Winter provides the perfect opportunity to wrap up in layers of gorgeous wool clothing, don your beanie and gumboots and enjoy the great outdoors. And if you find yourself short, the region has you covered (literally).
Spool & Spindle is a gorgeous Margaret River shop brimming with beautiful yarns and fabrics and wool accessories. Owner Helen Barling said the most popular items for winter were beanies and socks.
“I love that the humble beanie is so widely worn in Margaret River, in so many amazing colours and designs. I have customers who will knit their entire family a new beanie each year, it’s become a tradition,” she said. “Likewise with socks. Some of my customers are addicted to knitting socks. In our fast-moving society, the knowledge that someone has sat down and knitted you a pair of beautiful wool socks, that could easily be purchased for less than $10, is humbling.”
Her personal favourite is a knitted cowl. “They’re my number one favourite accessory, and a quick easy knit. I am also slightly obsessed with crocheting blankets. I have made one for each of my three girls, and a few scatter the lounge room at home. There’s nothing as cozy as snuggling up under one of these on a rainy winter’s night!” Helen believes knitting is the new yoga. “I’m constantly inspired by the beautiful new designs that are being released by some incredible young and funky designers – both women and men. Yarn crafts (knitting, crochet, weaving and embroidery) have seen a real resurgence in recent years, to the point where it is often commented that knitting is the new yoga. It truly is.”
“I can’t recommend it enough from both the satisfaction of having created something yourself to the medical benefits that it also brings.”
“You can never to be too old or too young to learn. I have taught octogenarians to crochet along with children as young as six. The satisfaction is the same for everyone in learning a new skill, and that they are able to create something from scratch. It is a real joy to be a part of it.”
