warp & weft

Issue 223 - September 2006 �

Contents

Editorial 3

June meeting 4

July meeting 8

August meeting 2

Member Profile 16

What’s on in Textiles �8

Notices 20

Up coming Guild meetings 24

Membership 26

In this Issue...Perfecting your sewing... Textiles of Burma... Identify that sheep... The latest from Africa and Nepal... Our new Membership Secretary

introduces herself...

Irma Horten

Irma was a staunch member of the London Guild for a number of years, and I often remember admiring the fine quality of her weaving which was frequently selected for our own and national exhibitions. And regular readers of Warp & Weft may have noticed the credits to her in each issue for the What’s

On information she gathered for us to enjoy, going back to the time when I was editing Warp & Weft. In my experience, her contributions always arrived on time without the need to chase – what a joy to have such a reliable regular contributor. Despite her advancing years, she remained very active, attending many exhibitions and classes herself, and was quite mystified how some retired people could struggle to fill their time in a rewarding way. She has been a student at both Melanie’s and Bobbie’s classes, and recruited some of her friends to the Guild, so we must be doubly grateful..

Irma’s quiet manner could be deceptive – she was a feisty person beneath the surface, with passionate views about environmental issues, particularly global warming, and international justice. She was an active campaigner with both Friends of the Earth and Amnesty International and would gladly join a march about something she cared deeply about.

After a short stay in hospital, Irma sadly died on 9th August 2006. We will miss her very much.

Brenda Gibson

newsletter of the london guild of weavers, spinners and dyers

Warp & Weft

Warp &Weft2 Issue 223 - September 2006 3

london guild of weavers, spinners and dyers www.londonguildofweavers.org.uk

presIdent

Melanie Venes

vICe presIdents

Margaret Gaze Aileen Kennedy Nancy Lee Child

Mary Smith

exeCutIve CommIttee

offICers

Chair - BRENDA GIBSON [email protected] 020 8673 49�4 Secretary - ANN BROOKS [email protected] 0�494 726�89 Treasurer - JENIFER MIdGLEy [email protected] 020 8892 4708

CommIttee members

JEAN dERBy [email protected] 020 8560 0483

Membership Secretary - NOREEN ROBERTS [email protected] 020 8973 �847 Programme Secretary - MARIANNE MEdCALF [email protected] 07800 839082 Exhibitions Officer - ALLyA KHAN [email protected] 077970 �55�27 Editor of Warp & Weft - MAGGIE RUddy [email protected] 020 8549 5269 Webmaster - BRENDA GIBSON [email protected] 020 8673 49�4

Editorial

How valid is the original use of a textile to the textile collector? What do they value about the textiles I ask myself ? Most of the interesting textiles in my possession have arrived by way of a charity shop. I value them for the unique qualities that you are unlikely to find in John Lewis or at craft stall.

I was at the Hali show and saw some stunning pieces. My favourite turned out to be part of a head-dress that Tunisian ladies wear. They were very exciting in their own right, tie-dyed wool with a great depth of colour; indigo over yellow and red. But once I knew only a tiny bit about their history the pieces came to be rather forlorn things pinned on a wall in Olympia; and the dealer had stacks of them. I wonder what the Tunisian ladies are wearing now they have sold their head-dresses.

Textiles are made by a culture for protection, adornment and to indicate status. In every society what you wear tells others about you. The signals you send may be conscious or unconscious. What happens to the highly specific context of a textile once it is removed from its original environment? How does the reaction to the textile change?

Consider a M&S blouse in West Africa or a Punk Rock T-shirt in the V&A. These western garments of ours provoke very different reactions in us in their new guise than originally intended.

When textiles arrive in this country do we question where have they come from? Or why they have come? Are they valued more highly by collectors here than by their original owners? Is this a result of the influence of Western fashion, and by extension culture, on other cultures?

Conversely, how much do you have to know about a culture to appreciate its textiles? Can you just admire a people’s prowess in making or just wonder at the ‘strange things foreigners do’.

I am not passing judgement I am merely marvelling at our continued fascination and obsession for the different, the other and the exotic. It’s not as if our own time and culture produces anything interesting. Is it?

Maggie Ruddy

We have had talks from people about textiles and related subjects from around the world. Recently we have heard about Tibet,

India Africa and Burma. While it is pleasant and informative to see things that others have made and discover how they may have made them I find it a bit unsettling looking at these textiles divorced from their proper context.


Get to know your sewinG machine -

Be familiar with all the feet and stitches that your sewing machine is capable of. With experiment you can find uses that the designers did not necessarily imagine. For example you can get a scalloped edge using blind hem stitch with the bulk of fabric on the other side of the machine foot than usual. Or you can use the pin tuck foot as a aid to faggoting, as the stitch goes across both edges which are sitting in the groves under the foot.

workinG with silk noil -

To give a bit of ease to seams put a minute amount of zigzag into the stitch, it will still presses straight. A hem that needs to be seen on both sides can be step stitched. This is a darning stitch, a large zigzag with stitches on each zig. The stitch also flattens the hem and give it a solid feel.

