A Busman's Holiday at the National Wool Museum
I’ve been on holiday to Australia, home of Merino sheep, and so it was inevitable to find some kind of wool related activity! When I found out that there was a National Wool Museum, we took a trip on the train from where we were staying in Melbourne, to the sleepy town of Geelong.The museum tells the tale of Australian wool, from the beginnings of sheep farming to the manufacture of woollen textiles.
In the centre of the museum is an Axminster carpet loom, which we were lucky to see in operation, learning about the weaving process on this jacquard rug loom. It was incredibly interesting, and I particularly loved the punchcard mechanism as it was like a larger version of the one on my knitting machines!
My husband in found the ‘From Fleece to Fabric’ section of the museum really interesting. He has learnt a fair bit about the wool industry from me blathering on, but this was a real hands on, step-by-step approach to teaching about the wool process, from farming to shearing to skirting, to carding to spinning. You could even have a go on a drum carding machine, and a Victorian sock knitting machine!
A highlight for me was the part of the museum that showed the evolution of the Merino breed over time, and how this has led to creating a fleece with a super fine micron count that is desired around the world.
The museum could perhaps do with a little updating, but overall it is well worth a visit if you are interested in the wool industry and in the area. Geelong is a 2 hour train ride from Melbourne.
If you’ve enjoyed reading this blog and found it helpful, why not buy me a virtual coffee on Ko-Fi? There’s no obligation, but your support will help me continue to write these blogs and help my journey to become a self sufficient natural dye grower and knitwear designer. Ria :)