Friday 5 April 2013

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!