Back to Basics with cushions -

Turn the bag inside out, start sewing the front and back together in the middle

of a side. Use back stitch to start and finish the seam. Mitre the corners; good well poked corners make an item. don’t use scissors! Embroiderers use a plastic tool called a Purple Thang it is widely available on the internet and Jennie heartily recommends it. (Cotton Patch, Quilt direct)

orGanisinG your work space -

Jennie has an iron and small pressing board right by her sewing machine so that she can press every seam as it is made. This helps with the flow of the work and with keeping good discipline and quality standards.

presentinG work -

It is important to have a good finish to the work. Try not to complete it the day before it is submitted, it needs time to settle and be mounted. When you mount your work always ensure that you can take you work off the mount without damaging it. Jennie has a number of methods of mounting work. Sometimes she uses mounting board

onto which she has spray glued cotton domet, it is then easy to lace the work over this. Alternatively she uses thin low loft wadding over foam board. The work can then be pinned into the thickness of the foam board. On other occasions she has bolted work mounted on boards to a larger board for display purposes. All this attention to detail means that the work can be removed at a later date, for remounting or change of use with out it being damaged.

pipinG and Bias BindinG-

Boil your cotton piping first. It will shrink. This is better than it shrinking when you wash your cushion covers. When you are measuring how much piping you need allow lots for going around corners.

you can make your own bias binding. This way it can exactly match the rest of your work. you can buy cones to help fold the binding, these come in a variety of sizes. (Don’t throw away the packaging it tells you how wide your bias strips should be.) Cut the bias strips at 45˚, sew together on the grain. Then iron the strip to take some of the bias out. Start feeding the strip through the cone pin the folded strip to the ironing board and iron the folds in as you pull the cone along the bias strip.

rolled silk edGe -

Some sewing machine companies claim that their machines can make a rolled edge on fine habatai silk, but they can’t do the corners. you need to start

with a torn edge. Lick your thumb and roll a bit before you catch it down with a stitch. Before you get to the corner you need to get the next rolled edge established then you can advance the two edges towards the corner until only a tiny triangle is left. you can cut this off and use the needle to secure the corner.

diminishinG Glass -

This is useful to see how a large piece looks overall, when you’ve been staring at one area for too long. It’s the opposite of a magnifying glass and available from people like Viking Optics.

markinG your work -

When you are setting out your work don’t use the magic pens. The blue pen has bleach in it which is fixed by heat, any marks you make on the front of your work will eventually show up. The purple pen rots silk.

Either use a chalk line which can be brushed or washed out or experiment with the traditional Japanese method which is to make an indentation or crease in the material.

makinG silk ties -

Jennie’s silk ties are pieced. The tongue is on the grain and the neck band on the bias. She hand stitches the central seam.

BlockinG emBroidery canvas -

Once the embroidery has been finished it needs to be stabilised. Use a warm tea towel while you stretch it, with the best side down. Paint the back with

June meeting Finishing touches

Finishing touchesJennie Parry

Jennie is a braid maker and embroider and she has chosen to share techniques and tips that she has learnt over the years so that others

don’t have to make the same mistakes that she has. She feels that what has made her successful is her attention to detail. She talked about using the correct tools for the job and having the planning and patience for a successful project. She also discussed mounting work and how it may change over time. Here are some of her tips.


June meetingembroidery paste. This catches in all the ends. Use flour and water paste rather than PVA, as the paste can be removed.

Quick frinGinG -

you can make fringing on a sewing machine by using a hairpin crochet hook. Wind the yarn for the fringe around the arms of the hairpin, towards the back. Position the arms of the hook by the machine foot with the back towards you. Using a zipper foot stitch very close to the arm. As you progress you can pull the back of the hairpin towards you and add more loops of yarn. Continue until you have enough fringing.

fast turn GadGet -

To turn your rouleau and sewn tubes the correct way round use a long wire with a hook on the end. Thread the entire length of the fabric tube over the wire until the hook can catch the far end. Then pull out the wire, the tube will come with it the correct way round.

Braids -

Once you have finished your braid sew the ends in and steam them to relax the yarns. Use a frying pan or stove top kettle with the lid off to make the steam. Roll up flat braids when they are still warm. you can also use steam to untangle unbraided ends.

the couronne -

This is a wooden dowel tool who’s diameter decreases in steps along its length. It is used to make stitched rings. The steps of different diameter vary by

a few millimetres and are used to make different sized rings. yarn is wrapped a few times around the dowel and secured using button hole stitch. If it becomes too tight to work the ring can be moved to the next smallest step.

The couronne can also be used to make ‘belt loops’. The stick is laid against the fabric and yarn passed around it, though the fabric at the top and out the bottom. Button hole stitch again secures the loop on the outside of the fabric. This is a more secure loop than if the yarn is just caught in the fabric at the top and bottom of the loop.

Beadwork -

To hold a bead in place on a thread pass the thread through the bead twice so that it forms a loop. If you are sure of its positioning you can also pierce the thread as you rethread the bead.

Maggie Ruddy

9

July meeting On the Road to Mandalay - Jenifer Hughes

While visiting the country she was particularly interested in the textiles. Since returning to Thailand and the UK she has continued to collect textiles from the country. Jennifer began her journey with the Burmese people who live in the rice growing valley of the Irrawaddy, centred around Rangoon.

Here longyis are now worn as every day wear. This is a fabric tube made from a �.8 metre length and is worn by both men and women. Women wear theirs folded once across the front of the body for fullness. Men make a fold at either hip and tie the excess cloth at the navel. Trousers are permitted only in certain occupations.

