fabric that fleece has turned into! The greys are spot on, making a subtle, and ever so slightly 'shimmery', herringbone pattern. We chose a small classic herringbone for this first run to see how the wool and the shades would work. Part of the bolt is woven with just the pale grey to make a length of plain contrast. With minimal processing, no enzyme treatments or nasties, just a beautiful job done.

And the fleece? Well, that's what makes this fabric really special to us...and, we hope, our customers. The white fleeces are from the Llanwenog breed of sheep, and these particular Llanwenogs live on a farm in .....Llanwenog Parish. Not too far away from the knit studio and just a few miles from the weaver. The grey tones are supplied by Black Welsh Mountain sheep from two farms, one near Brecon and one in Carmarthenshire. Both breeds have fascinating stories, and the connection of Llanwenogs to this part of Wales - with its own tales - is irresistable.


And what will the fabric become? Well, there will be a jacket to start, and probably a skirt...in Llynfi styling of course!

Or, if you'd like to make up your own special item, we are also retailing this fabric by the metre. Another weave pattern is in the pipeline, and may be available in time for Wonderwool Wales. In the meantime - stock is limited! At 150cm wide, this medium tweed weight is £50/m - do get in touch if you are interested.

Find out more about the breeds of sheep used:

http://llanwenog-sheep.co.uk/index.php/why-llanwenog/history
http://www.bcsba.org.uk/coloured-sheep/black-welsh-mountain-sheep.html

The Cambrian Mountains Wool Project

So let's start off 2015 with this - 'cos there's a great Challenge involved and the deadline for your submissions is looming up very quickly!

What's it all about? Well, find out lots more from the website but here's a potted history:

a few years ago now the Cambrian Mountains Initiative was set up to work at promoting, encouraging and stimulating the very rural economy of Mid Wales. The Initiative started out with lamb and has done a fantastic job of raising the profile of farmed products. Wool has also been part of the scene for most of that time, but there wasn't a clear way forward.

Two seminars for all interested people, including reps from the British Wool Marketing Board, to explore possibilities were held, and research carried out by the Textile Technologies Project....much groundwork was underway.

Having found a source of very beautiful yarns, grown to very high standards in the Region, my Wensleydale knitwear was accepted as the first to qualify for licensing - using the quality mark for products from the Cambrian Mountains Region.

The Steering Group, of which I am a member, began to look further, with the Wool Board, at the possibilities of buying and processing traceably Welsh wool - harder than you may think and a whole different story. But look! We're doing it, and presenting you with a Challenge - check it out and share far and wide...the closing date is 2nd Feb so no time to lose!
Sue

New Year (again) New Resolutions (again...)

This is one seriously neglected Blog people! And we were doing so well.....But now - it features on the front page of our website so extra incentive to keep you updated with the interesting textile-y stuff in our lives : )

Lots to write about after all:

our beautiful new fabric, first run of several we hope, from traceable local fleece (and we'll also be selling it by the metre...);

our involvement with Cambrian Mountains Wool and the fantastic Design Challenge;

plus work on upcoming additions to our collection.

2014 Additions: New Friends, Fabric and Victorian 'Wheelwomen'

For a long time now, we have limited ourselves to working with British organic wool and Welsh Flannel (and organic cotton for want of a sustainable lining material). We wanted to keep our supply chain small so that we knew the processes and journey behind our materials. But, every now and then, you come across something that you just have to support…

image curtesy of www.esamskriti.com

Over a year ago we met a lady called Rashmi Bharti, during her research trip to the UK. She was interested in how we use natural dyes in our collection, as she wanted to make her project in the Himalayas accessible to a European market. And what an amazing project it is!

Avani is a voluntary organisation that began as the Kumaon Chapter of The Social Work and Research Center, also known as the Barefoot College.

In this Ted talk, Bunker Roy, the founder of the Barefoot College, explains the concept and reality simply and beautifully, If you can spare 20mins it really is worth a watch.

