phone symbol

01228 529067

Cumbrian Yarn: Beth Pipe in Conversation with Helen Millican

Tuesday 25th February, 7pm

Cakes & Ale Cafe, Carlisle

Buy tickets here

 

 

Join Bookends for an evening with author Beth Pipe in conversation with BBC’s Helen Millican. Beth will be discussing the fascinating history of yarn in Cumbria, how yarn and wool production and sheep rearing have been part of Cumbria’s history for centuries and their importance today with the revival of interest in knitting and other related crafts.

Yarn production and the rearing of sheep have shaped the county of Cumbria, from ancient sheep breeds and farming methods impacting the landscape to yarn production and garment manufacture shaping many of the towns. Different breeds produce different yarns for different purposes, and today the Cumbrian sheep are competing on the world stage with yarns from around the globe. In Cumbrian Yarn: The Wool That Binds the County Beth and Steve Pipe follow local yarn production from the sheep to the sweater.

They describe the breeds of sheep associated with the county, look at how sheep farming has shaped the landscape over the centuries, explore how the wools differ and how fleeces are obtained and then turned into yarns, and also look at how spinning and dyeing has changed over time. Sheep rearing and yarn and wool production have been a vital part of Cumbria for centuries and all face new challenges today. Beth will be discussing how the world of Cumbrian wool provides a unique insight into the county’s fascinating history and its importance today.