The Southern Thread

Happy New Year 2026 Year of the Horse (but on a bike)

  Hatsumōde by bicycle.A quiet island in Wakayamaand a calm start to the year.   今年の初詣は自転車で。和歌山の小さな島で、静かに新しい年を迎えました。   A quiet beginning to the year For our first shrine visit of the year, ...

December Birthdays

It was my birthday in December and it happened to fall on a Wednesday. Naturally I was at work at my shop for Woolly Wednesday but what a ripper of a day it turned out to be!  To start we had the m...

Family is Everything

Earlier in the month (December), we went to Tokyo. Not for work.Not for sightseeing.And not with a long list of plans. We went because both of our kids are there and Christmas felt like the right e...

Pantone's Colour (or Color) of the Year: Cloud Dancer

Pantone recently announced its Color of the Year and it is rather disappointing as a person who loves colour. Cloud Dancer is "a lofty airy white". Since the program began, Pantone has announced a ...

A Small Warm Moment in a Cold World

A reflection on wool, winter, and why human warmth still matters Winter has a way of sharpening the edges of life. The air thins, the streets empty a little earlier, and even the most ordinary rout...

Quiet Performance: Wool That Works Hard, Without Looking Like It

Some clothes are made to shout. They gleam with logos, flash zippers like medals, and promise you’ll conquer mountains before breakfast. But what if your idea of performance isn’t about summits and...

Showing Up Anyway

Today was our very first Wool & Wonder Learn to Knit Day. No one came. I won’t pretend that wasn’t disappointing — it’s always a bit disheartening when you put energy into something and it do...

Thoughts on home and homesickness

I wrote an earlier post about long-term homesickness which was a prevailing feeling I was having earlier in the year. I have since been home to New Zealand for a fairly extended period and conseque...

Why Wool Matters

OUR VISION We want New Zealand wool to become the first and most natural choice for winter in Japan. Japan is known for its four seasons, and winter can be especially cold. In the past, warmth came...

Why Visit New Zealand in Winter? A Quiet Season Full of Wonder

While most travellers from Japan head south in summer, there’s something deeply special about discovering New Zealand during winter. With direct flights from Tokyo to Auckland, the journey has neve...