Kumaon is the central region of the Himalayas, bordering Tibet. The changing politics and economics of the area have made this isolated community's already subsistence way of life even harder. They needed a way of bettering their lives and opportunities whilst remaining self-sufficient. Avani was conceived in answer to these needs, their vision to develop conservation-based livelihood opportunities, by using renewable energy and other appropriate technologies, which should bring positive qualitative change in rural life.

Images curtesy of Avani https://www.facebook.com/pages/Avani-Kumaon/209775252389596?ref=profile 

A large part of this vision was the development of the traditional crafts of hand spinning and weaving and natural dyeing of wool and silk. Trying to compete with mass produced yarns in the local economy was impossible, so a new market had to be found where their textiles could be sold for a fair price. Cue Rashmi's visit to the UK, and our introduction to the story.

I asked Rashmi if she could send me some samples of the fabrics they had been working on.

The samples arrived, as most things seem to from India, in a cotton bound package, stitched up and wax sealed -almost too pretty to unwrap, but the lure of the contents was far too great. I carefully slipped out the booklet and there in my hands was an Aladin's cave on A4 sheets of copier card.

Ah! How on earth could I choose!? There was no doubt; Avani fabric was definitely going to feature in the collection!

We finally made our choice; a beautiful herringbone of Tibetan wool in a shimmer of pinks, purples and reds with lichen grey weft. The order was made and then began a four-month wait for the yarn to be spun, dyed, woven and then shipped. Four months to dither over designs and work the rest of the collection around our exciting new fabric!

-----------------------------

It arrives!! A giant replica of my first little sample packet, all stitched and wax sealed. Suppressing an inner squeal of excitement I peel back the layers to find... something totally different to what I was expecting! Aghh!!

Well, all right, not totally different. The colours were right, and it was a herringbone, but the scale of the pattern, the tension and drape? Not quite...!

Back to the drawing board to tweak some designs! My original plans were not really going to work in this fabric, but hey! That’s part of the beauty of working with hand made, traditionally crafted materials, and why I was so excited to work with Avani in the first place! Besides, designing to fit the fabric is not a new challenge for us; limiting ourselves as we have done to British and organic wool makes our choice of materials very small –for both knit and dresswear- so we have to work with what we can find.

The biggest challenge offered by this fabric however, is that it moves; the tension varies throughout the bolt, so once you cut a piece out, it changes shape!! To tie in with our softly tailored look, this means interlining and stay-stitching for a bit more stability and shaping.

It is great fun to use this fabric, and I have loved designing for it. The flannel that I am used to is SO well behaved in comparison –I think this herringbone is still half wild!

After designing our Bicycling Jacket I am still obsessed with women cyclists and the difference bicycles made to women’s freedom and independence. I discovered an article from as far back as 1896 in the Lady Cyclist. The author writes how the bicycle offers women freedom from dependence, dispelling the stigma of helplessness due to the inferiority of their sex.

At the same time, appropriate clothing was being fashioned so that women might be free to ride bicycles whilst maintaining their dignity. The centre image below from the Metropolitan Museum of Art shows a cycling suit featuring a bifurcated skirt.

My personal favourite, however, was the bloomer suit!

Whilst thoroughly getting lost in this era, I came across a brilliant quote from a Victorian book titled Hints to Lady Travellers by L C Davidson, written in 1889. Her advise for women on cycling tours was to ‘Wear as few petticoats as possible; dark woollen stockings in winter, and cotton in summer; shoes, never boots; and have your gown made neatly and plainly of flannel without loose ends or drapery to catch in your [bicycle]... Grey is the best colour, or heather mixture tweed, which does not show dust or mud stains...’
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-1378848/Tips-lady-travellers-Victorian-age.html#ixzz2svLZC3Gu
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

How perfect..!?

So with a nod to the daring ‘wheelwomen’ of the 1890’s, the intrepid tweed-ed travellers and a lick of contemporary style, the Penny suit was born! Both pieces are going to look great teamed with other wardrobe items for general wear, but, when occasion presents itself, the two together as an outfit is just so much fun!

The new pieces are about to go up on our website, and will feature in a brand new photo shoot in the coming weeks (exciting stuff!) along with some new knitwear and accessories.

