Common Threads Textile Group

28/10/2019

We’ve slept a few times since hanging Alive With Change last week, so I thought it might be time to share the exhibition as a whole rather than give you close up sneak pieces. First up is our “Shawl Wall”.

We have chosen the shawl as the medium through which to explore and express the role of women through Bradford’s changing times, from rough wool for millworkers to silk and other luxury fibres for their masters’ wives. Throughout history, the shawl is ubiquitous and has come to be used as shorthand to represent status within the social hierarchy, depending on the materials used and the way in which the shawl was worn. It has become a paradigm for women’s presence and labour in industry, as in society. Here we pay tribute to that presence.

Alive With Change continues at Bradford Cathedral until 27th November.

22/10/2019

More sneak peeks...
Alive With Change opens tomorrow at Bradford Cathedral and runs through until 27th November.

22/10/2019

Just a few sneak peaks to tempt you to come along to the Alive With Change exhibition that opens tomorrow at ...

11/10/2019

03/10/2019

Winding a new warp...

30/09/2019

Day 30: Favourite post by a participant, chosen by

Why do I like this piece by Sue Nicholls? The actual image appeals to me. I like that sort of outline drawing of trees, and the colours. Also it's something I couldn't do myself, which I also find intriguing.

with
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Day 26 of by - I’ve caught up with the challenge - today is CONTROLLED - this is an example of one of my precision machine embroideries. These tend to grow organically from something I see in my head rather than from a sketch.

29/09/2019

Day 29: Edge posted by

I have a bit of a ‘thing’ about my selvedges when weaving. Some say I am too fussy and ‘fiddle’ too much trying to get them right.

This image is from a small sample. Not a finished piece that will be used or seen by anyone other than me. I still couldn’t stop myself from trying to get the edges right.

Can you spot the point at which I decided I didn’t like this piece and didn’t care any more?!!

It’s a _very_ bad sample that makes me give up bothering to get the edges right!!!

28/09/2019

Day 28: Found posted by

I bought a pair of old linen sheets from a car boot sale, and, when I got home, found this sandwiched between them. I love the colours and pattern,the rusty needles still threaded as if the needlewoman is coming back to finish her work. I would love to know what it was going to be.

27/09/2019

Day 27: Uncontrolled posted by

As well as a hand weaver, I am also a handdyer. Today I am setting up for and there always comes a point where it all feels very uncontrolled (or maybe I mean out of control?) when I’m partway through building the stand and it feels like I’ll never be done because I need to keep trying until I find the best configuration.

26/09/2019

Day 26: Controlled posted by

Usually weaving is all about control – the weaver controls how the warp is put on the loom and how the weft is thrown and the loom controls how the threads are lifted. But occasionally it’s fun to let something else take control. This is a picture of a narrow scarf/neckpiece I wove some years ago. The white threads are linen but the pink and purple are very overtwisted wool. I spun the wool on my Victorian spinning wheel, which is a flax wheel and therefore has a ratio that is really far too high for normal wool spinning. It was all flat when under tension on the loom of course, but once it was off and washed the wool tried to naturally release some of the overtwisting resulting in a narrower scrunched up piece. It’s fun and I love it, but what was in control here was definitely the wool!

25/09/2019

Day 25: Detail posted

I really admire the work of Jo Bee, and came across this picture in "Open Spaces", the latest book by Susan Guagliumi. This combination of delicacy and intricacy is quite seductive.

24/09/2019

Day24: Reverse posted by

This is a small sample for my current project.

It consists of two layers of cloth, woven at the same time. The front layer is hand manipulated leno, leaving gaps where the back layer can be seen through.

I don’t like this sample and will not be taking it further, even though I do quite like the colours on the reverse side!