The end of our first roving trader year

So, we didn’t choose the right year to launch our floating fibre business, but we’ve really enjoyed being broken in gradually. Trading out in the open is perfect for social distancing and our card reader has been worth it’s weight in gold. Although we’ve only opened a handful of times, our stock levels are down to a few hanks of yarn and even less tops.

The super weather during the first lockdown meant I was able to get lots of dying done. I’m tempted to dye during the winter with pots simmering on the multi-stove, but it’s drying the fibre and yarn that’s an issue indoors.

We’ve met lots of people and have been asked about mail order. However, as we continuously cruise and don’t have a permanent address it’d be tricky arranging for returns (should the need arise). In addition storing packaging for posting could take up valuable space. We have posted out to previous customers and Team Towpath Twizzlers the BritSpin team we sponsored. We’ll be seriously thinking over winter about the possibilities of postal orders for the new year.

Like everyone, we will have to just hang in there and wait to see what 2021 holds!!!! We’ll publish our locations when we get there.

Best wishes to everyone for a very different and hopeful, happy Christmas & New Year.

BritSpin

Jubilee Fibres is sponsoring ‘Team Towpath Twizzlers’ for the BritSpin event, by giving each team member some Shetland wool. It’s a 4 day spinning marathon with the main aims to have fun while spinning lots of yarn and to raise money for charity. This year the event is supporting the RNLI. PLEASE, if you can donate and mention Team Towpath Twizzlers or Jubilee Fibres.

The weather from now on until spring isn’t conducive to displaying wool and yarn outside, due to the dampness. So, Jubilee Fibres probably will not be open until next year.

Although we may not have chosen the right year to launch a new business we have been thrilled with the amount of trade we have done, thank-you everyone and we are really looking forward to upping our production for the new year.

 

 OPEN August bank holiday weekend – 10.00 – 18.00, Saturday 29^th to Monday 31^st August 2020 (weather permitting). The forecast is fairly good at the moment.

All ready to sell after our last trading and crafting session.

White and grey Shetland wool tops, solar dyed on the boat roof.

 

 

White and grey handspun Shetland wool.

800g of single breed ‘Whiteface Woodland’ DK yarn.

Spinning demonstrations with wheel & drop spindle.

We’re moored along a super part of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal with a very wide towpath in Chorley, between Crosse Hall Bridge 76 and Cowling Brow Bridge 75a.

https://w3w.co/envy.knee.stole

 

OPEN – all day from 12^th - 15th August 10:00 to 18:00 (thunderstorms permitting).

Leeds and Liverpool Canal towpath between Haigh Park Bridge and Sennicar Bridge, Wigan.

3words https://w3w.co/goats.yoga.divide

 

Small batch, one of a kind hand dyed yarns in double knit, 4 ply and lace. 

 

 

Single breed British sheep yarns:- Blueface Leicester, Dorset Horn.

Luxury yarns with merino, alpaca, silk and bamboo.

 

Wool tops (for spinning, felting & embellishing) in natural whites, greys and black. Plus, hand dyed British Blueface Leicester and Romney. Plus Falkland.

Hand crafted drop spindles, made in Northamptonshire for Jubilee Fibres.

 

Natural solar dying in progress.

Hand spinning demonstration with spinning wheel and drop spindle.

Cash or cards accepted. 

 

 

2nd batch

I’ve really gone out of my comfort zone with this batch of dyeing. Shocking pinks, jade and snazzy combinations of colours on the yarn.

The yarn is a Dorset Horn DK, I love these sheep as when Young’s Brewery was in London I met their mascot ‘Ram Rod’, who loved to be petted. The tops are Kent Romney, I chose this as my good friend lives on the outskirts of Romney Marsh, Kent.

John has cut up some copper pipe which is steeping in water & white vinegar, which I’ll use as a mordant for natural dying.

First batch of dying

The weather’s been glorious so I’ve dyed my first batch of wool, 800g of Falkland tops,1kg of Blue Faced Leicester/nylon yarn and 500g Aran yarn. They are a combination of natural dyes and acid dyes.

The additional 3 weeks of lock down should give me the oppertunity to dye a good bit more too.

The stock arrives

Today we received our first 10kg of stock, with half yarn and half fibre. During the next few months we’ll have fun dying it. In addition I can’t wait to spin up some of the lovely black Sheltand and grey Suffolk tops. It’ll be a challenge saving the fibre to sell, to tell you the truth!!!

All we have to do now is sit tight at our winter mooring in Rufford, West Lancashire and watch the spring come and go and the summer emerge. The good thing is we have endless water on tap for our dying.

Our first trading session is still planned to be at the Rufford visitor mooring, but a few months later than planned. Once the all clear siren is sounded, we’ll let you know when we’re off too.

Welcome to Jubilee Fibres

Welcome to Jubilee Fibres. We are in the process of getting some stock together. Initially we are planning to sell our products on the towpath and in the future we will add an online shop.

We have been crafting together for almost 40 years. Over the last 4 years of living on our narrow boat things have gathered pace. So here’s a glimpse of how we do it.

Spinning on the Ashford Joy

Drop spindle spinning, working locks & cruising

Drum carding

Winding balls of yarn on the bow deck & dinette

 

Dyeing in the galley

Towpath dyeing

Drying fibres on the towpath, tiller and on the roof.

Solar dyeing on the roof

Cruising while knitting

Knitted and felted demijohn cosy

Rag rug by the fire

Weaving workshop in Liverpool

We are planning to open for the first time over the long Easter weekend. Keep an eye out for our ‘what3word’ location that weekend, which will be in the Rufford area of West Lancashire.