You can find out more about Avani on their website 

and on their facebook page

Our New Collection

Much of our small range of clothing has grown and developed as we have gone along, inspired by the countryside around us and the materials we work with. We're not part of the scene that produces seasonal launches of new collections - there's only the two of us for starters! But, back at the beginning of this year, we decided it was time for an overhaul. 

There has been much design work and pattern cutting, frustrations at getting yarns and fabrics delivered to the right specs....and the wait for them to be delivered!

But - we're there! Inspired (as we often are)by the 1930s and 40s, times of change for women and a period when clothing had to become practical as well as stylish; we got hooked into how flying and cycling and skiing had become hugely popular with ladies, and by the skills of women aviators - unsung skills during the war years.

And then we have been extremely fortunate in our friends, with the resulting photo shoot against the backdrop of the Black Mountains Gliding Club here above Talgarth. Photography is by Rosie Prosser, a Talgarth girl with a great talent. 

The Jacket (above) is knit from Shetland wool in it's natural undyed shade of grey. The stitch is slightly textured, the shape is fitted and it works beautifully over our wool flannel bias-cut dress. Perfect afternoon elegance!

With a nod to the flying jacket, our knit version has a jacquard pattern of......aeroplanes! Inspired by a wonderful old photo of a model airshow, with planes of all shapes and sizes laid out ready for take off. Brilliant with the new wool flannel trousers, easy over the hips with buttons to fasten, and narrow rumpling (?) ankles.

The pattern on the jumper (left)is derived from a single aeroplane ....in pink!A deep ribbed welt and plain sleeves give it a lovely vintage feel. 

This image (left)shows the pretty shaped neckline of the bias dress. It's all fully lined too, in silky bamboo.

The collection will be up on our website in time for the start of Autumn, but if you can't wait then do get in touch to find out more. We are also keeping our rail stocked in The Old Electric Shop, Hay on Wye, Powys with a selection of the new pieces.

Photography: http://www.rosieanneprosser.com/ 

Organic Wool Wales - coming together

It's just 3 weeks to Wonderwool Wales where we'll be setting up the Organic Wool Wales exhibition with completed report and a short 'farm to finish' video. 

To recap:

The Organic Wool Fabric Project is a collaboration between designer makers, Llynfi Textiles, and organic wool producer, Ystrad Farm. It is part funded by Better Organic Business Links, Wales. It aims:

• to raise the profile and explore the potential of organic wool

• to establish a broad community of interest that spans wool producers, designers, makers and the general public

• to showcase the potential for organic wool and the quality, innovation and commitment to sustainability of designer/makers in the UK.

Check the previous post to see the list of makers, who are all busy completing their contributions. We are starting to receive finished items now, and it's getting very exciting. The techniques being employed are stunning, including a needlefelted British hedgerow scene on a dress, blackwork embroidery, felting, screen printing, bootmaking....it's going to be an inspirational collection, and all will have been produced from the same cloth.

Here are a few photos of some of the work so far -

There'll be red patent leather boots, lined with the wool, from Ruth Emily Davey and Rose Wood:

Beautiful needlefelt work from Lou Tonkin:

Traditional embroidery techniques from Roseanna Jiggins, KIAB Textiles, on an outfit inspired by a 1920's bra and pantaloons:

Superb pattern cutting from Robbie Higney Paterson, Second City Glasgow:

A collaboration between Suzi Park, Emma Burgess and Clare Baumfield who will be combining their skills in menswear design, embroidery and felting:

Helen Hickman at Nellie & Eve will be using her handspinning and crochet skills to embellish her cushion designs:

More photos as they arrive! In the meantime, do check back to the previous post and look up the designers own blogs and websites for more information about them all. 

Wonderwool Wales is on at the Royal Welsh Showground, Builth Wells, Powys over the weekend of 27th-28th April. If you love natural fibres , you'll love this show!

Organic Wool Project - the Designers

All the fabric has been sent, hopefully everyone's busy and we're looking forward to seeing the results! I thought you might like to check out who's who so here's a list of our contributors and links to more info about them where this is available. (Those in bold are Welsh based).

