Winter Warmers
The clocks have changed and here in northern England it's dark well before 5pm. The temperature has plummeted in the last couple of days and we have a dusting of snow on the hilltops. I don't know about you but I'm tempted to draw the blinds against the wind and rain, make some hot chocolate, put my woolly socks on and snuggle under a thick wool blanket!
We have a few
new products that might just tempt you to do likewise: an expanded range of walking socks, an updated Log Cabin throw, plus a new edition of our very popular Howgill Stripe wool scarves.
"Salted Wool" Socks Mark II: we continue to produce small batches of our popular walking socks. This new version is knitted from our Hebridean/Shetland yarn and has proved to be as warm and robust as the original version. You might want to wear these over an inner pair of socks unless you're already equipped with hardy feet. Mountaineers / farmers / sailors / fishermen / gardeners / canoeists / add your own outdoor speciality - these are for you! I wore a pair for three days recently while hiking thirty-odd miles from Glenfinnan to Inverie in the Scottish Highlands in October. I know I'm biased (and I love traditional wool clothing) but I think these socks are supremely comfortable and get better as you wash and wear them. We have both short and long socks available in three size ranges: 4-7, 8-10 and 11-13 and three natural colours. Visit the
website to take a closer look and find out why I call them 'Salted Wool'.
(If you're after a pair of our colourful Howgill Walking socks then you'd better act fast, they're almost all gone!)
Hebridean Log Cabin Blanket: our newest blanket is also made from our Hebridean yarn, but in this case a two-fold version of our singles yarns. When you fold a yarn (otherwise known as plying the yarn) you remove some of the twist in the original yarn and consequently add loft. Weave that lofty yarn, give it a wash and a bit of a brush, and the result is a wonderfully light fabric that will trap the air and keep you snuggly warm.
Our Hebridean Log Cabin Blankets are available in four natural colourways: Storrs, Lindeth, Scott and Kinsman. Each of these names is a celebration of the Hebridean Sheep. Some of my wool comes from farms near Lindeth in Cumbria. Storrs Hall was instrumental in protecting this breed from extinction over 100 years ago. And David Kinsman has written a seminal work about the Hebridean Sheep and given a lot of support to Laura's Loom over the last few years. He has kindly allowed me to use his name!
Howgill Stripe Scarf: you've seen this one before but it's been so popular I decided to produce some more, so if you've been coveting a blue one get one while you can.
We still have a good selection of our
Howgill Classic Scarves in stock as well. These have become perennial favourites. With a wide range of colours and styles to suit lots of different tastes and ages there's a scarf for everyone in this collection!
On the
handwoven side, my silk and wool scarves have been flying out of the workshop all summer long, in fact one of my newest designs, Yan Tan Tethera, a supersoft, long and wide scarf woven from my bluefaced leicester singles yarn, was bought while I was still weaving it! So I stlil haven't managed to add many new handwoven pieces to the website, but I'm always happy to consider commissions. If you're keen to have a handwoven scarf in 2016 then keep an eye on my website for new designs or contact me to discuss one of your own. Yan Tan Tethera will make its website debut next year.
My workshop will be officially 'closed' until March but it will remain unofficially open (as I continue to work on the loom there), so you can still visit by calling or emailing ahead. For those who've not yet visited our wonderful town, click
here for a taste of what's on offer, year-round.
Last but not least, don't miss our
SALE section where you might pick up a bargain if you're quick!
Many thanks as always for your support. If you wish to make a purchase from the website use the code SHIP16 to access worldwide free shipping through the end of January 2016 (it will be discounted from the total order). Last orders for Christmas must be placed before December 15th, otherwise parcels will be sent early in the New Year.
With best wishes for a warm and woolly winter,
Laura
