 Welcome to The Woolshed!
Here at my workshop, in the old high-walled kitchen garden at The Big Garden, Isle of South Uist, in the Outer Hebrides, I spin, knit, crochet weave and felt using natural materials and traditional hand tools and techniques.
 I generally spin wool from the many breeds of sheep native to the British Isles, which offer an unparalleled range of colour, feel and durability. A speciality - though limited in quantity - is wool from our own pedigree flock of black Hebridean sheep: years of experience, careful and uncompromising selection, and a special spinning process result in a yarn that is richly dark and with a ‘handle’ exceptionally soft for this breed. In addition to the native breeds, I also spin Merino wool and occasionally other fibres such as dog hair, alpaca, cashmere, silk.
Most of the natural dyestuffs I use come from plants native to the islands, naturalized here, or growing in our own walled garden or on our croft on the neighbouring island of Eriskay. These include: lichens, flag iris, alder cones, dandelion, blackberry, onion skins, ragwort, marigold, and many others. I use also natural dyestuffs from further afield, such as henna, woad, brazil wood, saffron.
Much of what I make is for family and friends, but I also offer for sale a variety of natural yarns and garments made from these - all spun, dyed, knitted, crocheted, woven or felted by hand, and available here at the Hebridean Woolshed (yes, it really is a shed!). Selected items can be bought at the Uist Craft Producers shop at Kildonan, South Uist (open from Easter to October) - or on-line - see below.
 The Woolshed On-line
Scarves >
Beautiful knitted lace scarves in luxuriously soft and light pure Merino wool, in one of my five Uist Landscapes colour themes.
Wool Yarns >
My yarns are generally suitable for hand knitting or crocheting, but may also be suitable for weaving, cross-stitch or other crafts. Yarns are 2-ply in construction, plain spun (ie not having slubs, noils etc), and fairly uniform (hand-made yarns will show some local variation). For knitting, all yarns are approximately equivalent to ‘double-knit’. Needles 3.75m - 4.50mm are recommended - though it depends on the pattern. It’s a good idea to make a tension square.
Mill-spun Hebridean yarn is produced to our specification at a uniform 100g each. Hand-spun yarns are sold in skeins priced according to their individual weights and the price per 100g for the type of yarn. Typically, the weight of each skein is in the range 65g to 85g. A simple hat will usually use no more than one good-sized skein. An adult’s plain pullover might well use 10 skeins.
I maintain a stock of most items listed, though the quantities may be fairly limited at times. For plant-dyed hanspun yarns, only small quantities of any one colour are available. Dying with plants is seasonal, depending upon dye materials available.
It has proved impossible to accurately represent the colours on a website, and of course impossible to convey the lustre, handle and other characteristics. If you are already familiar with the kind of wool or other fibre you are interested in, then it may help if I email to you a selection of digital photos of the actual current stock from which I would complete your order. However I do recommend a physical sample: if you call first to discuss what you are interested in, you will then only need to send a self-addressed envelope bearing an ordinary first class stamp. I will then return to you a small sample, sufficient for you to confirm whether it is suitable.
Spinning Kits >
If you’d like to have a go at hand spinning, why not try my beginner’s kit? It comes complete with drop-spindle, a generous quantity of wool fibre, and detailed, easy-to-follow illustrated instructions. Learning to spin with a drop-spindle provides the best possible grounding in the fundamentals.
(For those keen to master the use of a spinning wheel, I offer tuition, either on a one-to-one basis or for small groups.)
Ordering
Browse Scarves, Wools and Kits and make a note of the items and quantities you require. You can phone (01878 700828) or email denise@hebrideanwoolshed.co.uk I will then confirm availability, cost and anticipated delivery time.
P&P to UK addresses is charged at a flat rate of £3.95 per dispatch.
Payments from the UK must be made by Sterling cheque made out to Denise M Bridge. Non-sterling payments may be made by PayPal.
Care Instructions
Both yarns and knitwear should be washed gently in luke warm water using soft soap flakes or a liquid soap for delicates. Do not rub! To dry, squeeze gently and/or spin - do not wring. Lay flat in warm airy place, gently pull into shape.
Coming Soon ...
Felting packs for beginners; Luxury drop-spindle packs.
The Woolshed in Uist
At the ‘real world’ Hebridean Woolshed, you’ll find all that’s offered on-line, plus much more: hand-spun, hand-knitted pullovers and shawls; hand-woven scarves, felt purses, bags and corsages ... all with the pleasure of browsing. Ideal for those who live in Uist, visit regularly or are here on business or holiday. You might also pick up a half-dozen free-range eggs and a jar of my irresistible rhubarb preserve, or stop for a coffee and a sit down and listen to the bees buzzing and the waves lapping on the shore. Beats emailing any day!
Contact: denise@hebrideanwoolshed.co.uk
See also: [The Big Garden] [South Uist Self-Catering] [iMaps]
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