Rough Circle Wool Studio

Rough Circle is a new, creative wool and textile design studio, beautifully situated on the towpath that flanks the River Barrow between Bagenalstown and Leighlinbridge in Co. Carlow, Ireland.

As an advocate for alternative uses for sheepwool, I am wholly committed to researching and experimenting ways to utilise a sustainable, renewable, environmentally beneficial, valuable natural resource, that is largely wasted.

In the studio I weave and felt the wool that is sheared annually from from my rare breed sheep flock. There is minimum intervention - the wool is undyed, washed only just to remove grit and soil but leaving the natural oils in the wool to retain softness and flexibility. This approach creates natural products that are as close to what the wool looks like on the sheep in the field outside the studio.

Join me for workshops and classes in sheep care, wool harvesting, wool processing, felting, hand weaving, and textile printing in the cottage studio. If you are visiting the locality, come and have an immersive experience that celebrates the beautiful versatility, tactility, and historical significance of sheep wool while being entertained by the flock of gorgeous, friendly sheep. Follow along with the rhythm and seasons of tending to a small flock through the blog.

Sustainability is at the core of all activities here. It is a small farm, going through the process of organic conversion. The waterside location provides endless inspiration for creative pursuits, right where the flock live. The workshop schedule follows the farming calendar, providing opportunities to creatively use the annual wool harvest - so often discarded - in innovative ways.