On the Road to MandalayJenifer Hughes

While living in Thailand in the mid 1990’s Jennifer visited many South East Asian countries including Myanmar. Before the �9th

century the area was self governing. Then it was governed as a province of India until 1937. The country is very ethnically diverse, there are 67 groups in seven nationalities. The majority of the populations are the Burmese, minorities include the Shan, Chin, Kachin and the Karen.. Each ethnic group has it’s own traditions, including textiles. At the time of her visit the country was ruled by the State Law and Order Restoration Council, which later changed its name to the State Peace and Development Council.

Issue 222 - June 2006

Men’s longyi come in check or plaid cottons, where as women’s are more decorative with elements from a great textile tradition. The tradition is that of acheik, a horizontal wave patterned silk cloth, woven in tapestry weave. It is also called luntiya, meaning one hundred bobbins. There are many different motifs used in the weaving of traditional acheik, and many of these motifs would have been used in weaving one piece of cloth. This fabric was expensive and reserved for the nobility until the British scrapped the sumptuary laws. Today only one or two motifs appear on machine woven pieces usually at a greatly inflated scale.

In the past upper class ladies of the central valley would have worn a htamein wrapped around the body, with a train attached to the lower edge. Over the tabet or breast cloth they would have worn an eingyi, a translucent white blouse with a shaped and wired hem. Gentlemen would have worn the pahsoe a long piece of fabric, about 5 ft x 5 yards, worn around the waist with fullness gathered at the front or tucked between the legs. These outfits have now evolved into the longyi with the decorative breast cloth worn as a scarf.

Another similar tradition is found among the Arakanese on the bay of Bengal. They use continuous supplementary weft to produce more floral motifs in their textiles.

Jennifer next travelled to Eastern Burma, an area also called the Shan States. This large area once supported

37 principalities populated by the Tai people who are related to the Thai and Lao as well as the inhabitants of South West China. The Shan are well known for couched work called, kalaga. Theses stuffed pictures are also decorated with sequins, gold and silver threads and glass. Originally they were made to decorate the al fresco courts of the ruling Princes.

The Shan use many techniques in their textiles including supplementary weft patterning. They make distinctive textiles with a red silk warp and indigo cotton weft. Another craft Jennifer observed was the making of fine decorated lacquer work. The coloured lacquers being applied over a dainty basket made with horse hair, and then incised to produce images.

The northern hill tribes include the Kachin, Chin and the Karen. They are fiercely independent peoples, who live very different lives than other ethnic groups in Burma. All the hill tribes regard the colour red as auspicious along with shiny and musical decorations. The standard outer wear is a blanket thrown over once shoulder.

Kachin women wear heavy skirts wrapped around the body and held in place by lacquered bamboo rings. Their jackets of indigo cotton are covered with beaten silver jewellery. The outfit is completed by red leggings and a head wrap.

The Chin are from the north west,

Warp &Weft8 Deatils of an antique

Issue 223 - September 2006 ��

April meetingnear India. Here the women wear a short skirt made from very dense warp faced material over leggings, men wear a loin cloth. The clothing is decorated by false embroidery. The women wear a breast cloth, called a khomi. It passes under one shoulder and is secured over the other. The women of the Haka Chin wear a little blouse which is shaped by weaving in twill and tabby to change the natural set of the cloth.

The clothing the Karen wear protects them against evil spirits. The women wear decorated bonnets and waist bands. Men’s tunics are embroidered in red with white beads made from Job’s tears. during celebrations singing shawls are worn. These shawls have long tassels which are richly decorated with a variety of items including the iridescent wing cases of beetles.

Textile are also associated with Buddhist practice. Magic shirts

decorated with auspicious patterns and magic number squares are worn by devotees. Buddhist books of scripture are lacquered rectangles of bamboo, wrapped in a decorative cover and bound with book ribbons. These book ribbons are of double sided tablet weave with a red and white warp. They are commissioned by the devout and as well as containing verses they describe the patron and how much they cost to complete. When in place they cover the book completely.

The Burmese and other peoples who live in Myanmar continue to have a varied and complex culture. It is important that they are not neglected by the modern world, that their traditions are neither forgotten, nor their cultures lost

Maggie Ruddy.

Wide range of Fibres,Fleece, Yarns, Equipment,dyes, Russell dyes and Books, Educational discounts.Send stamp for mail order catalogueBetter still, call in and see our stock

Open �0am - 5pm Tuesday to SaturdayClosed Sunday and Monday

29 Haroldstone RoadLondon E�7 7AN

020 852� 228�E-mail address: [email protected]

Web site: http://handweaversstudio.co.uk

the handweavers studio & gallery ltd

JUNE �7/�8 & 24/25LOOM WEAVING I & II(4 days split into two weekends, ideal for beginners)

SEPT �6 SPINNING

SEPT 23/24 & SEPT 30/OCT �LOOM WEAVING I & II(4 days split into two weekends, ideal for beginners)

Warp &Weft�0 A Karen man’s tunic decorated with Job’s

Issue 223 - September 2006 �3

August meeting Fleece of Coloured, Rare and Minority Breeds

Warp &Weft�2

sometimes a coloured sport appears. Coloured breeds vary from the Jacob which where the fleece is brown and white in patches to breeds like the Romney, Manx Loghtan and Black Welsh Mountain which are predominately a single colour, namely grey, rich brown and black. The tips of coloured fleeces are often bleached by exposure. If you worsted spin a fleece with bleached tips first you will get a tweeded yarn as the tips are on the outside of the yarn. If you spin them last they will be hidden inside the yarn and so resulting in a uniform colour. Coloured sheep will not be exactly the same colour each year

