About Woolfest
Woolfest was founded to provide a showcase and celebration of the best of wool and wool crafts. The event is held annually in Cumbria, UK.
Woolfest Description
Woolfest was the original British festival of wool. In 2020 it runs in Cockermouth on Friday 26th and Saturday 27th June.
Reviews
You have exactly one week to get your stallholder and livestock applications to us! Don't miss out on the fun of the show! . Forms and information on the website www.woolfest.co.uk
Wishing you all a very Happy New Year from the Woolfest team. You have until 14th January to get your stallholder and livestock applications to us, so use this 'Twixmas' time wisely. All forms and information can be downloaded using this link: https://www.woolfest.co.uk/stallholders/< br>
Tree decorated ..... tick Gifts wrapped ..... tick Cake baked ..... tick Application submitted for Woolfest 2019 ..... erm ..... don't forget!! https://www.woolfest.co.uk/stallholders/< br>
A worthwhile read, and not only because she mentions Woolfest! https://sustainablefoodtrust.org/articles /what-about-wool/…
Some of our happy stallholders from Woolfest 2018. Have you got a wool related business? We're welcoming applications from stallholders and livestock exhibitors for 2019 right now! You'll find all the information you need and downloadable forms on the website. We're looking forward to hearing from you,
If you are thinking of applying for a stall, you'll find lots of information, plus downloadable forms on our website. Do apply! We'd love to hear from you. https://www.woolfest.co.uk/stallholders/< br>
Do you have a relatively new or small wool related business? Have you heard that there are mini stalls available at Woolfest? These are great if you are just starting out, or only need a small space, and are a fabulous introduction to Woolfest. These are a great price at only £75 for the two days, and come with a 6' x 4' display space, plus a table area of 6' x 2' and free table. You also get two free exhibitor passes. For more information, head to the stallholder page on our website. We'd love to hear from you!
Sheep of the Month
Apologies for missing an October sheep of the month, but we're back for November with a beauty.
Our chosen sheep for this month is the Wensleydale. The Wensleydale is a very distinctive-looking sheep and, by bodyweight, is Britain's largest sheep breed. Tups weigh in at around 135 kilos (well over 20 stones, if you think in imperial), with ewes averaging around 90kilos (almost 13 stones). The Wensleydale's distinctiveness comes partly from its blue skin, bu...t mainly from its long, lustrous fleece. A fleece typically weighs 5 - 6 kilos, though a shearling fleece can way as much as 9 kilos. It is in the highest value category of fleece at the British Wool Marketing Board, and is a favourite wool among both spinners and feltmakers.
Commercially, the Wensleydale is used as a crossing tup, to produce good-sized lambs from northern hill ewes. The Wensleydale was the original sire to the Masham sheep breed, but the modern Masham has replaced the Wensleydale sire with a Teeswater. The commercial desirability of the Wensleydale has declined (largely due to the success of the Bluefaced Leicester as a crossing tup) and the breed is currently in the 'at risk' category of the Rare Breeds Survival Trust's watchlist. The breed is popular with hobby farmers and smallholders.
The most fascinating part of the Wensleydale's history is that the entire breed can be traced back to one sheep, a tup by the name of 'Bluecap' bred in Appleton in Yorkshire in 1839 from a Dishley Leicester tup and a ewe from a now extinct Teeswater breed (the Teeswater sheep we see today are not directly linked to the old, extinct breed). Woolfest visitors will have encountered both sheep and wool with, among others, exhibitors such as Wensleydale Longwool Sheep Shop and Shear Wensleydale
Photo credit: Gabriel Langley Photography
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A few Woolfest connections to Farfield Mill, Sedbergh so we thought you'd like to see this post and maybe get yourself to Sedbergh in the coming weeks.
Past visitors to Woolfest will know just how much we love sheep! If you would like to exhibit your livestock at Woolfest, we'd love to hear from you. Livestock and Stallholder applications are now open. All information can be found on the Stallholder page of the website. https://www.woolfest.co.uk/whos-involved/ stall-holders.htm
If you're anywhere near Kendal this weekend, you might want to pop along to Kendal Wool Gathering where The Wool Clip have a stand and can answer any questions you might have about Woolfest.You might even catch a glimpse of Ruth from Wickercritters demonstrating her needle felted mice too.
