Textiles

Paula Bull

Although I have no formal textile training I am always willing to ‘have a go’ and have learnt my various skills from others over many years. However I am lucky enough to keep sheep and alpacas that provide the most wonderful naturally coloured wool and fibre and this provides the basis for the goods that I produce.

Our smallholding is based in Wadhurst, East Sussex and consists of a pedigree flock of Jacob sheep, a pedigree flock of rare breed Portland sheep and a few alpacas too.

After shearing time I sort out a large percentage of the wool so that it can be commercially spun into yarn, this is then either woven into cloth or turned into knitting wool.

I spin, felt, weave or knit our own wool/fibre into a range of various items and these are sold through local Farmer’s Markets. Although very hard work to be able to watch the raw wool/fibre grow, harvest it and then produce a homegrown article is very rewarding.

Poppy Treffry

Poppy Treffry is a Cornish textile designer that set up business in 2004 and has gone from strength to strength. Liberty's, John Lewis, Fortnum and Masons and Anthropologie in New York have all stocked her designs and she had been featured in countless home and design publications. Poppy takes her inspirations from her numerous sketchbooks crammed with sketches from various expeditions to museums, harbours, teaparties and more.

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Sheena Ridley

Sheena creates knitwear from Hand dyed and handpainted yarns. Stemming from an  obsessive desire to knit  coupled with wanting specific colours of yarn for special projects and not always being able to source them. she solved this problem by experimenting with dyepots and yarns. This then led to another problem - she really loved dyeing! Sheena is also responsible for the charming hand felting that pops up in the gallery from time to time.