Some sheep breeds are very old dating back to the first introduction of sheep into the country during prehistory others were created or discovered in more recent times.

prImItIve breeds

soay

These sheep are found on the Isle of Herta which is part of the St. Kilda group 40 miles west of the Hebrides. They are considered to be closest to the animals that were first introduced to the country in ancient times. The animal stands about two foot high and is very agile. In the wild the brown coat naturally sheds and can be pulled from the sheep or gathered from where it has been discarded.

north ronaldsey

Famously these sheep live on the foreshore of the Island and survive on a

diet of seaweed. They have a duel coat.

shetland

The lambs of this breed are born black or brown but they often change colour as they grow.

heBridean

The fleece of this breed stops and starts growing as if it would be shed naturally like the Soay. However as it is shorn before the fleece falls off. The fleece will have breaks in and is more prone to felting. The fleece also bleaches easily so many colours will be present in the tips. The wool is good for carding.

manx loGhtan

This breed from the Isle of Man is mouse coloured. Most of the fleece is downy and it has a crimp. The colour can vary within the breed and is also describes as ginger coloured.

icelandic

This is not a British native, but is similar to the other primitive breeds. It too has a dual coat which can be separated to provide two very different types of wool

HIll and mountaIn breed

herdwick

This sheep has a grey and shaggy appearance with a duel coat. The lambs are born black and white, and the animals get lighter after two years. The staple is too long for carding, but will make a hard wearing yarn for upholstery.

Fleece of Coloured, Rare and Minority BreedsJan Shailes

Jan is a member of the British Coloured sheep Breeders association and her talk is based on one she gave to the 5th World congress on

coloured sheep and their products some years ago in Australia.The UK has a wide variety of native

sheep breeds due to the wide range in climates and topographies encountered on these islands. Sheep are raised for wool as well as meat and different sheep breeds produce different qualities of wool. different uses and end products, therefore dictate which are the most suitable fleeces to use. Some sheep living

in more exposed areas have a dual coat; longer fibres help shed rain while a soft under coat provides insulation. Other breeds have more uniform coats suited to warmer temperatures.

Most sheep breed in the U.K. have a white fleece because it is easier to commercially process. However

Pelts all �8 months old and 5 months since shearing Coloured Leicester, Shetland and Soay.

Issue 223 - September 2006 �5

lincoln

This is the coarsest of the long wools and was established in �760. Some fleeces are very greasy and need to be washed a lock at a time.

dartmoor Grey face

This is the smallest of the long wools and has very coarse fleece it has been likened to sisal string. It is suitable to locker hooking rugs.

teeswater

This breed has just been put on the rare breeds list.

downs and sHort wools

portland

This breed often has an orangey appearance which comes from the soil. The fleece is dense and fine and between 50 -56 on the Bradford count.

oxford

This is largest of the down land sheep. The fleece weight is between 3 -4 kilos. The staple is �0 -�5 cm and the fineness 50 - 54 Bradford count. It is cardable and can also be put through wool combs.

southdown

This is the smallest of this type of sheep. It has a fine fleece with a staple length of 4 -6 cm.

ryeland

This breed has a crisp close fleece with lots of crimp. It is cardable to make a woollen yarn the colouring ranges

form silver to grey.

norfolk horn

This breed has been rescued by the rare breeds association. It has a nice soft fleece and black lambs

Blue faced leicester

This breed provokes extremes of emotions in people. The fleece is very fine with a crimp that makes it ideal foe fine knitting wool.

wiltshire horn

This is a butchers animal, the fleece grows only an inch.

It is possible to keep a very small flock of sheep. Jan recommended at least three sheep. So they can fall out, make up and gang up on each other. Wethers are castrated males, they make good fleece because they don’t have anything else to do once they have grown up. Hefting is the inclination of some breeds of sheep to return to their place of birth.

The quality of wool is related to its fineness. Traditionally the Bradford count was reckoned as follows; number of hanks of 560 yards per pound. So a 50 count fibre would make 50 x 560 yards (28,000 yards) per pound. The higher the count the finer the fibre. Today the width of the fibre is measured in microns (� micron = 0.00� mm). The smaller the number the finer the fibre.

For more info www.bscba.org.uk and www.rbst.org.uk

Maggie Ruddy

white-faced woodland

This breed has an open fleece which is short enough to card and is 54 on the Bradford count.

JacoB

The lovely fleece is white and brown in patches. The sheep have two or four horns.

castle milk moorit

This breed was developed in the �9th century by a landowner from dumfriesshire who wanted some handsome sheep on his land. The ancestors include Shetland and Manx Loghtan. The staple is 4 -7 cm.

welsH mountaIn and HIll breeds

Coloured sheep are encouraged by hill shepherds so they can see their sheep in the winter.

Balwen

This breed has a coarse fleece suitable for outer garment.

