News

To celebrate the 25th Anniversary of The Wool Clip and its Caldbeck shop, we want to support a new generation of wool-based craftspeople in Cumbria by establishing a fund for small grants (Anniversary Awards) to individuals, helping them in their own wool journey. Can you help? We are seeking donations to this fund from people and organisations who...

The latest recruit to The Wool Clip co-operative is Paula Topping. Paula and her husband have a smallholding up in the North Pennines at Alston where they have a flock of Teeswater sheep, a breed known for its soft and curly fleece. "I'm an engineer by training," says Paula, "and I've always had a passion for the outdoors, even while working in ind...

Petra Baker, a spinner and weaver based in Cockermouth, has joined The Wool Clip co-operative as its newest member. A selection of Petra's textured yarns, many of them coloured using natural dyes, is now on sale in our Caldbeck shop, as well as her woven shawls, wraps and soft furnishings. Petra's first experience of spinning was when her fath...

We've a new book on the shelves at The Wool Clip, Cumbrian Yarn, and we're featured in it!  With publication in February 2025, it seemed a good time to chat to the author, Beth Pipe, so she could share a bit of the story behind the book. Why write about wool and yarn? Steve (photographer and husband) and I have published all sorts of books on ...

Jane Firth of Ullswater Felt Art is joining The Wool Clip as its latest new member. Jane's needle-felted portraits of animals, particularly sheep, were displayed at The Wool Clip as a Spotlight on a local artist in September 2021 but she is now joining the Cumbrian co-operative as a member. Jane started felting after a career in education that had ...

Alice Underwood joined The Wool Clip in 2013 and she also trades as Sheepfold. Alice is known as a great advocate for rare breeds, particularly coloured and native sheep, and she is a committee member for the RBST (Rare Breeds Survival Trust) Cumbria group. In recent years, she has combined her interests and skills to publish three books that are p...

The Wool Clip is looking for designers and makers working in wool to join this Cumbrian co-operative. Successful applicants would join a group that has been celebrating wool and traditional wool crafts for over 20 years. "Our membership has varied from 10 to 18 over those decades," says current Chair, Julia Neubauer, "and there is always a gradual ...

Chloe Randall has been a member of The Wool Clip since 2020 and her unusual designs, often knitted in Herdwick yarn, have proved popular ever since. One of her "signature" pieces is often referred to as the Benjamin Bunny beret. "Benjamin has been my lifelong hero," she says. "In the Beatrix Potter books, he's a bit more of a bandit than Peter...

Two Wool Clip members, Chloe and Marion, both have dogs and those dogs frequently accompany them on their shop days in Caldbeck. We thought it was worth introducing Beano and Gem in a bit more detail, especially as every other member of The Wool Clip has their own page and Profile. First, Gem, who is a tri-colour Border collie, born in Septemb...

The Wool Clip co-operative has a new member, Susanna Smith, who is now living in Carlisle after moving to Cumbria in February. Susanna learnt about the co-operative after visiting the Brewhouse Studios in Alston and meeting member, Julia Neubauer. "My fascination with handiwork and textiles began at primary school with cross stitch and embroid...

Members of The Wool Clip were very sad to read of the recent death of Peter Titley, who died at home in Eccleshall near Stafford in mid-February at the age of 79. If you ever visited Woolfest in Cockermouth or if you're at all involved in rare or native breeds of livestock across the UK, you will recognise Peter's name. Peter was actively involved ...

The Wool Clip co-operative, based at Caldbeck, has created a mini-shop to display and sell its members' work in The Appleby Hub. "There's been a connection between the two businesses for a long while," explains Jane Farkins of The Eden Workshop at The Appleby Hub, "with members of The Wool Clip sharing their skills in workshops here. Weaver, Jan Be...

The Wool Clip shop at Caldbeck is based in a converted traditional mill building alongside the Cold Beck river. After over 20 years in the Priest's Mill building, with energy bills of £3,000 per annum and likely to rise, the co-operative decided to tackle its energy efficiency. As well as the environmental benefits of reduced energy usage and a mor...

The latest Spotlight guest artist in The Wool Clip shop is Anne Brooke, also known as HanneMADE. Anne is a textile artist and tutor, living and working in Brighouse, West Yorkshire. Inspired by nature, she creates unique pieces of art and sewn accessories using fabric, paper and stitch. Anne met Jean Wildish of The Wool Clip at Yarndale in Skipton ...

The Wool Clip co-operative has decided that members will not be organising any future Woolfest events. This follows an announcement in January that the group was exploring ideas for a change of emphasis in 2023. "We've been giving the future of the event considerable thought for well over a year now," says Ruth Strong, current Chair of the co-opera...

The latest Spotlight guest artist at The Wool Clip shop in Caldbeck (from 31 May) is Katy Galbraith (57), a designer and maker of mosaics who is based in Crieff in Perthshire. Katy's creations are known for their colour and are made with recycled materials such as wine bottles, broken car windows and other salvaged materials. A selection of Katy's ...

Carol Burns from Wigton is the latest artist to feature as one of The Wool Clip co-operative's Spotlight guests. Carol (70) captures north Cumbrian landscapes, wildlife and the changing seasons in both oils and watercolours and she was a founder member of the Fountain Gallery in Wigton. A selection of Carol's landscape paintings from around Skiddaw...

The Wool Clip co-operative has welcomed its latest Spotlight guest, Viv Walker (26), an artist, woodworker and archaeologist from Bampton near Shap. A selection of Viv's work is now on display and for sale in The Wool Clip's Caldbeck shop. "I met Viv through my son, Finn and she is the latest in a series of local artists and makers whose work has b...

The Wool Clip's latest Spotlight exhibitor is Jane Firth of Ullswater Felt Art. Jane's needle-felted portraits of animals, particularly sheep, have been displayed at Woolfest in the past and were also recently part of the EVAN Open Studios exhibition at Eamont Bridge. Alice Underwood of The Wool Clip met Jane through the Cumbria Support Group of th...

There are just a couple of weeks left to see the work of The Wool Clip's latest Spotlight guest, Lindsay Thomas, a potter from Otley near Leeds. Lindsay is an established collaborator with Jean Wildish of The Wool Clip, combining her ceramics with Jean's yarn and fabrics to create jewellery. Lindsay has an exhibition of her jewellery in The Wool Cl...