To celebrate 10 years of Wool on the Exe we invited our wonderful customers to share their makes as part of an exhibition in the shop. We were blown away by the response and so grateful to everyone who brought in an item and shared the story behind their makes. Here is the exhibition for anyone who missed it or who would like to revisit it!
Witold’s i-cord Art “I was using Stylecraft Horizon Chunky yarn for the project. It was a passion project and first attempt in this medium, so I regard myself as an amateur.”
Tash’s Amigurumi Rose: “I had made a few flowers for a bouquet for my cousin's graduation then went to see Hadestown in London (a brilliant musical!) where a rose features throughout and I wanted to make my own. I bought the yarn from WOTE and loved making all the individual petals.” Narwal: “I had a book of sea creature amigurumi, most I used to make a baby mobile for my cousin's baby, but this narwal was too big! So she now has a home with me but fancied a holiday here!” Capybara: “I started my crochet journey with embroidery thread and a 2mm hook for amigurumi and this capybara was one of the first animals I made and she is my favourite animal.” Vase of flowers: “I made a bouquet of flowers for my cousin's graduation and these are the ones I either continued to make or didn't fit in the bouquet. The bonus is that these flowers don't need watering.”
Paula’s Book Bags “Multicoloured Book Bag - Sirdar Aran Jewelspun in Crystal Quartz using 5mm hook Ivory Book Bag - Trimits Craft Cotton in Ecru using 4.5mm hook I signed up for my first crochet workshop (Book Bag 5th July 2025) at the end of May 2025 & set about learning the stitches that I’d need to know to take part. Ella showed me the sample Book Bag so I knew what size button I’d need & I decided it would be easier to pick buttons first & then a yarn to go with them. The Jewelspun Crystal Quartz seemed just right for the buttons that had caught my imagination & there was no problem in my paying extra so I could use it instead of the designated yarn included in the workshop price. I loved the workshop run by Verity - learning the front & back post trebles technique both challenged & fascinated me. The Ivory Book Bag came about because I wanted to practise how the flap turned before doing it on my ‘proper’ project. As it was, I loved how that turned out & enjoyed finding buttons for it. So, these were my introduction to the world of crochet & yarns.”
Trudi’s Sirdar Stories Jumper “This yarn is so nice to knit with and it holds its shape well.”
Kim’s Celebration Shawl Debbie was dyeing yarn for the shop’s 10th anniversary colour and Kim loved it so she bought a skein. Kim found the pattern ‘Celebration Shawl’, she thought it was so perfect for the yarn!
Judith’s Three Amigurumi Queens & Corgi Judith used Anchor 4ply to make a collection of amigurumi dolls. The designs were from a book called Crochet Iconic Women and Judith improvised some of her own. Some of these were loaned to the shop in 2025 for an International Women's day display.
Christine’s Felt Bee “Bee made at a needlefelting workshop - great fun!”
Dylan’s Handspun “Ryland and mystery white sheep fluff. Spun on my Joy 2 single treadle. I booked a ‘fix your stitch’ with Jackie who taught me how to use a drop spindle & was hooked, BUT my new cat was also fascinated (and a natural born menace!). One day while in store I overheard Judith doing one of her ‘spinning with a wheel’ workshops and decided to book into one. As soon as I got into the flow with it I knew it was for me! I ordered my wheel that afternoon. I’ve spun almost every day since. This is my first finished skein!”
Rebecca’s Crochet Scarf “This is on of my favourite crochet techniques, ‘corner to corner’, but the very best thing is that I dyed the wool at Debbie’s workshop - I just can’t believe how beautiful the colours are and I had the best time ever!”
Irina’s Crochet Blanket “Retired: Blankets for charity not the usual "granny squares" using artistic way of combining colours to achieve a cheerful result pleasing the recipients.”
Jim’s Fair Isle Blanket “The pattern is Winter's Storey by Martin Storey. It was part of a knit-along event with yarn packs, incremental pattern releases and social events from Black Sheep Wools. My mum found the knit along and sent it to me. Partially because she thought I might like it, but also because she wanted to see a finished blanket.
I was planning to knit the blanket in BC Garn Loch Lomond because I liked the muted colours and tweedy texture. However, I couldn't get the tension I wanted so switched to WYS colour lab DK, which gave the blanket brighter, purer tones.
This wasn't the first time I had knitted a Fair Ilse pattern but it was by far the largest and most complicated. My tension changed a bit over the blanket and I think I finished much better at colour work.
I used duplicate stitch to add eyes to the gnomes. That way I could avoid knitting a row with three colours. I thought it would be fun to give one gnome a different eye colour.
The blanket was knitted in the round, then steeked and a border added. It was my first time steeking. I used chain stitch to secure the edge, but I also reinforced it with a felting needle. I think the yarn was a bit too slippery for the crochet edge to be enough on it's own, perhaps because the yarn is superwash.
I'm very pleased with how the blanket turned out. It is too nice to only bring out at Christmas, so I keep it on my sofa all year round.”