Andrea de Costa: http://andreadacosta.com/

Andrea is adding bark and making up accessories; this sounds a really interesting design idea!

Anja Crabb: studioanglindo.wordpress.com\

Anja has done a lot of work experimenting with natural dyes and will be bringing this into play with her jacket.

Anna Strzelecki : http://www.iseasurfwear.co.uk/

Anna is applying carefully considered pattern cutting to make full use of the fabric for a child's jacket

Camille Jacquemart

Camille is drawing inspiration from St Fagan's, the Welsh Museum of Rural Life for her overshirt; she has spent the past year travelling and working in Wales with farmers and processors to learn all about wool.

Ellie Langley: http://www.fleecewithaltitude.co.uk/Home.html

Ellie will be combining the two weaves into a corset, working on her 'off grid' farm in Yorkshire

Emma Burgess, Suzi Park, Claire Baumfield (collaboration): http://www.suzipark.co.uk/suzi-park/ 

This is an exciting combination of skills to produce a man's shirt: menswear design, natural dyes and felting and embroidery.

Hannah J Scott: http://hannahjoyscott.co.uk/
A screen printer, Hannah will be producing a blanket size piece for the Project

Hannah Auerbach George http://www.hannahauerbachgeorge.co.uk/

Hannah will be applying her knowledge of how wool is good for babies, with her very sweet sleeping bag.

Helen Hickman: http://www.nellieandeve.blogspot.co.uk/

Helen is also a handspinner and will be adding her handspun yarns to cushions

Jacqueline Jeynes: http://www.pencoedtextiles.co.uk/1101.html

Jacqueline lives and works near Aberaeron, stitching and felting, and teaches textile crafts

Leonie Willet: http://greenhartcostumes.blogspot.co.uk/

Leonie is a costume designer and has a very cool hoodie for us

Lorraine Pocklington: http://greenweeds.co.uk/

Lorraine makes beautiful felted hats and other wearables; she'll be adding leather to her production for something different!

Lou Tonkin http://loutonkin.com/
Lou is an illustrator with a huge passion for wool and she'll be applying her skills by needlefelting onto a dress. Take a look at her website to see her beautiful work.

Lou Underwood; http://luunderwood.blogspot.co.uk/

Lou makes rather lovely contemporary furniture - looking forward to seeing the end result here!

Mick Sheridan: www.msupholstery.blogspot.com

Mick is the 'guerilla upholsterer' - check out his blog for some pics! He'll be using the fabric to update a 60's chair.

Roseanna Jiggins : http://roseannajiggins.wordpress.com/

Now Rosie has something completely different for us! Bear in mind that her forte is beachwear and lingerie....

Robbie Higney Paterson: http://www.second-city.co/

Robbie hails from Glasgow and is an expert pattern cutter, very much looking forward to this design: you can see some images on the Organic Wool Project Facebook page : https://www.facebook.com/OrganicWoolWales

Ruth Davey with Rose Wood: http://www.ruthemilydavey.co.uk/  & http://www.rose-wood-design.co.uk/ 

Rose and Ruth are getting together to design and make a rather special pair of boots

Will be posting updates this week, so keep up to date on this blog and with these links:

https://www.facebook.com/OrganicWoolWales

http://www.organicwoolwales.org.uk/

Organic Wool Project - updates

So! All is well under way with applications to take part in the Organic Wool fabric Project and we've been sending out small samples of the two fabrics that have been woven. If you want to take part there is still time, but you need to get in touch as soon as possible! You can now also contact me at sue@organicwoolwales.org.uk

We've got the beginnings of the web-site up and running and will be adding information as the Project unfolds. We want to create a lively and vibrant community to spread the word about organic wool - not just as knitting yarn, but as woven fabrics too. Take a note of www.organicwoolwales.org.uk

One thing has already been becoming clear - it's not easy getting your hands on wool cloth certified to Global Organic Textile Standards, which is the highest standard so far available. Yet designers are searching for it.

It's possible to commission your own run, but for many new, small and independent designers and maker wanting this is not financially possible. A topic for further discussion?

