End of 2024 Review

I met a Valais Black-nose sheep.

As the nights are drawing in it's time to look back on another year at Moulin Yarns.

Easter weekend was at the end of March this year which meant the studio was open earlier than usual, on the 28th of March. It might have been early in the season but the first weekend brought customers from near and far. My first customer, (all the way from New York!!) was followed by customers from The Hague, the south of England and my next door neighbour!

Craft fairs and markets all start up in April and I took part in regular monthly events in Aberfeldy, Blair Atholl and Pitlochry with the studio remaining open thanks to my wife, the wonderful Knitting Mayhem! At the end of April an email arrived asking if the studio could open for a knitting group who were touring Scotland - how could I refuse? They arrived the next day, all twentyfour!! Yes, twentyfour knitters from Michigan, on a knitters retreat to Scotland, chose to pay Moulin Yarns a visit! I don't know what they expected but they formed an orderly queue outside the studio and they all went away with some yarn, a lot of which was the new yak based yarn. I was dyeing this for the first time and it gives such rich colours. What a great start to May!

Merino, silk and yak yarn.

I was seeing more customers from overseas, or yarn tourists as I prefer to call them. This year I had a few from the other side of the world, from Australia. The majority were from the eastern side of the USA, but also from Europe, and even from Riyadh in Saudi Arabia. Does it get cold there??

Sales were going well and another order for naked yarn was required, as ever Knitting Mayhem had some suggesions! I've mentioned the yak bases. There are two of these, a merino, silk, yak blend and a yak and silk blend. Both are super soft and luxurious and the silk gives a lustrous sheen to the yarns, they also take the dyes beautifully and produce dark shades of yarn. Another new yarn base is one with Donegal neps which provides pops of colour in a tonal base and an Alpaca and silk blend in Aran weight.

Something I enjoyed this year was setting up the dyepots outside when weather allowed so that visitors could experience some of the process. I was able to demonstrate techniques to answer any questions rather than just explain. It also meant I could get a decent tan!

Dyepots in the sun.

One group of visitors came from the Central Scotland Trefoil Guild and for them I gave a demonstration of the spinning process of wool from raw fleece to finished spun and plyed yarn. I was also invited to the SWI (Scottish Women's Institute) at Dull and Camserney, about 45 minutes away, to also give a talk and demonstration about spinning.

It wasn't all work though, in April we had a trip to Edinburgh to visit the new yarn festival, The Woolly Good Gathering at Summerhall and Ienjoyed being a customer for a change. In October it was also a trip to Glasgow for the Glasgow School of Yarn in the Trades Halls. Both venues are amazing places if you ever get the chance to visit. I got the chance to meet up with friends who are yarn dyers as well and both events are really friendly.

Merchandise from the Woolly Good Gathering.

The studio went into hibernation at the beginning of October, although anyone who wants to get in touch to make an appointment to visit the studio is welcome to do so. This happened in early October. An email from someone on holiday in Pitlochry arrived saying they had seen a poster at the station and would it be OK for them to visit? Seeing that it was YouTube podcaster and knitwear designer from Edinburgh, Amy Palko, I wasn't going to refuse! We had a nice chat and took photographs which she posted on her Instagram account, and she was kind enough to give permission for me to post a picture on the website. Talking of the website, I have moved over to a new host and have been busy getting the website up and running. I hope you like it and feel free to leave a comment.

A visit from Amy Palko.

Customers have been kind enough to send photographs of items made with my yarns, here are just a few. If you have made something with any of my yarn and would be happy to share please email or share via Instagram.

Colourwork sweater using Purely Perthshire '23 (knitted by Linda Williamson)

Baby cardigan using Faskally Forest yarn (knitted by Kate Reid)

Socks using a special 'Garden Party sock set (knitted by Corrine Lock)

Until next time, Happy Knitting, Crochet, Weaving or whatever your particular yarny thing is.

Thanks,

David