Cotton and Color

Today starts with a step back to when cotton was king, a fascinating insight into the working lives of those whose days were filled with cotton dust and the unremitting noise of so many looms. 

A short drive north, and a great leap in time, will see us spending the afternoon dyeing our own colorful yarns before driving into the sunset! A glorious journey through rolling countryside will bring us to our quirky hotel in the Lake District, England’s largest National Park.

Sedbergh

We’re off to a Victorian woolen mill but this one is a community hub for art and craft. Farfield Mill retains much of its original architecture but on each floor of the building we'll find makers in their own studio spaces.

The afternoon finds us teaming up with a knitting expert who’ll guide us around the little village of Dent where ‘the terrible knitters’ were renowned for their speedy knitting.

The Lake District

A short hop from our Windermere hotel and we will be in colorwork territory, as we spend the morning with the renowned designer Susan Crawford, surrounded by vintage charm in knitted form in her riverside studio. Will anyone leave empty handed? 

We’ll drive on to Grasmere for the afternoon, home of the famous Gingerbread as well as stylish new Grasmere Gather which showcases local artisan-made goods. William Wordsworth called this place ‘the loveliest spot that man hath ever found’ and you can explore Dove Cottage and the Wordsworth Museum while in the village.

The Lake District

A day topped and tailed with fiber appreciation - on the hoof! We’re off to visit an award-winning social enterprise involving alpacas and llamas before visiting the Wool Clip. This is a long-established co-operative of local wool workers, who focus on color and creativity in all things woolen. And we’ll follow one of the members home to meet her flock (yay!) before driving on to dine in our castle-for-the-night in Northumberland.

Northumberland

Judith describes herself as ‘a small independent yarn retailer obsessed with all things wooly’. Sounds just right for us so we’ll drive through the bonny Northumberland countryside to enjoy her shop full of British and Fair Trade yarns. We’ll have a lovely big space (complete with Judith’s home baking) to knit in, possibly other makers in the building to visit, and a whole gallery downstairs to explore. Dangerous? 

A few hours’ drive south will bring us back to Yorkshire, with time on the way to stretch our legs at Fountains Abbey. The abbey was founded in 1132 by 13 monks who’d grown tired of the rowdy way monks lived in the city of York!

Yorkshire

We’ll make the most of our last day. Modern-day explorations in the morning, followed by the inspired combination of a knitting workshop and afternoon tea in our hotel! Plenty of time to pack your bags in the evening.

Departure Day

Wake up refreshed, climb on the coach with yarns, souvenirs and memories of this textile-rich region and we'll whisk you off to Manchester airport for onward travels.

Lindsay Roberts, aka  “The Border Tart”, is a dyer, stitcher, maker and a lover of words. Inspired by color and pattern, passionate about Indian artisans and textiles, she values most highly all things made by hand. She’s a proponent of mindful stitching and hand work of all kinds. In her words, “Making with your own hands brings pleasure, calms the heart rate and imbues each piece with love.” Peruse her small edition stitching kits here. You’ll also find her images, thoughts and adventures on Instagram at @bordertart. We’re so pleased to collaborate with this wonderful Scottish artisan and teacher.