The Welsh Organic Wool Project: Information for Designer-Makers

The Organic Wool Project: Information for Designer-Makers

The Organic Wool Fabric Project is a collaboration between designer makers, Llynfi Textiles, and organic wool producer, Ystrad Farm. It is part funded by Better Organic Business Links, Wales. It aims:

• to raise the profile and explore the potential of organic wool

• to establish a broad community of interest that spans wool producers, designers, makers and the general public

• to showcase the potential for organic wool and the quality, innovation and commitment to sustainability of designer/makers in the UK.

We all know wool is great! Sustainable, natural, traditionally British, both cool and warm in many ways. Organic Wool takes it all further:

copyright Juliet Morris

·      it all starts with the organic farm, caring deeply for the land, not just producing but also investing – in strong natural eco-systems, for today and tomorrow;

·      and organic sheep, properly cared for, to welfare standards that build healthy immune systems and avoid the routine or unnecessary use of drugs and chemicals - including pesticides on fleeces;

·      which means organic wool starts its processing journey free of harmful residues and continues that way – through scouring, carding and spinning – with none of the environmentally polluting treatments, aggressive acids, toxic chemicals, petroleum products, chlorine, enzymes, plasticisers that may be used on conventional wool;

·      even the dyeing, if it needs to be done, must be with modern low impact dyes or natural dyes, avoiding dangerous heavy metals;

copyright Juliet Morris

·      and finally, the organic certification standards apply to knit and weave - making sure that finished products are fully traceable, all the way back to the organic fleece … and that textile workers are treated fairly too!

BUT … organic wool produced in the UK rarely realises this potential. Whilst we’ve woken up to organic cotton, the demand for locally produced organic wool barely reaches beyond the sheep. Once shorn, the organic value of its fleece is lost. Shear waste!

The aim of this project is to champion the possibilities for organic wool - through a report, a website ….and the imagination of selected designer–makers to create a small collection of products to showcase some specially commissioned, GOTS certified, Welsh Wool Fabric.

Which is where you come in!

Successful applicants will receive a length of the Wool Fabric to make their item. (Please note:  there will not be a charge for this but, due to the high value of the fabric, we will require a deposit in the form of a cheque which will be returned to you on receipt of your entry. )

We want to create a talking point, a think piece, a chance to raise the debate. If you believe in the value of wool, if you care about the textiles you use in your work, then we need your help getting the message out!

We envisage: a carefully curated and eclectic collection of … women’s, children's and men's wear … accessories … millinery … footwear … interiors  … cushions … lampshades … toys … anything else … ? Over to you!

Initially, the collection will showcase at Wonderwool Wales, Builth Wells, Powys 27th - 28th April and, of course, be promoted online. We’ll set up a blog and a facebook page for contributors. We want an online community with plenty of thoughts, ideas, and good stories - key to capturing media attention and getting our collection on the road. We have financial backing from Organic Centre Wales and the promotional support of the Soil Association, and we’re going to make the most of it.

The prize if you’re selected? No money - but your work on display, with your details alongside, and your own chance to promote your part in this pioneering project - raising the profile and releasing the potential of home-grown organic WOOL.

The Essential Stuff.

Contact sue@llynfitextiles.co.uk for the full details. It's really important that you read the terms and conditions and then, if you’re happy with it all, fill in the application form - signed please (but returned by email is fine).  

In the meantime, any questions? Don't hesitate to ask. 

Llynfi Textiles
Ystrad Farm
Organic Centre Wales
Soil Association
Global Organic Textile Standards (GOTS)

Old Year - New Year

Nearly Christmas, nearly 2013. And it's been another packed year - things going amazingly right, life throwing unexpected twists and challenges (as always!), that summer that never quite made it to a summer. And not to mention all the national events.....

We've had some great shows this year and met some very lovely customers - it's all been so encouraging, thankyou all.