Black welsh mountain

This sheep is very black. The fleece is coarse, with good crimp and is easy to spin.

hill raBnor

This breed is white with an apricot kemp and a staple length of 8 -�4 cm. It is used to produce woollen fabric and flannels.

kerry hills

This fleece is soft and crimpy

and works well is the long draw when spinning.

llanwenoG

This breed produces a gorgeous fleece. It is soft and white. The stable is 6 - 10 cm and a fleece will weight between 4 -5 lb. it is used to make hosiery, tweeds and hand knits.

torduu and torwen

These are also called Welsh Mountain bagger faced. The Torduu is pale with dark chest and belly and the Torwen is the reverse colouring.

long wools

cotswold

This breed produces big animals about waist high. The fleece weighs 4 - 7 kilos and the fineness of the staple is between 38 - 48 on the Bradford count. The fleece dyes beautifully as it has a good lustre, it is recommended to spin worsted to maintain that shine.

leicester and Black leicester

This is a pearly fleece. The Black Leicester has a variety of shades.

wensleydale

This was first recorded in 1839. The sheep has a blue cap, face and ears. The fleece is most recognisable due to the locks which can be up to 30 cm in length. It is possible to hand spin them directly or stitch them into the your work. Colours vary from grey to ginger and the fleece is generally of very good quality.

August meeting

Warp &Weft�4

Warp &Weft�6 Issue 223 - September 2006 �7

Member Profile Norren Roberts

“you can’t sit there, that’s where I sit” This was my introduction to my first Guild meeting as I tried to find a seat in a circle. Fortunately it didn’t put me off but only because of my excitement of finding a love of weaving that I had come to by chance. A friend wanted to join me in an upholstery evening class but as the class was full and her disappointment was obvious I suggested that she choose another class and I would join her. The class she chose was running for a term, half of which a tapestry frame would be constructed and the second half a tapestry would be woven. I loved making the frame but the tapestry weaving didn’t excite me at all. However at the end of the term we were invited to a class in the studio/workshop of Barbara Mullins where there were floor looms galore of

different widths with 4, 8 and �6 shafts. From that very first evening in 1981 I knew that this was for me. Her friend Morfydd Roberts was a regular visitor and under her guidance I produced what I consider to be my best work, a full length wool cape in two browns using 8 shafts with twill stripes formed by different threadings in the warp. I was thrilled when it was accepted for the �984 National Exhibition in Kendal.

It was at this time that I heard about the Bradford Course, obtained an old George Maxwell 8 shaft floor loom and in my usual “trying to run before I could walk” a friend and I, with caravan behind us, headed for a field near Bradford, driving into college daily. It was a very exciting time but regretfully I never finished the course. I was offered promotion, which I couldn’t refuse, at the special school where I taught music, but I promised myself that I would finish the course in retirement. For the next ten years weaving, spinning and dyeing were all crammed into school holidays and Guild workshop weekends.

I retired to Cambridge in �995 and was immediately welcomed into the Cambridge Guild. At the same time I met a weaver of knotted carpets, Nest

Rubio, who lived a stone’s throw away. When I went into her home I was bowled over by the beautiful rugs and carpets shining like jewels on floor, walls and tables. I was not happy with my big loom in the small room in my new home and realised that a carpet knotting loom would not take up so much room. I persuaded Nest to teach me the technique and another world opened up. In �999 I had the opportunity to visit Iran where, for three weeks, I followed the making of Persian carpets from fleece to knotted rug. Carpet knotting is very labour intensive and my first rug took 5 years to complete. I have started another large rug and hope to show it to you in another 5 years or more. I have a few students each year and I thank London Guild member and carpet knotter Michael Learoyd for making the looms for my students. I met Michael when I lived in Cambridge and we demonstrated together in the V&A Museum on several occasions which was a highlight in my life. I now live in London and am happy to be your Membership Secretary.

Noreen Roberts

Long standing readers may remember a few years ago Warp and Weft published a number of member profiles. In this issue we are

restarting this feature. In resent years due to a change in the guilds constitution there have been a number of new faces on the committee. We begin the profiles with Noreen Roberts our new Membership Secretary, who is working hard to learn all about you.

for sale

The Guild owns a floor loom which has proved a little too large to transport for exhibitions, so it is being offered for sale at a price of £300. (The cost new is about £500.) It is the loom we used on the stand at Olympia earlier this year – we later intend to buy a more portable loom.

It is a Harris Foldaway countermarch floor loom, 4 shafts, 8 treadles, enabling a universal tie-up (meaning you can achieve all possible shed combinations without ever having to re-tie the treadles). Weaving width is 34”. The dimensions are approx. ��5w x 95d when open and ��5w x ��0h x 50d when folded. (It can be folded with weaving in place.) It is in good working order, has been converted to Texsolv ties, and comes with full instructions about folding, unfolding etc.

The loom is currently being stored by Wendy Morris in Highgate, where it can be viewed, and Wendy would be able to deliver it within the London area providing there would be help with unloading. Please contact Wendy Morris on 020 8340 3903 or [email protected]

Warp &Weft�8 Issue 223 - September 2006 �9

the Victoria and Albert Museum); Kay Staniland, formerly Curator, Clothing & Textiles The Museum of London, The well-dressed Medieval horse: a study based on findings relating to the �4th century English horse-trapper now in the Cluny Museum, Paris; Naomi Tarrant, formerly Curator, The Royal Museums of Scotland, Edinburgh, The Fetternear banner and other evidence for embroidery in sixteenth century Scotland; Helen Persson, Curator, Asian department Victoria & Albert Museum, The new Medieval & Renaissance Galleries at the Victoria & Albert Museum: the role of embroidery.

