WOOLFEST!

Blog’s a day late because last night a sheep got trapped in our cattle grid and broke its leg in various places… it didn’t end well, the vet from RSPCA said there was little that could be done so he put it down. Although terrible for the sheep and the lamb that was left behind, it has given me a diversion in one of my new stories that I needed. Thanks sheep, you’re death wasn’t in vain!

Team NDS (The Natural Dye Studio) went to Woolfest at the weekend, which is in Cockermouth, Cumbria and is the largest independent wool show in Britain. We wedged ourselves into the three seated silver Nissan van. KFC was gorged on, like lions we ripped and slobbered on the carcass of another animal… however we ate too much and I doubt any lion has ever had the indigestion experienced after that greasy feast! After the gorging we took a detour across Wales. Starting across the Severn Bridge and working our way up through the Brecon Beacons, through the heavy mining area, (unbelievably stunning, open and rough), then up to Wrexham and across to Chester, where we stayed with Mr Bluefaced and Madam Fyberspates and a couple of other core team members. We chilled out and Chinese takeaway was consumed. 

Thursday was travelling to Cockermouth and setting up the stand.

Friday and Saturday were trading days. And they were busy. Very busy. I didn’t get more than five minutes to myself in the entirety of those two days, as, after we’d worked all day we socialised all night and then promptly passed out. It was completely knackering but was the best two day show we’ve ever done. That was due to many factors: The years to follow after Dad had joined NDS full time were difficult. Mum and Dad lost their house and moved into their office. It was a very trying and frustrating time for them as they were thrown into a chaotic state of no stable income and no legal living space. Those years weren’t easy to focus or to develop the business, it was literally scrimping by to survive.

The summer afterwards I broke up with my husband and lost my home and job I went to live with them in their office… I had very little choice. Together, all three of us were broken, we’d lost the majority of our previous lives and only had the business and the family to keep us going. The year to follow that was damaged and fractious and at points terribly depressing.

But, then we moved the business to Devon. And last year was spent settling in, learning the ropes, filling our shoes, developing the business and healing ourselves. The four shows we’ve had this year have all been great. And Woolfest has topped them all so far. I think it’s because we are a team. Mum, Dad and I all work together so well, we’ve learnt what our strengths are and we’ve built on them and we’ve put them into the business and we’ve done it with little problem because we all love one another, understand one another and are very very hard working. At this show, we worked the floor very successfully. Dad was the knitting expert helping customers understand the beautiful delicate shawls on show, and, the ladies adored the fact that he was the knitter. Mum was the crochet designer behind her displayed blankets which inspired many customers and they thanked her for it. Two people bowed to her and one person even kissed her hand to thank her for doing what she does! Mum has always been the dyer, but because her focus is on the designing now, I’ve taken the task of dyeing the majority of the time. And when someone came over (which was often) and remarked on how beautiful the colours where, I could proudly turn to them and say, I did that. I’ve become a dyer! 

Anyway, it was an amazing show and it was because we are Team NDS. We’re getting on better than we’ve ever done, we’re developing and we’re enjoying ourselves. It’s a great feeling. Cheers team! To the future!

Sunday was spent driving back for seven/eight hours completely dead to the world and then having to look after a broken, now dead, sheep. So it was a strange little end of all this activity.

I’ll stop gabberling now, here are some photos.

Set up day, Thursday. 

Inside people start to set up in their allotted cattle grid.

The Show in Full swing on Friday.

NDS’s colours and stand. Mum looking pensive in between her blanket and the wall of wool. 

Saturday evening out with the gang. 

Mum, Dad and I. Team NDS.

Our next door neighbours, Susan, Gavin and Julie of Arbour House Publishing/A Stitch in Time Books/ Susan Crawford Vintage. They specialise in vintage knitting and sell the most delicious knitting pattern books.

John, Juliet and Emily of John Arbon Texiles. They spin and produce their own yarn using vintage machinery to do so. They have the knit by numbers behind them, which is a favourite of mine. Plus, one must mention the socks. The soft alpaca socks of plenty!

Juliet and Andy at Bluefaced’s stand.He’s a big commercial supplier of high quality white yarns. 

John and Roy of Easyknits stand. John dyes the most radical violent colours it’s like sucking lemons with your eyes, it’s fantastic! Roy’s very handy with a pen as you can see from the pictures behind them.

Daniella of FeltstudioUK. Her skeins of handspun/hand dyed yarn are truly unique and skillfully artistic. 

Jeni and Nick of Fyberspates. Jeni has a really varied pallet of rich intense shades which really capture your imagination. 

Till next week folks!