Drum roll please....stallholder and livestock applications for Woolfest 2019 are now open! If you have a wool-related business and would like to apply for a stall at Woolfest, we welcome applications from new businesses as well as established favourites. As always, livestock will be a feature for Woolfest 2019, and we welcome applications for these. All information and downloadable forms can be found on the website. https://www.woolfest.co.uk/stallholders/< br>
If you enjoyed seeing the exhibition by The Wool Clip, 'From Fell to Fabulous' at Woolfest this year, or indeed if you missed it, we're delighted to let you all know that it is now at Farfield Mill, Sedbergh, opening on 17th October
Any takers?
If you're off to Yarndale this weekend, look out for some of The Wool Clip members. Alice will be there with Sheepfold, Jean with Tinker Tailors & Wild Wood Wool and Sue with The Woolly Pedlar. You'll find them bang smack in the middle! We will have leaflets for Woolfest 2019 with us if you'd like one?
If only mine would behave like this!!
We have a winner - congratulations to Deborah Newman. Deborah's ticket and feedback was drawn from the 100s of cards that we received after Woolfest. A voucher for £30 to spend at The Wool Clip shop in Caldbeck is now on its way to you, Deborah, with details on how to spend it. We hope to see you in the shop in the months ahead - please say Hello!
The Wool Clip are busy making plans for Woolfest 2019. Shall we remind ourselves of some of the fun we had back in June? Are you in any of these photos?
Wow! I spent a fortune on the lovely yarns and accessories. I have picked up some useful tips. The stall holders were all very friendly. Roll on 2018!
What a fabulous day. Friendly and knowledgable traders, amazing products, lovely animals. Well worth the visit. Will go next year.
Such a great event. It's just amazing to see all the wonderful things people do with wool in all it's shapes and forms. You always come away from Woolfest with a head full of inspiration.
My first visit and I wasnt disappointed. Well organised and very friendly atmosphere. On the calendar for 2018. Well done
My first Woolfest. Exceeded my expectations! So much to do. Great deals. Lovely businesses. Fantastic food. Excellent facilities and clean toilets. So many people. Recommend it to all interested in fiber animals and fibery fun.
My favourite wool show - run by such civilised women (no ego tripping); lovely atmosphere and stalls. I wish I lived nearer....
Loved it. My partner enjoyed it too! What a range of wools and tools, and related items!
It was brilliant, I throughly enjoyed the demonstrations and stalls. Would love to go again next year
It gets better every year and i enjoy helping see you all next year
Great day out if you love anything to do with fibre. Extremely well-organised event with a wonderful variety of vendors and lots of friendly, happy faces. And alpacas...there were alpacas!!
Excellent as usual, a great day out for anyone 'woolly' minded
As a stallholder this was a fantastic event I loved every minute from the setting up to to the very end
Another fabulous event. Already saving for next year. Thanks to all the stall holders and organisers for putting on a fab weekend x
A really fantastic event for lovers of all things woolly.
A lovely two days again, spent the first day browsing and shopping and the second attending talks, demonstrations and classes. Home again now and full of inspiration. Now to find time to do all the things I want to do.
Wow! I spent a fortune on the lovely yarns and accessories. I have picked up some useful tips. The stall holders were all very friendly. Roll on 2018!
What a fabulous day. Friendly and knowledgable traders, amazing products, lovely animals. Well worth the visit. Will go next year.
Such a great event. It's just amazing to see all the wonderful things people do with wool in all it's shapes and forms. You always come away from Woolfest with a head full of inspiration.
My first visit and I wasnt disappointed. Well organised and very friendly atmosphere. On the calendar for 2018. Well done
My first Woolfest. Exceeded my expectations! So much to do. Great deals. Lovely businesses. Fantastic food. Excellent facilities and clean toilets. So many people. Recommend it to all interested in fiber animals and fibery fun.
My favourite wool show - run by such civilised women (no ego tripping); lovely atmosphere and stalls. I wish I lived nearer....
Loved it. My partner enjoyed it too! What a range of wools and tools, and related items!
It was brilliant, I throughly enjoyed the demonstrations and stalls. Would love to go again next year
It gets better every year and i enjoy helping see you all next year
Great day out if you love anything to do with fibre. Extremely well-organised event with a wonderful variety of vendors and lots of friendly, happy faces. And alpacas...there were alpacas!!
Excellent as usual, a great day out for anyone 'woolly' minded
As a stallholder this was a fantastic event I loved every minute from the setting up to to the very end
Another fabulous event. Already saving for next year. Thanks to all the stall holders and organisers for putting on a fab weekend x
A really fantastic event for lovers of all things woolly.
A lovely two days again, spent the first day browsing and shopping and the second attending talks, demonstrations and classes. Home again now and full of inspiration. Now to find time to do all the things I want to do.