For further details contact: [email protected]

Until 3� Octoberamazon to CarIbbean early peoples of tHe raIn forestStunning cultural artifacts and archaeological finds are accompanied by contemporary work from leading Caribbean artists. Horniman Museum �00 London road SE23 3PQ Open daily from �0.30 to �7.30 Tel: 020 8699 �872 www.horniman.ac.uk

Until February 2007KHmer sIlKsA small exhibition from Cambodia - also at the Horniman Museum, at Forest Hill

Until 25 February 2007sIxtIes fasHIonSponsored by Miss Selfridge this exhibition explores key looks of the period with contributions from Mary Quant, Ossie Clark, Pierre Cardin and Jean Muir among others.

V&A Museum Free Admission

Until 22 April 2007Treasured TextilesCloth and Clothing from around the world celebrated the extraordinary inventiveness and vibrancy of patterning to be found in textiles and costumes

Pit Rivers Museum Free admission Open daily 12 noon - 4:30pm visit www.prm.ox.ac.uk

26 August - 24 September.stItCH In our tIme. An open exhibition of contemporary stitching Riverside Gallery Old Town Hall Whittaker Avenue Richmond.

6th - 20th SeptemberspIn and weave - JoInt exHIbI-tIon wItH west surrey guIld(Opening times Mon - Fri 2 - 5pm, Sat �0am - �pm Not Sundays)

Free admission to all exhibitions. Gallery Enquiries 01730 711510)

At Bedales School. For more details http://www.bedales.org.uk/schoolSite/bedArts/BedArts_gallery.html

�3 September - 26 Octoberon gossamer wIngsOkinawan silk textiles by Michiko Uehara daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation

�3/�4 Cornwall Terrace

London NW� 4QP

More information :(www.dajf.org.uk)

Until 25 September transformatIons

An exhibition looking at twentieth century and contemporary craft makers and their source collections, examining the relationship between maker and object. Craft Study Centre, University college of the Creative Arts at Farnham www.craftcentre.surrart.ac.uk

25 September - �3 October‘tHreads’A series of 2 and 3 day spinning and weaving workshops at Cotehele Manor near Plymouth. The Manor is well known for its extensive Tapestry collection. For further details and a full events program, telephone 0�579 35�346

Until 30 September

materIal worldAn exhibition of twentieth century Fashion. Venue - Chertsey Museum, 22 Windsor Street, Surrey KT�6 8AT Open Tues - Fri �2:30 -4pm Free admission For details Tel: 0�932 566 5764

28 October 2006medats autumn meetIng, tHe needle’s exCellenCy: aspeCts of western medIeval embroIderyCourtauld Institute of Art, Somerset House, Strand, London WC2R 0RN

Speakers: Dr Alison Wright, University College, London: The Pollaiuolo brothers & embroidery; Linda Woolley, formerly Curator department of Textiles, Furniture & Fashion, Victoria & Albert Museum, Spanish riches-Romanesque to Renaissance. Examples of embroidery from Christian Spain in the Victoria and Albert Museum collections; Marianne Ellis, Independent scholar, The legacy of Islamic Spain - Hispano Moresque Embroidery (in

What’s On in Textiles has been based on core research by Irma Horten and is supplemented by material from other members. If you know of any textile related events or exhibitions in the London area that would be of interest to other members please let the editor know.

In light of Irma’s sad passing contributions from other members will be gratefully received.

What’s On in Textiles.

Warp &Weft20 Issue 223 - September 2006 2�

Notices Notices

an update on tHe aCtIvItIes of tHe J. dunsmore nepalese textIle trust

‘Nettle day’ at the Natural History Museum last May, part of the National Nettle Week, saw the launch of the new version of Susi Dunsmore’s book The Nettle in Nepal, revised and updated with many more pages and colour photographs. The curator of the Museum’s Wildlife Garden, Caroline Ware, had invited the J. Dunsmore Nepalese Textile Trust to take part and Susi Dunsmore to give a talk with slides. In spite of the pelting cold rain, it turned out to be a very successful event for the Trust, as interest in the display of allo production and products, housed in a large yurt on the front lawn, was strong and sustained throughout the day, and sales of allo scarves, shawls, mats and booklets was brisk, with members of the Trust (and the Guild) present, eloquent and persuasive.

Ang diku Sherpa demonstrated weaving allo on a backstrap loom and several children showed great skill at this unusual past time.

Other exhibits included wild plants from the Wild Garden for sale, a survey of the therapeutic properties of nettles (the European Kind) and Caroline Ware’s experiments with nettles as a dye. Gillian Edom, an expert on urtica dioica, gave a very interesting talk and spent most of the day in the yurt peeling the bark off long stems to show amazed visitors the fibres - without getting stung.

Her research has shown that much of what is known of nettles is myth: not only the fairy tale of seven shirts woven by their sister from nettles to free her seven brothers charmed into swans, but also the tale that German uniforms were woven from nettles when wool became scare in the first world war. The Museum’s herbarium had a special display of nettle specimens collected all over the world, and the cafeterias had some nettle food and tea.

In the next week, as the Trust counted the not negligible gains from the day, a surprise donation cheque for one thousand pounds arrived, as an appreciation of Susi dunsmore’s talk and the worthwhile cause of the Nepalese Giant Nettle weavers, spinners and knitters. The Trust owes very special thanks to Caroline Ware and the Natural History Museum’s Wild Garden.

Claude Delmas

nanyuKI spInners and weavers of Kenya

Since sending the drum carder, books and woolcarders from Guild members to the Nanyuki Spinners and Weavers in Kenya (see Warp & Weft June 2006) we have learnt a little more about them and their problems.

