Warm yourself up with some winter woolies

If you're feeling the chill with the recent cold spell then we have the answer - beautiful handknitted goods, yarn to knit your own creations, capes, winter dresses and more! Below is a selection of the items we have in store, but do call in to see the full range...

'Swallows Fly North' a hat pattern from Yorkshire's to Dye For. Also available as a kit.

Yorkshire's to Dye For has some new yarns just in - including Aran weight Falkland wool from organically farmed sheep in the South Atlantic.  There's also some beautiful chunky baby alpaca and some very special cashmere and silk (laceweight).  There are plenty of double knit and other aran weight yarns too, all in natural fibres and all hand dyed.  Some yarns are also available using natural dyes.   Yarn is all sourced from local suppliers.  If you don't see the colour or type of yarn you'd like Barbara will dye some for you to order.  Hats, mittens and accessories are all available in the shop or commission something either for yourself or as a gift.  Knitting and crochet classes can also be arranged.  

Bobbin Around has a range of her beautiful cobweb felted scarves in store.

Cobweb felting is a process which creates a strong piece of work from only one layer of wool, which is lightweight but super warm. The result is finer than other felting methods . Naturally occurring holes are created -hence 'cobweb'- and are part of the attraction of this method. Olive oil soap to produce my scarves, which come in a wide range of colours and are priced at £20 each from Fabrication . This felting method produces a soft lightweight  scarf which can be worn against the skin. After care is easy too, just hand wash, do not spin, just wring out excess water and dry flat on a radiator.

On the clothing front, Ages of Elegance have some gorgeous winter dresses in store (and also make to order so no worrying about finding the right size for you) and Rowan Tree Designs has a variety of elegant capes, wraps and shrugs to keep out the cold.

And once you've bought all your woolies, we have something to help you look after them too...

Keep your winter woolies feeling soft and smelling fresh with Woolly Wash from LITTLE BEAU SHEEP. This gentle washing liquid has a high, natural lanolin content which restores and refreshes your fine woollens and other delicate fabrics. Perfect for this time of year.

Also made from 100% wool are the sheep dryer balls. Simply pop them in your tumble dryer and they will reduce your drying times by separating the layers of laundry, allowing the hot air to circulate. They also eliminate the need for fabric softeners or dryer sheets as they soften clothes naturally, increasing fluffiness and reducing static as the dryer tumbles. They are cute too : )

Spotlight on The Seller....Felt Hoppy

I am based in Hull, having lived there all my life. As a full-time Mum, I took up needle-felting as a hobby. Having four children, it proved to be very therapeutic! Working from home allows me to spend more time with my family despite the fact I am slowly taking over my home with boxes and supplies as Felt Hoppy has expanded.

 People started noticing the creations I’d produced, asking how to make them and I am lucky enough that Felt Hoppy is growing into a full-time business. Creating and crafting things has always been a huge passion of mine and I produce different designs regularly and often post them on social media.

There was a niche in the market in this area due to the lack of stockists and supplies and Felt Hoppy was born. Starting off in local markets and selling online, it continues to grow. This year, I even introduced a vegan-friendly kit using plant extracts instead of wool so nobody has to miss out on such a wonderful craft.

My kits inspire other people to share my passion in needle felting, introducing them to a new craft but be warned, it can be very addictive and your imagination can run a bit wild. It’s an incredibly versatile craft and you can create absolutely anything you want to!

The kits contain everything you need to get started and are easy to follow, with a step-by-step guide and detailed diagrams leading you through the process. It fills me with pride to see so many photos of people pleased and happy with what they have created, having sent me photos of the finished result and naming their little animals which is lovely to see!

Many still send me photos of the projects they have gone on to make and it’s this type of passion which inspired me to create Felt Hoppy in the first place.

Spotlight on the Seller... Made By Lolly

 

All of the items in the made by lolly range have been created by Yorkshire based designer/maker Laura Smith (That's me!)

I graduated with a BA(hons) in Multi Media Textiles back in 2001, but didn't start working with folded felt till 2010 after my needle-felting hobby had resulted in one too many injuries! Thinking that there must be an easier way to create shape and form that didn't involve accidentally poking myself with a sharp needle, I started to experiment with layered and folded felt shapes... and the rest, as they say, is history! 

I now create two colour themed collections of felt accessories every year.

The current Spring Collection features a bright and cheerful selection of handmade brooches and accessories, all with a floral theme. Made from a wool blend felt, in a soft vintage colour palette, ever brooch, corsage and necklace has been specially designed to complement other pieces in the range.

My latest creations, now available in Fabrication, make use of a Liberty of London fabric called Emilia's Flowers. This pretty flower print fabric features soft pink, violet, aqua and green colours that sit beautifully with the felt accessories in the rest of the made by lolly range!

Whether you chose to wear an individual piece or several grouped together to create a personalised piece of wearable art, these pretty felt flowers are a lovely way to accessorise this season!

seller in the spotlight ...Bobbinaround

Bobbinaround is based in Leeds in my home studio. I take inspiration from nature, whether it’s textures, shapes or colour, incorporating my love for textiles. Fabrication has given me a fantastic opportunity to showcase my work in the centre of Leeds.

A large range of textile materials are used in my work, but I like to specialise in the use of wool, whether it’s using the fibres to create felt or traditional wool suiting fabrics to produce home furnishings.

I enjoy experimenting with the materials of my craft when producing a hand felted product. Often wool fibres and are wet felted and stitched, and then felted again to achieve the desired effect.

In my studio, I create collections of scarves, cushions, throws and wall art, all reflecting the versatility of wool fabrics and felt.

If you don't see quite what you want, then I am always delighted to take on and also deliver a variety of textiles workshops locally. Charlotte regularly runs felting workshops for Fabrication, keep an eye on our website for details