It seems fitting that the Campbell Town couple who supply some of Australia’s superfine merino wool campaign host the Norwegian textile designers and artists who are promoting the wool around the world.
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John and Vera Taylor, who produce high crimping merino wool at their 3000-hectare property Winton, showed Arne Nerjordet and Carlos Zachrison some of their 13,000 sheep on Wednesday.
The Scandinavian designers toured the property that Mr Taylor’s family established in 1835 before flying to Melbourne to speak with knitters at the Craft & Quilt Fair.
Australian Country Spinners sponsored the artists’ visit to Australia so they could talk to knitters in New South Wales and Victoria and promote Cleckheaton Australian Superfine Merino wool yarn.
However, Mr Nerjordet and Mr Zachrison also wanted to find out more about the Tasmanian wool industry so asked to visit Glen Stuart in Deddington and Winton, Australian Country Spinners chief executive Brenda McGahan said.
“They are the world’s most celebrated textile artists; they’re global knitting rockstars,” Ms McGahan said.
“We’re thrilled with our inaugural collaboration,” she said.
Mr Zachrison said the pair had worked together as fashion designers for 15 years, producing high-end knitwear using high quality wool and drawing on traditional Norwegian techniques.
“We work with high quality produce and find ways to make things relevant for the modern market,” he said.
The pair’s focus has recently moved from fashion design to hand knitting, and they have published eight books on the subject.
“We focus on the enjoyment of knitting. We’re inspirators now, instead of producers,” Mr Zachrison said.
The artistic collaborators will draw on what they have seen in Tasmania when speaking to audiences around the world.
“It’s nice to see the farms, how sheep are treated and where the wool comes from,” Mr Nerjordet said.
“After this trip we can put lots of stories into presentations. It will certainly inspire us to produce new things,” he said.
The story behind the wool is something that is becoming more important to consumers, which is what prompted the Tasmanian visit, Mr Zachrison said.
“Producers have a lot of pride in their work and they use time-honoured techniques for the highest quality produce with integrity,” Mr Zachrison said.
“People are becoming more obsessed with things that have a story,” he said.
The Taylors will also attend the craft fair as growers.
Johanna Baker-Dowdell
Johanna has more than 22 years experience as a journalist for newspapers, magazines and online publications.
Johanna has more than 22 years experience as a journalist for newspapers, magazines and online publications.
