Wool Fair & Sheep Drive, and all things woolly

After a pleasurable summer of carefree days and warm sunshine, you probably find the milder weather with a hint of autumn quite welcoming.  Soon we'll be turning our attention to more woolly things as the evenings start to draw in earlier by the day.

A sheep farm on Beachy Head, near Eastbourne in UK's southeastern coast, looking over the English Channel.
Photo by Lucia Carpio (C) My Fashion Connect Global.

A number of exciting things are being staged in September that will put wool in the limelight.

One notable event is the Wool Fair & Sheep Drive due to take place at Monument & London Bridge in the UK capital.

Staged by the Worshipful Company of Woolmen, one of London’s oldest Livery companies and the City Wool Alliance and co-produced by Best of Britannia and Callow Events, London’s first Wool Fair takes place on September 25th, pulling together a range of wool-based traders to showcase the breadth of uses of this incredibly versatile natural fibre.  2016 will be the first year for this exciting new event as an annual accompaniment to the traditional London Bridge Sheep Drive hosted by Nigel Mansell, driving slightly slower than he’s used to.

Woollen transitional scarf by knitwear designer Layla Chelache whose textile pieces reflect her love of colour, texture and sculptural forms. Using the very finest materials, from Scottish cashmere to Italian silk and linen, each scarf, hat or glove is made by hand, on vintage industrial knitting machines in CHELACHE’s London studio.  Photo from Best of Britannia.

Brands taking part include; Penrose, The Wool Room, Crowns & Coronets, Northdown Farm, Southdown Duvets, Chapman House, One Hut Full, Sweet Potato Spirit Company, Chelache, Romney Marsh Wools, Romney Tweed, Blissimore, Ross Barr, Settlers Stores and Elspeth McVey.

Lazy Days and Cozy Nights

Pure new wool throws from the Essentials Range by Tolly McRae in a selection of
soft colours:Village Green, Lady Grey, Damson Gin & Donkey.
Each throw measures 150cm x 180cm

Meanwhile Tolly McRae has launched its Essentials Range, which is styled on their ever popular chunky lambswool throws and produced in pure new wool. They have added in extra softness at the finishing stage to achieve a near lambswool feel, so the result is a really great everyday throw.

As with all Tolly McRae throws and blankets, the Essentials range is woven in a family run mill in the British Isles that has been producing textiles for generations. The arrows are produced in small batches and hand finished by craftsmen passionate about their trade.

Co-founder and owner Danielle Tolson hopes the new Essentials range will allow Tolly McRae bring the ‘rural luxe’ aesthetic into many more homes: “With this range we’re bringing our customers the fabulous Tolly McRae quality and styling they have come to expect, at a more accessible price point. “