OUR FEEDBACK PAGE & BLOG
Feb 2010: A new blog for Precious Purl. You may have worked out that Lara Downs and Precious Purl are different entities and have different services and products to offer the fibre artist. Most of the products displayed here on the Lara Downs web site are the brainchild of Pam, who is also keeper of the sheep, goats and alpacas. Sister Wendy is the Habba dash queen and she brings a very special and different flavour to the goods you see at Precious Purl, which sit along side the Lara Downs goodies.
Wendy has finally been convinced to join us all in the public domain and do a regular "show and tell" via her new blog called Precious Purl at Fitzroy-Melb. It's part of the blogspot universe created by google. Just enter the words precious purl blogspot in your favourite browser and you will find her spot. We both look forward to not only sharing more of our goodies and ideas with you, but also receiving your feedback via this new blog.
thanks Pam
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Jan 2010, Feedback from New Zealand:
I had the most enthusiastic email from a fan in New Zealand recently and hope she doesn't mind if I share her words with you. Jan wrote "May I compliment your company on the way you bring joy and enthrallment to, I am sure, many, many drooling fibreholics like myself. It takes me into another realm when I look thru your website and see the myriad of colour combinations. Sometimes I could be physically ill when I see the sheer beauty of some of your fibres. Truly a lovely, lovely site to browse thru. One day I will put in an order, but what to order? Keep up your good work - I just love it!
Thanks so much Jan. You made my day. Pam G. |
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November 2009. The International Mohair Summit in South Africa. |
Recently I was lucky enough to travel to South Africa to attend the International Mohair Summit convened by Mohair South Africa, the umbrella industry organisation in that country. More than 300 participants from all over the world came to see, talk about and network with others involved in the mohair industry. The Summit included a conference, a Trade Show, a Stud Stock Show and Sale as well as various official dinners organised around the presentation of major awards for South African mohair growers including the Zegna Trophy present by Mr Paulo Zegna of the highly regarded Italian textile group.
I participated in a Trade Stand arranged by Mohair Australia and displayed some of Lara Downs' original mohair creations as well as several Mobius Wraps designed by Jude Skeers in fine mohair. I also enjoyed viewing and talking to the many other Trade Stand holders displaying mohair creations from around the world. |
photo courtesy Doug Stapleton |
One of the highlights of the Summit was seeing the fresh new designs in fashion, home wares and accessories from young South African Design students as well as professional designers with international reputations featuring mohair in new and exciting ways. The emphasis in fashion items was on a light and lacey look, sometimes funky and often combined with a soft and snuggly outer garment featuring super fine kid mohair. Adult mohair fibre being extremely strong and durable was featured in homeware items including drapes, cushions & carpets
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One of the conference presentations in particular was a show stopper and inspired all who listened to Li Edelkoort, a highly regarded European fashion trend forecaster based at the Design Academy, Eindhoven, The Netherlands. Li had been invited by Mohair South Africa to paint a picture of her impressions for the future of mohair. This is a short extract from her presentation:
"At last we nestle in the 21st century, and life will take a turn for the better with a stronger social tissue and a general quest for well being. Family and freinds will become important again..., less rules and regulations,... more personal freedom.....less structured fashion is imminent,.......A new mood will dominate using soft natural colours...seen as ecological luxury.
Mohair, long neglected..comes into focus. Mohair is natural and alive and vibrant. Mohair is authentic ....and sustainable. It is generous, spilling its warmth and texture on our skin. Mohair is comforting, like being cuddled in our clothes. Mohair is versatile going from feathery fluff to the driest tailored cloth. Mohair is also hedonistic, dressing us up to flirt and dance the night away. Mohair can be artistic, the material of choice for expressive design, illustrating to perfection, the important return of do-it-yourself creation.
Thus Mohair will be once more imbedded in the centre of textile design and knitwear, lending its creative powers to stand alone or to blend with other noble fibre from goats, sheep, camels and cats from the farm of the future."