We were runners up in the Organic Textile Awards back in the spring with our Wensleydale knitwear, and  at the beginning of this month we were very surprised to be given the National Trust Award for 'Best Maker from Wales' at Made by Hand, Newport. We have also gained Cambrian Mountains branding for the Wensleydale knitwear - more about this in a separate post, along with a woolly tale about the sheep and their shepherdess at Ystrad, Brechfa. The photos on our website were taken on the farm, so many thanks are due to Juliet for that, and to Ginevra for modelling. (Ginevra owns the most beautiful and fun wool shop in Abergavenny - The Wool Croft, so she deserves a bit of a plug too!)  Having some pieces in the October fashion shoots in Country Living magazine kept us very busy through the autumn, especially with Tailcoats, one of which was depicted in the magazine on location at Gifford's Circus. Was a great picture!

Maintaining our position of 'designer/makers' has definately been a challenge but one that we are determined to meet as best we can; the lovely Camille has stepped in at times of need to help with sewing, and I hope to have found someone to do a bit of knitting, but bridging the space between 'craft' and manufacture, couture and something a little more affordable is where we're at. Working on such a very small scale has serious limitations at times, not least when it comes to cost of materials, but we are finding more and more that the personal approach and the connection between suppliers/makers/end customer is important. And this is what we aim to build on as we go into another year.

The spring should see our knit studio up and running in Mydroilyn, Ceredigion, and this will have a little 'showroom' for our work. We'll also be developing workshops here for knit and pattern cutting. If you'd like to be kept in touch please fill in the mailing list form on the  web site . (you may have to scroll down a little to see it) The studio is the former stable and little milking parlour at the side of the miller's house. Across the yard is the old watermill itself and the original, traditional single roomed building, typical of Welsh cottages of the area. We hope to start some work on these buildings next year too.

In the meantime - we wish everyone lots of love and happy times for Christmas and the New Year: hope to see you at one of our events in 2013!

And here's Autumn!

Can't believe it's September already! I guess it's because we've all been waiting for summer to arrive that the year has flown by - or maybe it's because we have so much happening!
July and August are usually our quiet time - after all, not many people are interested in wool in the summer. But then, maybe the lack of summer has been in our favour. Today though - in fact much of the past week - has been glorious! That sort of weather that has warmth in the sun but a refreshing cool edge to the air. The sedums in my garden have been absolutely smothered by our bees and the most butterflies I've seen all summer. Tomorrow is honey extracting day from our two hives - watch this space! In the meantime:

You can now find Llynfi hats and mitts and skinny hand dyed scarves in the shop at The National Woollen Museum of Wales at Drefach Felindre ( http://www.museumwales.ac.uk/en/wool/ ). Well worth a visit if you're over in that part of the country.

More of our collection is available to see and try and order at The Black Sheep shop in Tregaron, Ceredigion. Tregaron is a tiny town at the foot of the Cambrian Mountains and has a long history of textile production; it once was a centre of stocking knitting and several local mills produced woollen cloth and blankets from Cambrian wool. There is also an excellent pub just round the corner from the shop..... http://ytalbot.com/

15th - 16th September sees as at Hay Fayre at The Globe in Hay on Wye, then at the end of the month it's all stops out for Llandovery Sheep Festival. We'll be sharing the space with our friends at Ystrad Farm and you'll also be able to find out about our joint Organic Welsh Wool Cloth project.
http://www.ystradorganics.co.uk/
http://www.hayfayre.org/
http://www.llandoverysheepfestival.co.uk/

Jubilee Weekend

Wonderwool was wonderful; lots of people came despite the very cold weather - never been that cold at Wonderwool before and we've been going since it started. We had a lovely response to all our work and to the Organic Welsh Wool Fabric project that had just kicked off in conjunction with Ystrad Farm. More about this in a seperate post. For now, here's what we have planned for the long Bank Holiday weekend:

2nd & 3rd June you can find us at BWA Design, playing shop in the front room. It's in Castle Lane in Hay on Wye and that's the first weekend of Hay Festival. Castle Lane is just off the market place and there'll be signs out. At the SAME time:

We'll be opening up our little studio in Talgarth - 8 miles or so out of Hay, towards Brecon. We'll be taking it in turns at shop and studio. On the Saturday and Monday, Emily will be in the studio doing some screen printing, sewing, new design work, and on the Sunday and Tuesday I'll be playing on my knitting machines (never get enough time just to play around with ideas so Open Studio is ideal!)

