Unravelling the journey that fleece takes from the fells to fabric. This episode tracks how greasy wool bred in the wind and rain of a Lake District Farm becomes a smartly tailored jacket, a beautifully knitted pullover or a laceweight shawl, fine enough to pull through a wedding ring.

 

A Feeling of Warmth looks at the skills and processes needed from the shepherd, the spinner, the weaver, and the tailor before we can put a wool garment made sustainably and ethically on our backs.

 

Thanks to Maria Benjamin and John Atkinson, the farmers and entrepreneurs, Lara Pollard Jones of the Spinners, World of Wool, Sam Goates the weaver from Woven in the Bone, the tailor, Karyna Sukha from Fabrika, and the designer the maker Sally Cowell, from Leven Knit and Sew and to Donald S Murray for permission to read his poem, Woven in the Bone.

 

If you go to Haptic and Hue’s website at www.hapticandhue.com/listen, you will find a full transcript of this podcast, and pictures of some of the fabrics and techniques we talk about. You can also sign up there to get these podcasts directly in your inbox, as well as having a chance to win some of the textile-related gifts I give away with each episode.

 

If you want to see more about the jackets and shepherds bags that are the subject of this podcast or find out more about John and Maria’s work at Nibthwaite Grange Farm, with the knitting yarn, the fabric, the soap, the meat, or the holiday accommodation then the links are https://dodgsonwood.co.uk/about/ and https://nibthwaitegrangefarm.com/about/  You can see the full drama of this year’s lambing on Maria’s Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/levenknitandsew/

 

World of Wool can be found at www.worldofwool.co.uk

 

Sam Goates and Woven in the Bone are at http://www.woveninthebone.com/  or https://www.instagram.com/woveninthebone/

 

Karyna Sukha, whose London tailoring shop makes the jackets are at https://fabrika.london

 

Sally Cowell of Leven Knit and Sew – who makes the Shepherd’s Bags can be found on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/levenknitandsew/

 

And the poet Donald S Murray can be found at http://www.donaldsmurray.co.uk/