The Spinners and Weavers are a women’s self-help group formed in �977 under the umbrella of the Presbyterian Church of East Africa. It was started with the aim of training poor, widowed and single women, living in the villages around the town of Nanyuki, in the craft of spinning, knitting and weaving and then selling their goods to tourists in the area.

With the help of the Presbyterian Church and the local community the first six women were trained, more buildings were constructed, and land given to grow dye plants. There are now 282 woman who have been trained at the Centre, most continue to work there but many have started their own projects in other parts of the country. This success has given the women the opportunity to move from being squatters in the villages to building their own homes on their own land and to educate their children.

Unfortunately since the Nairobi terrorist attack in 1998 tourists have not visited Kenya as before and there is little opportunity to sell their finished goods. The Centre has been unable to recruit new members and some trainees have had to leave as it has been unable

to support them. Acquiring fleece for their use has become difficult as the suppliers are selling the wool to bigger companies for very high prices. With these challenges facing the Centre the Management decided that if it could produce its own raw materials most of its problems would be overcome.

They are now attempting to raise enough money to buy a 5 acre piece of land for grazing sheep also to plant trees for shade and to use as dyestuff. They need to fence it around to keep the sheep enclosed and build a shed to cater for 25 Ewes and � Ram. They hope in two years to have increased the flock by more than half.

I have received a 6 page document about the project with a breakdown of all their expenses, the total being $�30�4. If anyone would like to see the document I will be very happy to send a copy.

The Guild committee feels that as a Guild we would like to continue links with the Nanyuki Spinners and Weavers and help in what seems a very worth while cause. The Question is how? A collection tin at meetings and exhibitions? A one-off Christmas collection? A “sponsor a sheep” appeal giving a handcrafted sheep made from fleece and pipe cleaners in return for a £2 donation? We would like to know what you think. Please let me or a member of the Committee know in what is surely a worthy cause.

Noreen Roberts


Notices Notices

equIpment for HIre

The guild has recently acquired an Apollo Cord Winder to be available for use by members at a loan fee of £2 per month.

Members are reminded also that the guild spinning wheel is available to members at a loan fee of £5 per month.

Jenifer Midgley

CommIttee

Since our AGM in March, there have been a couple of changes to the committee I wanted to tell you about. One of the newly elected committee members was Jane Rutt, who was almost immediately posted to India for a year by her employer, so unfortunately for us, Jane hasn’t been able to take up her post on the committee. We all hope you are having a wonderful time in India, Jane, and that you may be able to join us on the committee when you are settled back after your return. We have been fortunate to gain another new member, though, and I’m pleased to announce that Sharen McGrail has been co-opted on to the committee since the AGM. I wish Sharen a warm welcome to the committee, and hope she finds it a really interesting and rewarding experience.

This still leaves us with further vacancies on the committee, and I should be more than happy to chat to anyone who might consider putting themselves forward to explain how we operate and what’s involved. I promise

that it is not an onerous undertaking (we only tend to meet quarterly), and it isn’t just something for people who are long-standing members. Being at the heart of the Guild – helping to plan the programme, arrange events, just being available at meetings to welcome new members and visitors and help everything run smoothly – is really enjoyable. So I would be delighted to hear, by phone, email or post, from anyone who would like more of a say in what the guild is really about.

Brenda Gibson

020 867 49�4

[email protected]

study groups

For some time the committee has hoped for small study groups to be established among like-minded members. We already have a group of spinners meeting at the Wetlands Centre in Barnes on alternate Wednesdays. Information can be obtained from daphne Ratcliffe (020 8997 029�).

A weaving study group is planned to meet approximately every other month in west London. We could work at a weave structure or plan a specific project with exchange of information, ideas or even samples. An inaugural meeting will be held sometime in September, anyone interested should contact me (020 8892 4708) or Noreen Roberts (020 8973 �847).

Jenifer Midgley

www.fibrecrafts.comthe Art of textiles & colour, through mail order...

batik ·braiding ·dyeing ·feltmaking ·glass painting ·kumihimo ·locker hooking ·papermaking .screen printing ·silk painting ·spinning ·weaving ·tapestry ·textile craft booksand magazines ·

send for your catalogue today!

fibrecraftsOld Portsmouth RoadPeasmarshGuildfordSurreyGU3 1LZ

Tel: 01483 565800Fax: 01483 565807Email: [email protected]: www.fibrecrafts.com


9th Septembermy own worK

sue hiley harris

Has lived in Wales since 1981, she was born and brought up in Australia. She studied Fine Art at the Queensland College of Art in Australia and worked as a museum artist at the Queensland Museum. It was after she settled in the UK in the mid-�970’s, that her interest in weaving began and she learnt first to spin and then to weave. During this time she became fascinated with silk and started the silk fibre business as well as weaving exclusively with spun silk yarns.

Towards the end of the twentieth century her weaving moved away from the earlier functional pieces: sensuous and responsive three-dimensional structures in linen and hemp emerged. These have since developed in technique and scale. Her first really large scale work was exhibited at her solo exhibition in Brecon in 2002. She continues to weave 3-d structures and take pleasure in creating tiny forms as well as large scale work. Sue has exhibited and undertaken many private commissions both in the UK and internationally and has lectured and held workshops in Britain, Ireland, Australia and the USA

morninG workshop from anne dixon

�4th Octobermy woven textIles

frederiQue denniel (ann sutton foundation fellow)

Woven textile designer Frédérique denniel is currently completing her MA in textiles at Goldsmiths whilst being a Design Research Fellow at ASF Weave in Arundel.

