Amongst the many free-roaming animals in the New Forest, sheep are in the minority, with only one commoner currently exercising their rights with sheep. The New Forest Show had classes for 30 different breeds of
Amongst the many free-roaming animals in the New Forest, sheep are in the minority, with only one commoner currently exercising their rights with sheep. The New Forest Show had classes for 30 different breeds of sheep and there are several artisans and artists working with wool and other textiles in the area.
On her farm at Minstead, Sue Cole has been creating unique and bespoke woollen products from her flock of Gotland sheep for 35 years. In natural greys ranging from a light silvery grey through to almost black, the luxurious curly wool is used to make scarves, throws and sheepskins. After years of careful breeding Sue can now have her wool spun by the Natural Fibre Company into three distinct grey shades and in a variety of thicknesses. Sue has friends in the area who create other products using her wool such as teddies and works of art – a special mention to Kim in Sway.
She chose to breed Gotlands for their wonderful wool, but also due to their friendly natures, skins (which go to Sweden) and tasty meat. It is important to Sue to be completely sustainable and waste nothing – the older stock have more felted fleeces when sheared, so Sue washes these in solar heated water and weaves them into seat pads and mats, using a peg loom. Known as Hollyhock Flock ( https://hollyhockflock.co.uk ) , Sue attends markets and fairs and her wares are on sale in the local community shop. And you can arrange to visit on 02380 813391.
Further south in Pilley, you will find a ‘Farm to Yarn Mohair pop up shop’, which opens one weekend a month, more frequently in the summer and Christmas. New Forest Mohair, which has been run by Frances and Ian Mason for 20 years, also carries the New Forest Marque for their hand-dyed fleeces, fibres and yarns, which are sold in the shop along with mohair socks, scarves, throws, knit and needlefelt kits. Frances and Ian have kept Angora goats since 1989.Angoras have lived in the Ankara region of Turkey for thousands of years and are prized for their lustrous, hardwearing, soft, ringlet mohair fleece. For more information Frances and Ian can be contacted on 01590 679921 or via their website https://www.newforestmohair.co.uk.
As recently as 2017, local artisan Kate Collinson gained a place on the official Tartan Register for her New Forest tartan. With a logo referencing the Saxon rune name for the forest, Ytene, Kate was inspired by the colours and history of the forest in creating this tartan for the New Forest. Made from pure wool on a traditional mechanical loom, the colours used are the greens of oak and holly, silvery grey from the birch, heather tones of purple and a russet red to evoke the forest deer and autumn hues of the bracken.
Clothing, gifts and jewellery as well as the tartan fabric is sold at local shows and via the website https://www.newforesttartan.co.uk or Kate can be contacted on 07989 893625. She is proud to now have the New Forest tartan being used for bards, ovates and druids.
New Forest tartan is sometimes incorporated into the leatherwork products made by Jo Butler of Arizcrow Leather. She aims to use as much local materials in her work as she can in her leather crafting, which uses traditional saddlery methods. Toggles and buttons are made from trees and deer antlers and Jo uses spring water for the dyes and paints that she uses in her designs as well as collecting stones and feathers from the New Forest. Local beeswax strengthens her threads and the local wildlife and folklore provide Jo with the inspiration for her unique designs.
She trained in leatherwork and finds her craft fits in well with her busy life with ponies, horses and dogs – leads and collars are amongst her product range, which also has bags, journals, purses and wallets. A regular at the New Forest and Ellingham Show, Jo can be contacted on 07794 117892 to discuss bespoke designs and via her website https://arizcrowleather.co.uk.
