Dyed in the wool – an ethical Northamptonshear business that’s gone global

Wool inspired and funded many of our UK navigable waterways, canals and rivers that are now they are proving the direct inspiration for hand dyed wool, from British sheep for a Weedon Bec husband and wife team. The colours created by narrowboaters Becci and Markus Pamely-Bast at RiverKnits are unique and going global.

Corporate engineers Becci and Markus began RiverKnits on their narrowboat home, while Becci was pregnant. She devoted her maternity leave to grow a baby and a business. She remembers: “We had fleeces everywhere – we were moored on the River Nene at the time.” The couple met through their love of folk music (both are accomplished musicians) so the boat was also housing Becci’s accordians, and Markus’s double bass, which had to live most of the time in the bath! They began cruising once their son Bryn was born, but the business rapidly began to outgrow the 60ft Drowsy Maggie.

They found studio premises once served by a branch of the Grand Union Canal at the Royal Ordnance Depot in Weedon Bec. That allowed them to grow their business, and reclaim the boat as a home. Markus’s return to violin from the double bass also released more space aboard!The waterways though still flow through the business. The unique colourways they create are anchored in the water and surrounding nature. The Nene range has vibrant Kingfisher with its blend of turquoise, greens and teal with a flash of orange. Honey Sunrise reflects autumn sun peeking through copper leaves. Mind the Cill is inspired by the greens and browns of canal locks. Other shades reflect nature round the waterways from rosehips, brambles and sweet chestnuts, carefully dyed and blended. All these yarns create unique finished products.“We both love wool in its purest form, sourced sustainably from local flocks, and a lot of our colour inspiration is drawn directly from our life on the canals and rivers. We use acid dyes which are specifically designed for use with wool and silk,” says Becci. Their precision engineering backgrounds have resulted in a unique business advantage for them, and for their customers. Thanks to meticulous spreadsheets detailing the precise make up of every single shade they create, they are able to dye consistent repeatable colourways.The business began as Becci’s idea. A keen knitter she wanted to work with wool, once the source of Britain’s wealth, described as “the jewel in the realm”. To this day a reminder of the principle source of national wealth in the Middle Ages sits in the House of Lords – the Woolsack. The seat of the Lord Speaker this square cushion is stuffed with wool and covered with red woollen cloth. Both Becci and Markus are keenly aware of the decline in the wool industry from its heyday, but as they cruised the waterways they saw flocks of sheep which gave them the idea of sustainably sourcing local wool, ensuring it would be spun in the UK and creating unique colourways for the finished product. At his request Becci taught Markus to knit and crochet: “And he’s better than me now. Even though I taught him the English way - he now knits the Continental way.” Items by them both adorn the studio walls, and unless it’s high summer they are usually wearing examples too.Working with local producers, meeting their sheep and understanding the process of rearing and shearing to produce high quality wool is important to them both. They support their farmers as part of a community of enterprise. The Shetland sheep of the Ashby flock owned by Lynne and David White, graze alongside the canal at Braunston. Their wool together with that Leicester Longwool sheep from Barry Evans’ and Chris Sander’s flock in Astcote, just down the A5 from the RiverKnit studio forms the unique Northampton Shear range.The vibrant, creative community RiverKnits has generated is probably down to the engaging nature of its owners as much as their passion for their products. The community includes not just sheep farmers but UK spinners in Yorkshire and Devon who use heritage equipment, and crafters. Whilst their hand dyed wool is sent to customers in the United States, Australia and Europe, local crafters have the chance to join together with Becci and Markus in the studio at their free Wednesday evening Stitch Folk craft and natter sessions. They also work with knit and crochet designers, weavers and other (often floating) artists to create patterns, goods and workshops offered at the studio to inspire crafters. Some of Becci’s own patterns enable good use of small quantities of wool to create unique items from leftovers. The workshops they run enable crafters to share their passion for hand dyeing, and are, like everything they do, fully inclusive and accessible. If you visit in person you can even get to see Hermann in action. He’s a hank winder from Germany reducing the travel miles of their skeins and has appropriately had a European folk dance composed just for him by Becci.RiverKnits use natural fibres and source as locally as possible, ensuring all wool is spun in the UK. Dyeing as a process uses significant quantities of water, but Becci and Markus reuse it all and exhaust their dye baths so there is no risk of pollution and no waste.As Northamptonshear wool afficionados RiverKnits are inviting everyone to come and meet Hermann and the sheep behind their business, as well as other attractions at their Open Day in Weedon Bec on Sunday May 14th. Ashby Shetlands will be the staaaars of the show along with hand-dyed yarns, local wool, patterns and accessories. Independent knit and crochet designers will be on hand showing their patterns and discussing their work with crafters. Visitors can watch expert demonstrations of spinning and weaving by members of the Northants Guild of Spinners, Weavers and Dyers as well having a go themselves.Hermann and the music he inspired will be on apparent too at the event in Building 5, The Depot, Weedon Bec NN7 4PS from 10am-4pm. Tickets available at www.riverknits.uk/events. Ewe just can't miss it!