The Wool'n'Boat History.

The Wool 'n' Boats started off in 2002 whilst transporting good up and down the waterways of England, and were so named because owners Kim and Sue Russell had been living and working with boats and textile crafts for over 25 years.

The original Wool 'n' Boats were the working boats "Indus", the Butty "Naples" and later "Pictor", these boats were rebuilt by Kim and Sue. For the last 7 years they delivered fuel to canal residents, the working boats have now been passed on to friends Liz and Dan who are continuing the trade.

The picture on the right shows the original Wool'n'Boats at work in Birmingham, the boat on the left was being used to lay fibre optic cables between Birmingham and London, whilst the one on the right displayed Sue's textile products.

The current Wool'n'Boat is now travelling on the Thames, it came to Sue as a burnt out shell which she has now lovingly restored.

The Wool'n'Boat logo was created to mark the giant knitting needles Sue invented. It accompanies all her products and workshops. Sue has demonstrated, exhibited and taught at festivals and community centres all over the world including, the Textile and Fashion Museum, the V&A, Tate Modern, Kew Gardens and Fabrications (London), The Knitting and Stitching Show (London, Dublin, Birmingham and Harrogate), Creaktiv (Switzerland) and many more.

This summer Sue is working as an assistant lock-keeper at Godstow lock on the Thames. The rest of the year sees Sue following her threads back to Switzerland to a little Eco village in the mountains of the Maggiatal, where she helps with textile crafts and delivers workshops.
Click here to find out more about the Eco village - www.piantamonda.ch

In the spring you will find Sue across the Atlantic on a little island called Carriacou, with her family at the Bogles Round House, where she promotes the growth of organic cotton and holds textile craft holidays.
Click here to find out more about Bogles Round House - www.boglesroundhouse.com
Click here to find out more about Sue's textile holidays - www.wool-n-boat.co.uk

The Wool 'n' Boat crew consists of Helen Street who lives and travels sometimes on the boat, and Katherine Grace who also lives on a boat. Together they attend workshops, exhibitions and are crazy about dancing on the wool!

Sue on Giant Needles, Helen in Wool'n'Dance felting-wellies, Kathryn spinning in Carriacou.