Nundle Woollen Mill

While on our way to the Hunter Valley, just north of Tamworth, I saw a sign that caught my FULL attention.  It read,

Wool Mill, 

Nundle, 

Next turn left.

So turn left we did and discovered a beautiful village filled with country charm, surrounded by mountains with an amazing woollen mill.  

Now going to a wool mill with three young boys is interesting.  I could have spent hours touching all the beautiful hanks of wool, feeling the soft texture but small boys also want to touch, pick up and feel the wool.  However they aren't as focused on returning the wool to it original home!!  So I felt a few different ones, let them feel a few with nearby supervision.

The mill is well set up for visitors and tourists.  There is a store out the front with yarn, wool clothing and other wool products for sale and out the back is a platform above the mill so you can easily each stage of the process, along with more yarn.

There are large numbers on each machine with corresponding informations boards you can read and learn about each stage of the process.  The boys had fun finding each number and the board to go with it.  After being at our local historical woolshed work museum just the week before they now have a great understanding of what happens in the wool industry.

From the sheepdogs, shearing, pressing the bales, transporting with horse drawn wagons, opening the bales, carding the wool, spinning, plying, hanking, dying, coning and balling.  And then they see mum buying wool and knitting it into a scarf!!  I think I can safely say we have covered history and textiles this term in our schooling.

Unfortunately while we were there the mill wasn't running, much to my disappointment.  However, when I was purchasing (more) wool - I really couldn't help it - I asked how often they ran the mill.  The lady told me she would be starting it in an hour or so.  Oh, now what to do.  I so wanted to see it running but we also needed to be on the road so we would reach our destination for the day at a reasonable time.  The desire to see it run won out!! Now what to do with three young boys to keep them happy for the next hour.  I know - follow the sign that reads 'Park'.  What a great choice.  

This is not your ordinary park. It comes complete with sheep,  shearing shed and daily shearing recording board.  Once again due to our recent trip to the woolshed, our boys were 'shearing' giving me a full detailed explanation of what they were demonstrating.

When it started raining we headed back to the wool mill.  The hour wasn't up yet but I thought we should just go in and check to see if they had started.  And sure enough they had.  WooHoo.  We got to see the plying machine working.  It was so cool.  The boys sat mesmerised by it and wanted to stay and watch. 

 We will definitely be going back to the beautiful town of Nundle.  And next time, we'll be checking out some more of town because I have since heard there is a beautiful vintage kitchen shop in town too.

A Three Year Project

When I was pregnant with Eli (who is now 2!!) I started knitting a cotton throw blanket.  I didn't have a pattern, my friend had one that I liked so I borrowed it and counted stitches and rows etc.  I cast on 150 stitches and started my moss stitch.  Each row took me about 45mins to knit!!  I was cruising along alright but after awhile, as you can imagine I started to lose a little interest and get a bit bored with it (and started other knitting projects). 

Every now and then I would get it out and do a bit more. Then Eli joined our family and then the desire  and the need to have a blanket decreased each day.  

Then 2 years on, my sister announced that she was pregnant.  Out came the blanket again - I was on a mission to get it finished for this baby.  After running out of cotton and then going all over town to try and find more that matched, I finally got the knitting all finished!  BEFORE Jimmy arrived.

It then sat in a pile on my sewing desk for a few months till he actually arrived and I was gently prompted by my sister to finish it.  I was going to try and make binding till I discovered blanket binding. How cool is this stuff.  Once I had this it took me all of 15 mins to finish. 

Now it is used and loved by my newest nephew and his mum.  Isn't he CUTE?