Love Spool
Love Spool | A Purl of a Small Business based in Randwick
"Knitting, he thought, was a comfort to the soul. It was regular. It was repetitious. And, in the end, it amounted to something." - Jan Karon, 'At Home In Mitford'.
Not long after our last e-news went out, we got a phone call from one of our regulars from The Spot Cellars, Colum O’Leary. He seemed a little nervous making contact, and once we got talking, he had our heart singing. Having seen our article on a local small business, he was proudly spruiking his wife’s new business, Love Spool and was wondering if Neighbourhood Cellars would be interested in spreading the word in our newsletter. His enthusiasm and support of what his wife Rachel has created, along with his warm, soft Irish accent were hard not to be drawn to! Supporting local small business and the communities we operate in is something we are dedicated to at Neighbourhood Cellars, and we are chuffed to introduce you to Love Spool and Rachel’s story.
Rachel O’Leary was heavily pregnant with their daughter Lucy and busy running around after their 3-year-old son Finn when we were in lockdown in 2020. Tired of the evening phone-scrolling routine, she decided to pick up her knitting needles again. A self-proclaimed impatient person who gets bored easily, Rachel discovered that chunky merino wool meant quick knits using a luxurious, super soft, sustainable & natural yarn. Being able to wear her knits within hours of casting on (yes, even I remember the knitting jargon from my primary school days clicking needles) had her hooked. What was frustrating was her inability to buy a wide range of colours, so Rachel went on a mission to source some.
Love Spool was born out of lockdown ennui, and a desire to put her Fashion Design Diploma & old knitting skills to good use. Rachel has created 9 easy step-by-step instructions together with a library of easy-to-follow video content that is perfect for beginners. Understanding that knitting patterns were traditionally boring and a little scary, more like reading code, she wanted to demystify the basics to make knitting easy, fun and approachable.
The business is grounded in Rachel’s ethos & values as a slow fashion advocate combined with her passion to revive an old craft to inspire a new generation of knitters to explore their creativity and feel good when they do it. It is something she can do while at home raising two little ones, and we have started chatting about doing some Knit, Stitch & Sip events around the Tasting Table at our Bayswater Fine Wines store. What’s not to love??!! Sitting around our table tasting different wines, paired with cheeses, whilst learning to knit, and even walking out with a finished, or near-completed item! All you need to do is book in and show up! Everything else will be provided! Follow us @neighbourhoodcellars and Rachel @love_spool_knits to make sure you find out when these events will be happening.
"I love the way knitting brings people together." - Debbie Macomber, 'A Good Yarn'.
Why Knitting? Making your own, restyling your existing wardrobe, making a gift for a friend or loved one are all positive ways to approach fashion and allow your personal style to shine. Knitting does all of this but is also great for your emotional and mental well-being. It’s fulfilling, giving you that dopamine hit you get when you make something with your own two hands. It’s calming and relaxing due to its repetitive, rhythmic movements which has been proven to assist with managing stress and anxiety. Last, but not least, it’s a way to develop a lifelong skill that has the power to connect people across generations.
Rachel has created knitting projects for Spring/Summer which means you can get those knitting needles clicking to create some threads for this season. Not a bad way to start if you’re new to the craft. Start with a simple Spring/Summer project, and you’ll be ready to tackle something more complicated to make, then wear when the cooler weather is back come Autumn and Winter. She has sourced some cotton yarns to work with to complement the merino wool range already in the Love Spool Knits range, and we can’t wait to see what tops, bralettes, headbands and other patterns she has conjured up to add to her kits.
