Material experts weave their magic for students at Woolfest

Last updated at 22:24, Thursday, 30 June 2011

Keswick School pupils were among hundreds of visitors who attended the first day of this year’s Woolfest event near Cockermouth.

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Mia Lombardi, 15, Judith Edmondson, 15, Mercedes Fulton, 14, and Nadia Lamb, 15, were at the festival, at the Lakeland Livestock Centre off the A66, to research material for their final GCSE textiles project.

Mia said: “There are so many stalls here and so many fabrics to choose from.

“Today has helped us to make a decision on the fabrics we’re going to use for our final project and it’s been good to get the information we needed from the experts.”

There were 140 stands at Woolfest, a celebration of nature’s finest fibres, including Phil Bradley, a basket maker and willow grower, of Deanscales, near Cockermouth, fibre artist Ruth Lee, of Brampton, and HestaScene, of Caldbeck, which had a display of textiles, interiors and jewellery.

Helen Rippin, 56, came from Australia with her stall Waratah Fibre Plus, which sold hand-dyed Merino and Polwarth wool.

The event featured information and livestock displays from organisations, including the Herdwick Sheep Breeders’ Association, of Cockermouth, and Crokabeck Angora Goats, of Penrith.

Lana Norman 56, of Kirkhouse Farm, a member of the breeders’ association, said: “We breed Herdwicks, Charollais, Welsh mountain and Dorset sheep at the farm. We are giving out information and showing that Herdwick wool does have a use.”

The two-day event, which also had a rare breed parade and several basic knitting, spinning and weaving demonstrations, was organised by the Wool Clip, a co-operative of sheep farmers, spinners, dyers, knitters, felt-makers and weavers.

Rebecca Selfridge, 48, of Lorton, who joined the co-operative in 2009 after attending Woolfest, said: “I started knitting at a very young age and then gave it up for many years and started again just before I joined.

“Woolfest is a fantastic event because you don’t have to travel miles to get here, and people come from all over the world. It is great to get such positive feedback from people.”

First published at 19:21, Thursday, 30 June 2011
Published by http://www.timesandstar.co.uk