Charlie Button Yarns
Who is Charlie Button Yarns? Well that is me… My yarnie alter-ego who likes creating things from scratch!
I have only just started spinning (a lock-down adventure story for another time!), but I’ve been dabbling around with raw fleeces for a while. I discovered that the fleeces of our neighbouring Jacobs and Ryelands were either chucked away or stored in a shed for some unknown future use.
The ladies in question with the viaduct that inspired my logo image!
It’s not hard to work out what happened between that and me, knee-deep in a pile of greasy fleece, happily sorting through the whinnets and kemp to get the best bits.
Sorting through Jacob and Ryeland fleeces!
I found a one-woman micro-mill who would take my small amount of fleece (many mills have quite high minimum in-takes) and before long glorious cones of yarn start arriving my way.
My neighbours spoke to their neighbours and more fleece arrived.. this time off a flock of Hebrideans that can be seen grazing on the slopes of Pendle Hill in Lancashire. A second lot was carted off to the micro-mill (my car has never smelt so good… the valet parking people at Manchester Airport might disagree.. another story…) and deeply rich black Hebridean yarn appeared.
However I had no outlet to sell this glorious yarn and, despite my darkest desires, I felt I couldn’t sit on this mountain of yarn like a woolly Golum. And the Knit Tea Retreat loomed into view and the lovely Jenny and Zoe asked if anyone wanted a stall at the market place. I set up Al Fresco and was delighted to share my local yarns with the world in Cardiff.
Selling in the glorious sunshine at the Cardiff 2019 Knit Tea Retreat
It was a bit of a one off but I am delighted to be back this year for their virtual market place on June 14th 2020. This will take place on Instagram and you can follow me on #YarnAmbassador there for a chance to buy.
This year I have more yarn weights - Fingering, DK, and Aran in a range of different breeds - Jacob, Ryeland, Hebridean. The Knit Tea Retreat is THE ONLY place where my yarns are sold at the moment so don’t miss out on your chance!
This is not spun in a huge commercial mill and as such wont come with the consistencies of a commercial yarn. This yarn can be a bit thick and thin and that’s part of its charm!
http://www.charliebuttonknitkits.com/
If you search Charlie Button Knit Kits and you’ll find some beginner knit kits I set up on the side years ago. I designed basic patterns, sourced the yarn and needles and put together packs for people keen to start on the journey. Life got in the way and Charlie Button Knit Kits fell to the bottom of the priority list.. But keep an eye out on for a future rebirth!