There's a poster here: http://www.llynfitextiles.co.uk/ or email us: info@llynfitextiles.co.uk for more details.

Come and See Us!

This coming weekend - 28h/29th April - it's Wonderwool Wales at the Royal Welsh Showground, Builth Wells. We'll be sharing a stand as usual with Ystrad Farm and this year it's no. F2, titled 'Organic Textiles Wales'. We'll have our wool knitwear and flannel clothing with some new designs, and Ystrad will have beautiful Wensleydale curls and yarns, and also 'Best Welsh' - greys and cream yarns and carded fleece from Hill Radnor crosses.
Also - there'll be information about a new joint project: Welsh Organic Wool Fabric.

Looking ahead, at the start of June for the long Bank Holiday, we'll be working flat out with Open Studio and a Pop-Up Shop. The Open Studio will be part of the Crickhowell Art Trail. We'll be working on our dressmaking and knitting machines on alternate days, and doing a bit of screen printing with our natural dyes.
At the same time, we'll be opening up 'shop' in Hay on Wye in the front room of WBA Design, The Byway,  Castle Lane in Hay. It's also the first weekend of Hay Festival, which is celebrating 25 years this year. (I remember when it hadn't long started, and was held in the school grounds.....my tenuous connection: being one of the Brecon Cathedral ringers for Peter Florence's wedding)

Even further ahead: there'll be Llandovery Sheep Festival, The Globe's Hay Fayre, Cardiff Fashion Week (!), Made by Hand at Tredegar House, Pop Up at Talgarth Mill.....a busy autumn. More about that lot nearer the time.

http://www.wonderwoolwales.co.uk/

http://www.crickhowellinfo.org.uk/

https://www.facebook.com/FashionWeekCardiff

http://www.madebyhand-wales.co.uk/

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Llandovery-Sheep-Festival/157056637684802

Workshop Update

 Last Saturday we held our first 'Llynfi' workshop at Talgarth Mill. Up in the Granary space, under the eaves, it's a great little room and just right for half a dozen people to work in.  Emily had been taken ill at the start of January so it was touch and go whether this day would happen; the posters didn't get put up, and extra promotion didn't happen, but four 'students' made it viable. And it turned out to be such a lovely day after the start to the year! Two sets of friends made for a great atmosphere. Measurements were taken and plotted, and points joined up on sheets of paper to make a simple sweater shape; we looked at design ideas and calculated stitches and rows.

 I hadn't lead a 'class' for quite a few years and forgotten just how inspiring it can be, teaching others. We're looking forward to making some more days: the postponed skirt pattern cutting day will now happen at the end of March, and we'll run another basic knit design day probably in May. Colour and texture is another subject and this may take the form of a 'play day' for grown-ups! Let us know at info@llynfitextiles.co.uk if you would like to be kept updated with workshops.

Workshops!

Email info@llynfitextiles.co.uk for further info! (if you haven't noticed our address on our website, Talgarth is near Brecon in Powys, Wales)

'Pop-Up' Shop Weekend

Our first solo event was a huge success - many thanks to everyone who came along over the two days. Originally we had been looking for somewhere in Hay to stage a 'pop-up shop' but nowhere seemed available. Then it suddenly struck us that, of course, we have a perfect venue now in Talgarth - right on the doorstep - in Talgarth Mill. But would anyone come?

Talgarth has suffered from an unjustified negative reputation in its local area; this probably stems from the old Victorian asylum days and it's taken a very long time to subside. But over the last few years several local groups have been working very hard to reverse attitudes - the Festival Group started with organising a local annual festival some 16 years ago and from this also grew a Christmas Lights group and Talgarth has the best Christmas lights in the area, especially the coloured globes zig-zagging along over the little river. The Festival of the Black Mountains now takes place every August Bank Holiday and is a wonderful, old fashioned and traditional event rather like a vicarage garden party on a whole village scale. And it's free! Then a regeneration committee was set up, a monthly market was re-started and a project completed to renovate the old watermill. Slowly, Talgarth is finding it's place again. And rightly so because it is a pretty little place in a stunning location.

