Stravaiging

Two Northumberland Beauties

In October I wrote about being in Yorkshire. In that same North of England trip I also caught up with two rather talented women who run businesses closer to home.

Northumberland is a county of contrasts - city life, beaches and castles, fishing communities, the largest reservoir and man made forest in England, high hills and empty moorlands. It borders Scotland and as the crow flies is only three miles from my village!

I had the opportunity to revisit Fine Fettle Fibres.

It's difficult to overestimate what a marvellous shop this is! Judith is an independent yarn retailer focused on wools from the British Isles.

Here you will find familiar names but also skeins from small scale yarn producers, dyers and spinners, some unique to FFF.

Patterns, needles, notions, workshops, a regular knit group and more - you could spend hours in Judith's treasure trove!

Fine Fettle Fibres is on the main street of the pretty village of Felton which sits on the River Coquet. Make a day of it by enjoying a walk after yarn therapy then lunch at The Running Fox bakery/cafe by the bridge.

Further north is Whistlebare Farm. A fibre lover's dream, this is where Alice nurtures her Angora goats and Wensleydale sheep. Their fibres are spun in Yorkshire then dyed on the farm into an impressive range of shades. Unique patterns are commissioned for these yarns, with samples on display in the studio.

This building is everything you could hope for - soft sofas, a wood-burning stove, coffee and home made cake, yarn, more yarn, exclusive finished goods and carefully considered giftware. You can meet the goats and sheep, and the heavy horses used on the farm. I have known Alice for quite a few years but this was my first visit to the studio. It was a real pleasure to hear her talk about the careful husbandry of her beloved animals.

Look at those joyful woven Whistlebare blankets in the top image too!