MEMBER PROFILE
Chris Crofts
Music and art were always my favourite things at school and, having followed a more academic career, I eventually joined a course at the Carlisle Art College in 1993. I ended up studying part time for seven years and it was there that I became acquainted with the tufting gun.
The gun-tufting technique of rug making is used commercially as well as by people like me who enjoy its speed compared with using a latch hook, putting in one stitch at a time. Even with a tufting gun, the more often you change the colour of the wool, the longer the rug will take to complete and some of my landscape hanging rugs are the ultimate in colour changing.
Also, as well as wool, I use any type of fancy yarn that will give me the right effect. For instance, mohair is very useful to soften distant hills.
I joined The Wool Clip from the outset and, following the original concept of adding value to fell wool, most of my rugs are made from Herdwick and Swaledale wool. I use five shades of natural grey, ranging from the very pale of Swaledale to the almost black of the Herdwick lamb’s first clip. I dye all these shades of grey to a glorious palette of muted colours, which I use to make my rugs and crocheted bags.
You can find out more about my work from a couple of videos that were made for Woolfest Online 2020. These show how I dye my yarn and how I work on my rugs.
I sell rugs, bags and also my natural and dyed wool in The Wool Clip and I undertake commissions for my rugs too.
Facebook connection: Chris Crofts Herdwick Rugs
Website: Chris Crofts Herdwick Creations
Or contact Chris via The Wool Clip shop.