For more information about Li Edelkoort visit her web site.
Notes by Pam Goble, Lara Downs |
Recently spotted on Flickr.com - some lovely knitting by "hemstitch" a Ravelry knitter using Lara Downs Angoraglow 2 ply fine kid mohair in colourway Stormy Seas (see pic). It looks fabulous. Well done Hemstitch. Also spotted on Ravelry, some lovely work by "perfectday" using 4 ply Angoraglow.
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Jennie Pakula, has used Lara Downs' fine silk boucle yarn in "Rockpool" to knit this gorgeous wrap. It is described as a Cherry leaf shoulder shawl and the pattern used was sourced from Knitting Victorian Lace Today, by Jane Sowerby. If you're interested in trying out this pattern, Google will help you find any number of references to this fabulous book.
Jennie not only knits but is a fantastic knitwear designer who also writes very helpful technical knitting notes for Yarn magazine. Here's another scarf (part only) by Jennie in "Bird of Paradise" shade. (Jennie can't get away from the blues !)
Thanks Jennie for your contributions. Pam G.
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October 09. A fun time was had by all at the recent Open Day at Lumina Fibre Arts Gallery in East Malvern. Sahara pictured at right, proudly shows off her needle felting scene created on the day using a mix of fibres from Lara Downs. |
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This gorgeous jacket has been knitted in Lara Downs' delicious Pure Cashmere 4 ply. It was knitted by Sue Oldfield who is a prolific and expert knitter using a pattern by Vladimir Teriokhin published in Knit 1, (Winter 2007 edition). This is a US based publication targeting the under 30's in designs and layout, but a very enjoyable read for everyone. Available from good newsagents or you may be able to track it down on line.
The skimpy covering to keep our model decent is a knitwear concoction using silk strips instead of yarn. Available from Lara Downs dyed to match any of our available yarn shades. The strips come in 2 mt lengths. Useful in felting as well as knitting !
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Feedback from Barbara from Ashgrove, Qld. She writes "what a gem of a book thankyou. There's not many knitting pattern books one devours like a novel !". Barbara was referring to a little pattern book put together by the Albury-Wodonga Handweavers & Spinners Guild. It's available through Lara Downs and includes a pattern for the beautiful ring shawl shown at the end of this page in pink. |
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Now this is something different ! A uniquely designed beret by Pat Goult using unspecified Lara Downs yarn. Pat is a prolific knitter for charitable purposes I understand.
Love the bobbles Pat !
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Feedback from Katherine from Sarina Queensland "
I am so pleased that I surfed the net and discovered Lara Downs. The 2 ply Angoraglow is perfect for a north Queensland winter and so easy to knit and so soft! Well done".
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The gorgeous scarf at left has been created by 'Leisurely Lesley' from the shipwreck coast in Victoria. You can read her blog at
http://leisurelylesley.blogspot.com/search/label/Lara%20Downs
Lesley has had lots of fun with not only Lara Downs yarns but has also used our wool tops to create some wonderful shapes. Check her blog to see these.
Thanks Lesley for all your kind comments.Again apologies to you and others for taking so long to post these pics. Pam G.
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Nola from Port Macquarie has actually written a real letter to us asking for advice on a colour scheme she is wanting to knit, but she adds " your range of colours and yarns is just fabulous. Sorry I haven't found you before now".
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Below is another superb piece of lace, this time from Sue Oldfield who has used Lara Downs Kool Kid, a super fine mohair boucle yarn. This wrap is quite long and has been photographed doubled up as it hangs down a wall. The complete wrap weighs only 50 grams. Sue used the Wedding Ring Shawl pattern from the Albury-Wodonga Handweavers & Spinners pattern book.
Thanks again Sue.
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See our Handcrafts page for other creations using Lara Downs yarns.
Email us now to post a blog or send a photo to our gallery .
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