As illustrated by the handsome beast above, we are in the midst of National Wool Week here in Britain. This week marks the highlight of this year’s work by the Campaign for Wool with lots of coverage in the media and events running around the country. The week (and indeed the campaign) centres on promoting British wool as a better and more sustainable alternative to buying synthetics.
Launched in October 2008 by its patron, the Prince of Wales, this is the third Wool Week that the Campaign for Wool have held. Prince Charles is well known in Britain for his keen interest in organics, ethics and sustainability, especially in farming. In 2008 of the state of the wool industry was facing great difficulties. Due to the plummeting price of wool, the decline in sheep numbers worldwide, and comptetition from cheap synthetic fibres used in fashion, carpeting and insulation, the prince felt that something needed to be done to help raise awareness of wool in these challenging times for British farmers.
There’s lots more to read about the campaign on their website, here and on the campaign’s facebook page, here and there are loads of events going on all around the country. For those of you in the south like me, here are a couple of great things that are going on this week, as part of the campaign.
Exhibition: Wool Modern is running at La Galleria, Pall Mall in London until 29th September which seeks to break traditional perceptions of what wool can be used for. No itchy jumpers in this show then. I’m hoping to go in the next couple of weeks, so look out for a review here.
Event: Skein Queen and Alabama Whirly will be amongst the Outcasts, knitting at Jackson’s (beautiful, historic) Department Store in Reading on Thursday, Friday and Saturday this week. They are launching a booklet of knitting patterns inspired by the department store and will be running a variety of knitting drop-ins from a beginners knit workshop/ informal knit lounge to a more advanced knitting surgery. There is more information on the Outcast’s website, here.
Hope that you have fun if you get to either of them, any of the other events, or even just do a little more of your own knitting this week.
I plan on working at my Olive Looks into the Forest cardigan, continuing the tank top design for my Dad, investigating wool loft insulation and wearing my lovely new felted slippers. More on which another time 🙂