Cotswold Craft Cottage News & Chat

Mmmm lovely soft British Grey Masham packed up and in the shop (link in bio) with lots of other fibre. #spinnersofinstagram #spinning #fiber #fibre #britishwool #wool #fibrecraft #craft https://www.instagram.com/p/CVx5PEIoZrL/?utm_medium=tumblr

Finished my summer jumper! And I had a ball of wool spare. Handspun hand dyed alpaca lovely and soft and loving how the pattern works on any thickness yarn any needle size and NO SEWING UP! #knittersofinstagram #spinnersofinstagram #alpaca #handspunyarn #handspun #spinning #handmadestuff https://www.instagram.com/p/CCL4BvyJX-4/?igshid=1rvqwcagjq4me

2 buckets full of Alpaca rollags carded and ready to spin. #spinning #spinnersofinstagram #woolcraft #alpaca #countrycrafts #cotswoldcraftcottage https://www.instagram.com/p/B-U8udlJTtl/?igshid=mvnxg8wkplqu

As its so warm out I thought I'd do a little bit of carving in the sunshine. It's going to be a Lucet once it's done, not a catapult. #cotswoldcraftcottage #carving #countrycrafts #fibrecraft #lucet #vikings #vikingcraft #crafttools https://www.instagram.com/p/B-KMsmlJQrj/?igshid=lzklbiwa8c7l

A bit of nalbinding, it takes soooo long but I love the thickness of this stitch. It's Finnish 2+3 All hand spun, hand processed natural wool. The grey is blue face leacester, the brown is black Shetland. #nalbinding #naturalfibres #fibrecraft #handspunyarn #handspunwool #wool #cotswoldcraftcottage #vikings #reenactment https://www.instagram.com/p/B84fSHvpxQj/?igshid=uc6nmkrm7tk

Taking a hand wound centre pull ball off the nospetinne #ballwinder #knitting #knittersofinstagram #spinning #spinnersofinstagram https://www.instagram.com/p/B8r5BjiJ4Vx/?igshid=57cjw93kzykj

Stages of winding a centre pull ball of wool on a nostepinne. Available from our shop (link in bio) #spinnersofinstagram #wool #woollovers #yarnaddiction #yarn #yarnlove #choosewool #woolcraft #fibrecraft #woolwinning #balls https://www.instagram.com/p/B8r4XwEJlbH/?igshid=18xaapqifzwwn

The plying I did on Friday Aplaca singles at about 30 wpi Hand dyed in 3 shades of green and a pink coming out at 9 wpi when piled #spinnersofinstagram #spinningwheel #spinners #spinning #yarnlove #alpaca #handspunyarn #handspun #handdyed #cotswoldcraftcottage https://www.instagram.com/p/B8mbCF6J7Xu/?igshid=w4waon74i0dt

New leather footman ties made and in place after the second one broke at my spinning group on Friday. I was sprinting to try finish plying before the end of the meeting. I just use a thick strong leather cut off some stripps and soak them in some coconut oil before tying them in place. #spinning #spinningwheel #spinnersofinstagram #cotswoldcraftcottage #diy #spinningfrenzy #oops https://www.instagram.com/p/B8mYvfPJ7OB/?igshid=1ajomcjzst82z

Last weeks spinning finished and waiting to be measured up https://www.instagram.com/p/B8eVwrNpFO8/?igshid=n32qxal99cxu

There has been a lot of talk in the media lately about plastics and how they impact the planet.  It is however not just plastics.  There is quite a lot of controversy about natural fibres and man made fibres.  In the UK we like to call yarn “wool” however, I have been in wool shops that have very little actual wool in them.  Man made fibres the same as plastics do not biodegrade.  Wool and other natural fibres do. I spin my own wool, actual wool,from sheep, and no it is not cruel to shear a sheep it is essential in breads that have been bread to not shed there fleece naturally.  It is a huge amount of work to prepare a fleece for spinning, spin it, ply it and finish it before you can even think about starting to knit, crochet or weave from your hand spun wool. I have however just found a fantastic option for those who just want to engage in the final step and use pure wool.  Its a range of 100% Shetland Wool sourced from the Shetland Islands and spun by a family business in Yorkshire! Result! I love the story and ethics behind this wool and how it supports the crofters of the Shetland Islands and am now stocking it in the shop. The Croft Sheland Tweed

This Skein winder  is handmade to order by Cotswold Craft Cottage, it winds a really need skein (hank in USA) and the battery powered counter, counts the revolutions so you can easily work out your length of yarn without counting all those strands!! 

Adding a little sparkle to a bit of a dreary February