Anyway! Back to our weekend in the Mill - it turned out to have been absolutely the right decision and we are so glad to have chosen Talgarth as our first event. In fact - we are planning now on setting up regularly, say March, September and December on the first weekends in those months to coincide with the market. (June is tricky when you sell mostly wool....!) We'll also look at expanding what we sell to include organic Welsh wool yarns and maybe some fabrics from the Welsh weaving mills. If you'd like to be kept posted, sign up to the mailing list on our contact page on the website - you won't get bombarded, it's only done maybe once a month.

http://www.talgarthfestival.org.uk

http://www.talgarthmill.com/

http://www.talgarthcentre.org.uk

Comming Soon!

Just wanted to share a quick photo of our new Tail Coat...

As seen (on it's very first outing!) at Compton Marbling Christmas Fair a couple of weeks ago, the new design is all ready to go -just got to get our models in for a bit of posing and then get it up on the website!
It is made in our favourite combination of Welsh flannel with organic, naturally dyed cotton lining. A-symmetrical, light weight and fairly close cut, it is designed to be worn as a top layer with a light shirt or dress. We will also be offering it in the lighter grey with green lining.

We will have some at our pop-up shop (Talgarth Mill, 3rd & 4th Dec) and at the Winter Gathering Craft Fayre and Art Sale with Arts Alive (The Old School, Crickhowell 9th Dec).

So, anyone wanting one in time for Christmas, do come along or get in touch as the order book is filling up!

Organic Textiles - how can you be certain?

I've been trawling the internet for certified organic cotton, both yarns and fabrics. And time and again I think I've found something but when posing the question 'can you supply copies of your certification' the answer is 'we don't have any'.

In the States textiles come under the same ruling as food - they can't be described as 'organic' unless certification is in place up to the point of sale. In Europe, while this applies to food, there is no such ruling for textiles and clothing.

Currently, yarns and fabrics can be marketed as 'organic' by the very fact that they contain organically grown fibres. Many retailers buy certified organic fabric and yarn in bulk and then rewind and repackage it under their own label, describing it as organic. Of course, it still is what they say, but the traceability system has stopped at the point at which the company takes delivery. And a fabric and yarn can still be described as 'organic' simply because it is spun / woven with certified fibre. Under Organic Standards all processes are monitored and recorded and only permitted dyes and spinning oils and detergents are allowed. If a company is not signed up to the Standards, then there is no compunction to use only permitted substances or to keep records of traceability.

 If you buy an item and it has the 'GOTS' symbol or similar on the label, then you can be sure of it's provenance. Does this matter to you? Or do you find the whole thing just a tad confusing?

Coming up...

Tomorrow evening sees us showing some of our collection in the Hay on Wye fashion show at The Swan. This is a fund raising event for the old Butter Market in Hay, and features outfits from the lovely independent clothes shops in the town. 7pm start, £10 entry.

In two weeks time we'll be off down to the Wiltshire/Hampshire border for Compton Marbling's Autumn Fair. 18th - 19th Nov. We went for the first time last year - which was when the snow started - and had a lovely two days. (note to self: get some better tyres put on the car...just in case) http://www.comptonmarbling.co.uk

Two weeks after that, it's the first weekend in December, already! 3rd - 4th Dec, 10.30am - 4.30pm, we'll be setting up shop at Talgarth Mill; we'll have clothing and accessories, organic wool and throws, displays about wool and natural dyeing and hope to get some knitting activities going as well! On the Sunday it's also the Talgarth Christmas Fair, organised by Talgarth Markets Group, and of course, the lovely Mill cafe - The Baker's Table - will be open.

The following Friday, (9th) it's down to Crickhowell for the Art Alive! Winter Gathering, 3pm - 9pm. There'll be refreshments (and mulled wine and live music in the evening) and a small, but select, range of art and craft delights on sale.   www.llynfitextiles.co.uk