knitwear

It's Wool Week in London right now as Prince Charles is encouraging us to realise the importance of the animal fabric. He is concerned about the dwindling price of wool commenting, "A couple of years ago I was shocked to discover that it often costs more the shear a sheep than a farmer would be paid for its wool." Yesterday, Saville Row was turfed over so that a flock of sheep could roam around. There was also a flock of bright yellow sheep outside Selfridges to highlight the department stores involvement. They are encouraging people to go in store and knit to help create a knitted house (until 17th October). Lots of stores are getting involved in the event, including Burberry, Pringle, Paul Smith, Jigsaw and Jaeger, with wool themed windows, discounts on knitwear and knitting classes.

Cardigans might not be the sexiest clothing item, but they're one of the most practical. When dressing for unpredictable weather, it's important to have another layer to throw on or take off as the temperature changes.

This season, knitwear has got more slouchy as drape front cardigans become the perfect Summer cover up. You can wear one over a dress or with shorts in the evening when it gets a bit cooler. I like this nautical striped version (£27) which I would wear with denim shorts. I also like this cream style (£25). Will you be wearing a waterfall cardigan this season?

Jamie Oliver is on a crusade to make the UK a better nation. He firstly changed school dinners, then challenged the meat industry and now he's branching out in to knitting, well, sort of! There is logic to this idea as Jamie aims to make use of the whole sheep! His restaurant, Fifteen, breed their own sheep for meat and have turned the yarn in to wool. The yarn is then spun and dyed by the Natural Fibre Company and sold to raise money for Jamie's charity, the Fifteen Foundation! The limited edition kits are available now (£23) meaning you could have a scarf finished by Christmas.

I'm literally not sure how Lily Cole finds the time in the day to squeeze everything in. Not content with being a top model, Lily began studying at Cambridge University last year and has recently been busy promoting her acting efforts in Rage and The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus. This week it has been revealed that she's to add yet another string to her bow as she launches a clothing line with fellow model Katherine Poulton and friend Alice Ashby.The North Circular has been produced with Isobel Davies and has eco credentials as each piece was made from the wool of a rescued sheep. Your design will come with the details of the rescue and you can even customise the colour.

As much as I hate to say it, it's time to start admitting that the Summer is drawing to a close. The evenings are getting darker and there is a cool breeze in the air reminding us of the changing seasons. It's not all bad news though, as Autumn clothes are always more exciting than Summer with more trend forward pieces and luxurious fabrics.

There is always plenty of knitwear around in the Autumn and this year is no exception. I have particularly noticed a lot of bobbly knits hitting stores up and down the country offering a textured take on the look. See below for some cosy jumper dresses and cardigans that are sure to get you in the mood for the new season.