Talking about Wool - From Sheep to Socks

Do you produce, have, use, or love wool? 

Memorial folklore students are looking for wool enthusiasts in Newfoundland and Labrador to interview, photograph, or maybe visit, with the aim of developing a series of student papers and podcasts about the wool industry. 

Heritage NL is working with the students of Folk6400, a Graduate Seminar in Material Culture at Memorial University, to study the linkages between local raw wool and the crafting of products from that material. Are you a sheep farmer with underutilized wool? Are you a felter looking for a source of wool for your next project? Are you a new or experienced entrepreneur who has thoughts or questions about making or marketing wool-based craft in NL? If yes, our students want to talk to you! 

https://forms.gle/bzYcNGk5HB5eMVkN9 

A Call Out: Your memories and photos of Darning Eggs

Source: Artefacts Canada

Nice knit socks were and still are required for a warm, dry foot! There is nothing worse than a big hole that your toe sticks out of or one on your heel. In the past, people would not throw away their socks and waste materials, instead they would fix them.

A darning egg is a hard, round object that is inserted into a sock while repairing a hole. The darning egg makes it easier to stitch so it's not too tight or too loose. It prevents the sock from losing its shape while you repair and prevents you from accidentally stitching two sides of the sock together.

We are very interested in collecting photos or reminiscence of darning eggs. If you have any memories or even a photo or two of your darning egg please e-mail me at stephanie@heritagefoundation.ca or call 709-739-1892 ext. 3  or toll free at 1-888-739-1892 ext. 3. I would love to hear from you!