Howdy! I would like to share the exciting news that our TURTLE looms are now available at Weft Blown, a weaving and spinning supplier in West Kilbride, Scotland, which is also known as Craft Town Scotland.
Some of you know store owner Ange Sewell and her team, who for years have welcomed pin-loom weavers in person at their store near the beautiful North Ayrshire Coast, as well as online. Ange plans to relocate in 2023 , but will still be in West Kilbride.
To celebrate Weft Blown as a new stockist, I designed a quick and easy cowl, inspired by the Firth of Clyde and the impressive island scenery, like the Isle of Arran, right off the shore near West Kilbride.
When Ange and I were chatting about yarns that have something to do with Scotland (but are also available in the United States), The Croft yarns from West Yorkshire Spinners came up. I had sampled those yarns a few years ago and fallen in love with them, and using them in a welcome project seemed a delightful choice.
Whether you use Shetland wool (I used The Croft Shetland Tweed Aran and Wild Shetland Aran Roving), a handspun yarn that you made, or any worsted weight yarn of your liking, the Firth of Clyde Cowl works up quickly on the Original TURTLE Loom R – regular sett, even in time for the upcoming holidays!
Ready to celebrate? Download the free cowl pattern now!
And here are a few suggestions for how to wear your cowl
The cowl measures about 27″ in the round and about 11″ tall, without measuring the hexagons tips (with tips it measures about 13″). 
Just slide it over your head and tug it into a comfy position, or … 
… wear it over your head. 
If you do that, it’s almost like a hoodie … 
… or a kerchief. 
You can also fold it in half, like a turtle neck (no pun intended). 
That way you have a smooth edging at the top, and playful tips at the bottom. 
Or you can use the cowl as garden decoration … well, we hope you don’t!
Thank you for celebrating with us! Maybe some of you will get a chance to visit Weft Blown.
And to those who will make a Firth of Clyde cowl, make sure to share some pictures!
This is such a delightful announcement!! Now I have another reason to travel to Scotland; it’s on my bucket list!
Oh, let me come with you!!!
Thank you for the pattern and ideas of how to wear it. I love my Turtle!
Thank you for your kind comment!
who sells croft yarn in the USA. thank you
West Yorkshire Spinners has a locator service on their website (I recommend that you call the store before you go there and ask whether they have the yarn that you’re looking for): https://www.wyspinners.com/stockists
I have used the following online retailers (there may be others as well):
The Woolery carries The Croft Shetland Colours (https://woolery.com/the-croft-shetland-colours-yarn.html, which you can use instead of the Roving) and The Croft Shetland Tweed (https://woolery.com/the-croft-shetland-tweed-yarn.html).
Some of the yarns that I used for the sample were from WEBS, but now that they are part of LoveCrafts, they are discontinuing West Yorshire Spinner yarns.
LoveCrafts carries a variety of WYS yarns , and I have ordered yarns from them many times … https://www.lovecrafts.com/en-us/l/yarns/yarns-by-brand/west-yorkshire-spinners-yarn?filter-yarnWeight.en-US=Aran
If you have a larger order (10-15 skeins total) and are not in a hurry, you could also consider ordering directly from WYS (https://www.wyspinners.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=the+croft).
Hope this helps!