Wednesday, September 26, 2012

AMERICA'S FIRST WOOL WEEK - THE CAMPAIGN FOR WOOL

Please join us in celebrating America's First Wool Week September 24-30th.  To learn more about The Campaign For Wool visit http://www.campaignforwool.org

One of many stories of the history of wool through the centuries taken from 'The Campaign for Wool' website:

'Historically, British woollen cloth was so refined that it was cherished by Roman emperors for being 'so fine it was comparable with a spider's web."  So it was by the 12th century that wool had become one of England's greatest national assets, mostly through export.

It was the approach of King Edward III (reigned 1327-77) who worked with the Flemish master weavers that restored England's reputation.

At the end of the 17th century six Merino sheep arrived in the South African cape intended for the Dutch King.  However, it took two years for those six sheep to finally reach the King having left behind a flock for the tending garrison!

The great Australian wool trade was born in the 1810s when the British occupied the Cape and commandeered the Merino flocks and shipped them to Sydney.  In 1815 demand for Australian wool spiked because of demand from the Napoleonic Wars, establishing a foothold in the English market.  The Australian Merino flocks had evolved to produce 'the softest and finest fleece of wool'.

In the 1850s, the introduction of sheep farming to New Zealand caused an economic boom.  This was mirrored 100 years later when US stockpiling of wool for the Korean War tripled the price of Antipodean wool overnight.'

HERE'S WHERE IT ALL STARTS, FROM THESE SHEEP


TO THIS



TO THIS


TO THIS


TO THIS 




AND FINALLY THE FINISHED PRODUCT!


Seasonal Fall Basket

HAVE A WOOLY GREAT DAY!

1 comment:

  1. Happy Wool Week~~~ I love the history you shared here....And, good luck with the giveaway..I'd give anything to be able to enter, but they frown upon those of us in education to do Facebook..At least in my county, its kind of an unwritten rule...But, I know there are lots of entries and you will come up with a very lucky winner!!! Take care, Faye

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