Shirley’s Crochet Shawl made with Fyberspates Gleem Lace
Tash’s Flower Sneeze Blanket This is one panel of four in progress. Made with croft and a little bit of life DK each flower represents the one day of sneezing “It's a flower a day with the inner colour being the number of sneeze sessions, and the petals being the total number of sneezes in the day. I keep track every time I have a sneeze session I wrote down as soon as I can and record it into my sneeze spreadsheet. I'm on to my third year of doing it. I try to sew them together randomly. It's a project that I often bring to the knit/crochet night. I'm going to keep going until it feels finished - I don't know what 'finished' will feel like.”
Carol’s Colourwork Jumper “Dragonfly (by Elenor Mortensen) caught my eye on Ravelry with so many lovely interpretations. Debbie helped me plan a colour scheme which I am really happy with. I love having a local yarn store with a wonderful range of local and British yarns.”
Hannah’s Hat “Petit Knit - Oslo Hat: UK alpaca 4ply and mohair held together”Lizzie’s Colourwork Hat “My first attempt at a fairisle hat - was slower than I thought! Ella helped me choose the colours - to add to what I already had. Think it will be warm!”
Jane’s Shawl “Made with five mini skeins of naatural dyed yarn from a GingerPink trunk show. One of the plants for the dye was picked in Exeter and that is why I chose this colour range.”
Juley’s Intarsia Cardigan “Made with Stylecraft Recreate. It's a whole lot easier than it looks!”
Tash’s Tapestry Crochet Panel One of Tash’s sealife tapestries, made using all different wools from the shop. Most of the panels use cross stitch patterns and Tash converts them to crochet patterns instead.
Barbara’s Lace Jumper “Charisma by Martin Story made with yarn dyed by Debbie in the colour "rock pool" held with mohair.”
Jackie’s Tunic “This knitted tunic started life as a kit for a knitted squares blanket (and wasn't cheap to buy!) I've been knitting for well over 50 years. I knit for mindfulness and the joy of having made something with yarn I adore and a pattern that suits me. I started to knit the blanket squares but struggled with four double pointed needles, fingering yarn and yarn overs at the junctions of needles. I made six squares, hated knitted every one, and made a mistake in every one I think ...so what next? Life is too short to knit something I am not enjoying so I invented the tunic and it became fun again! After knitting a stocking stitch tension square it was (relatively) easy to design and work out the corner curves etc. I know have a tunic I love, knitted from yarn I love, with good rather than negative memories of producing it. Modify, redesign, find another pattern or come in to Wool on the Exe for help!”
Hannah’s Colourwork Hat “King Salmon Hat - Boyland Knitworks: Merina Skua 4 ply held double.”
Ella’s Mosaic Crochet Shawl “Made with all different natural dyed yarn in my stash. I wanted to use the natural dyed yarn together but wanted another colour to work with them. West Yorkshire Spinners Blue Faced Liester undyed brown was perfect! This project was part of a make-a-long with Sam! I learned so much doing it and it really boosted my confidence in my crochet.”
Sam’s Crochet Blanket Bloom Blanket designed by Sam was made using all different yarns in the shop. This was part of a 2024 Crochet-along.
Debbie’s Colourwork Vest “Skara Brae tank top - Mary Henderson Inspired by The Knitter magazing - love the natural colours.”
Hannah’s Crochet Shawl “Hideaway Shawl : WYS Signiature in Woodpecker.”
Sian’s Cardigan “I bought the mohair while on holiday in New York and I wanted something to go with it so I came in and found another yarn handdyed by Debbie. I thought it matches brilliantly! It was like it was meant to be.’ Pattern by Lily Kate France.”
Jane’s Crochet Shawl A Vagabond Shawl made using Zauberball Crazy. These shawls have been very popular at our Thursday Stitch Night group.
Abi’s Lace Jumper Made using a kit that she bought from our auction.Ethel’s Cable Lace Shawl “This wool was on the peg 'crying out to be knitted' so I knitted it and it is lovely - dyed by our Debbie - baby alpaca, cashmere, silk - so nice.”
Ethel’s Lace Shawl Knitted “With wool which I bid for at the auction. Neither hank had the 800 metres needed for this ravelry shawl so it has the two colours in it. “
Jo’s Colourwork Jumper “My most enjoyable colourwork knit ever! Came to Wote with the pattern & knew straight away the colours when I spotted them. I love the variety of patterns and never having a whole round the same. A boredom free knit!”
Gail’s Colourwork Jumper “My first colourwork sweater! I hope it won’t be the last but I’ve always been drawn to simplicity. Encouraged to be adventurous and given help when I doubted my skills I preserved. Never doubt yourself, you can do it with a little help, encouragement and advice from WOTE.”
Trudi’s Colourwork Jumper Cardoon Jumper made with WYS Fleece Blueface Leicester. “This is the third time I have made this jumper. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the pattern. I found it very easy to use.”
Thank you so much to everyone who leant us their gorgeous makes!