The Farm

Brechfa Farm is set just below the Preselli Hills and is a beautiful, rolling farm with 2 rivers, over 70 acres of natural woodland, lush grass and water meadows.

It was always important to have the native btreeds on the farm. Pedigree Welsh Black cattle,- who are beautiful,- and Pedigree Welsh Black Mountain sheep -who are hardy, impossible with amazing brown/black fleeces - to start with. Then we fell in love with Pedigree Dorset sheep who are gentle and kind with wonderful fleeces. Over the years a small flock of coloured Dorsets have been bred whose wool is beautiful shades of cream, black and brown. The farm is known for the quality of all its home bred animals.

Alongside the cattle and sheep Brechfa Farm Stud is well-known for breeding successful show and event horses. Our home-bred skewbald stallion, Brechfa Brynach, is the only coloured horse to be the Supreme Champion at the Royal Welsh Show - a huge honour.

Our Wool

For nearly 30 years our beautiful wool, in its gorgeous colours, has been spun locally and then made locally into a range of bespoke knitware which was sold all over the country and he USA. In recent years Brechfa Farm wool has been woven (at Melin Teifi) or hand crafted into limited edition and individual throws and cushions.

Brechfa Designs

When you look at things in a different way - interesting pieces of old farm and industrial machinery, salvaged wood, old tiles, pieces of cast-iron - become the inspiration for individual pieces of furniture.

2021

Sees the opening of our Studio on the farm. This is a collaboration between Damson and Slate textiles; Monkstone Knitware and Brechfa Farm blankets, throws, cushions and bespoke industrial and reclaimed furniture.

“Few yarns have a twist in them as convoluted as the tale of Gillian Osband: a children’s book publisher and author... who re-wrote her own life story, became a farmer ... and then branched out into knitware.”

Hilary Alexander, The Daily Telegraph, London

Gillian Osband Knitwear

One of the best things about wool is that it is wonderful to wear.
When someone chooses one of my pieces I want to ensure that it stays wonderful to wear, so from the very beginning everything I make is designed to keep its shape and hang beautifully.

This has a lot to do with the stitches and textures that are chosen for each garment; to look good, of course, and to keep on looking good however often you want to wear it.

Much of the wool is spun from my own sheep. They are chosen for the quality of their fleeces.The wool is either used alone or with cashmere to give a softer feel. This season , a rich palette of reds, greens, blues and mauves has been added to the wonderful natural wool colours.

Then detail and finish are essential. The care that is taken over detail and the finish of each piece is just as important as the quality of the fleeces and it all adds to the expression of the original idea. I like it when the more you look at one of my pieces, the more you see.

Stitches, design, colour, line all play their part but a garment isn’t finished until it has the right buttons. I use old buttons or have horn, slate and metal buttons made especially for me. You can wear one of my garments that is unique with its antique buttons.

Each year's production is very small. I only make about 500 garments a season. Every single one is hand washed and pressed before delivery. Some are hand knitted. Some hand crocheted. All are hand finished.

Photographs by Steve Williams