The week between Christmas Day and New Year's Day is a great time for taking stock and planning for the year ahead, spending time at home and avoiding the shops if at all possible. KC has been keeping busy and warm by the woodburner, making plaits for the new stock...
The plaits originated as a simple method of providing a strap or fastening that perfectly matched a felted bag or pencil roll. Our supply of Shetland wool on cones seemed endless and their subtle shades, when plaited together, blend with the felted fabrics. Now the plaits have become an important design feature in their own right and KC is constantly devising new colour combinations.
Deceptively simple, yet incredibly time-consuming to make, the plyed strands of wool reduce in overall length by about 30% when plaited. Bobbins wound with between 8 - 24 strands of fine wool, sometimes over 100" long, have to be measured out prior to plaiting and three bobbins are needed to make each plait. Hopefully, now the humble plait will be valued more, both as a decorative and functional device, and as an extra hand-crafted element that's true to the 100% felted wool designs.
The new range of small felted phone bags, felted book jackets, pencil rolls and sketchbook covers will all be available to buy on-line in the Folksy shop. Many of these feature unique one-off vintage buttons and toggles, as well as having the distinctive plaited straps and fastenings. It seems like everyone favours useful, practical designs that are also attractive and the response we've had towards all these functional products is very encouraging.
It's great to receive such positive feedback and we're planning for a busy year ahead. We hope you also have a great New Year, and whatever you're doing... Keep warm !