I have become a member of The Danish Yarn Purchasing Association, established 1998 by a group of Danish Textile designers, and have received a folder of their shade cards of yarns available for sale to all their members, including a price list, and information about their latest exhibition. “The Yarn Purchasing Association is aimed at textile designers, craftspersons, textile artists, and institutions offering textile courses. It buys quality yarns which is impossible to get hold of in the Danish retail trade and distributes these to the members of the Association.”

“It is the purpose of the Association to give members an influence on the selection of textile materials available for unique works and for industrial product development. The aim is thus to improve the foundation on which textile art and design may be created. Members are therefore most welcome to suggest which yarns should be available for sale through the Association.”

I am delighted to admire yarns made by a mixture of horsehair and cotton, wool and paper, dissolvable yarn, ‘rubbery’ yarns made of polyurethane – ideal for jewellery making, silks and wools! Some of which are sold at Handweavers in London, a long time member, see www.handweavers.co.uk.

There is no need to apply for membership any more even though their website requires a ‘adgangskode’ access code read password – chose your own. The one time fee is 1 000 DKK (around 100 GBP) if you live outside of Denmark while the annual fee is 125 DKK.  For more information see www.yarn.dk. I love my shade cards so the membership is a source of inspiration for me.