Frédérique anchored her degree research in the poetry and everydayness of London’s street debris and ephemeral assemblages. Her work explored the potential three dimensionality of woven textiles. She specifically developed her woven fabrics for off loom processes such as wrapping, heat setting and heat pressing. Carrying on from there, she has been using a Jacquard loom to explore the poetry of used textiles.

Along with presenting her personal work Frédérique will also be showing a cross section of the projects she has been involved with for ASF Weave. Through these projects Frédérique has collaborated with artists, computer programmers, fashion and furnishing companies.

11th November

a Contemporary fIne art praCtICe – fIndIng CreatIve InspIratIon

emma prices

After several years travelling, living and working in India Emma returned

to the UK where she decided to go back to college and study a foundation in Art and Design. It was here she discovered fine art and completed the two year part time course in one year with distinction and student award of the year, awarded by NAdFAS (The National Association of Decorative and Fine Arts Societies).

Emma was delighted to have the opportunity to progress to the dipHE/BA (Hones) Fine Art Warwickshire School of Art/UCE. She had an interesting first year developing her practise, experimenting and exploring various media. Though her interest in space, relationships and conversation she challenged herself to remain uneasy, unresolved, pushing the boundaries and avoiding comfort zones. She revelled in the experience of her developing awareness of Fine Art practice and theory.

She is a founder member of Fibre Artists a high level textile and craft organisation which provides an arena for support, discussion, professional criticiam and collective exhibitions in her local area. As a textile designer she specializes in felt, weave and paper. Creating and leading workshops in the UK and overseas, at one point she was negotiating with a group of artisans in India to lead a paper mache development workshop in Kashmir.

She hopes very much to apply for an MA in London after completing her degree in June 2007 which will enable her to become a practising artist working

within higher education, community arts and developing workshops to break the boundaries of conventional design within crafts.

9th december annual CompetItIons and CHrIstmas party

kennedy cup for spinninG

Create two different yarns from one fibre. The yarns should be presented as skeins, minimum weight 25 grams, labelled with a description of the technique and a suggested end use. Entries should also include a sample of the fibre.

lore younGmark prize

Warp - Weft - Sett. Create three different cloths from one warp. Please label swatches with information about the technique and end use.

Gwen shaw cup

‘Symmetry and Structure in Nature’ inspired by the talk given last year by Dr Maurice Moss.. This competition is open to any technique but as it is design based it is essential to present evidence of the design process with the finished item.

If you have an entry for any one of the competitions, please arrive as early as possible, no later than 2:00pm, so that all the entries can be properly displayed. Prizes will be determined by members’ ballot.

The other entertainment comprises a raffle and a Christmas tea.

Up coming Guild Meetings Up coming Guild Meetings


opInIons

The executive committee is not responsible for the opinions expressed in any article in Warp & Weft. Nothing may be copied without the permission of the editor. Where a communication to the editor or to any of the officers requires a reply, please email or enclose a stamped addressed envelope.

warp & weft onlIne

This edition of Warp & Weft is available in colour in a private members’ area on the London Guild website. Members whose email addresses are known are sent a link to the colour edition. If you have internet access but have not received the link, please contact the webmaster at [email protected]

advertIsIng In warp & weft

Warp & Weft accepts both display and classified advertising at the editor’s discretion. The cost for display ads is £�5 full page, £�0 half page, with a reduced rate for four consecutive issues of £50 and £30 respectively. A layout and setting service is available if required, cost £20 and £10 respectively. Small (i.e. classified) ads cost £5 (members) and £7.50 (non-members) for up to 25 words. Adverts must be prepaid by postal order or cheque made payable to “London Guild of Weavers”. Send copy and payment to the editor.

submIttIng artICles to warp & weft

It would be much appreciated if contributions could (in order of preference) be: �. submitted by email, either as a Word, RTF or text file attachment (or even in the body of an email) 2. sent on a disk (floppy or CD) as a Word, RTF or text file 3. printed out or typed in as large and clear a typeface as possible, with no end-of-line hyphenation, so that they can be scanned instead of rekeyed and sent to the editor.

Copy dates

Warp & Weft is produced quarterly in March, June, September and december. All contributions (including advertisements) must reach the editor by: �st February for the MARCH issue �st May for the JUNE issue �st August for the SEPTEMBER issue 1st November for the DECEMBER issue

edItor

Maggie Ruddy, 27 Liverpool Road, Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey KT2 7SX T: 020 8549 5269 E: [email protected]

membersHIp newsWe are pleased to welcome Emily

King as our only new member since the last issue of Warp and Weft bringing our membership total to �69. It was good to meet Emily at our last meeting and thank you to all who made her welcome. Her address and a change of address for Fern Magnus-Brown who has returned to Canada and a contact address for Sue Russell can be found below. dorota Podobas now has an email . Up dates of members addresses can be found on our private website which is updated three times a year.

new members

Emily King37 Harewood AvenueLondonNW� 6LETel: 07867783�27

CHange of address

Fern Magnus-BrowmP.O. Box �55Powell River, BCCanada V8A 4Z6

Sue RussellTy Swmbarch IsafLetterstonHaverford WestPembrokeshireSA62 5U

Noreen Roberts

Membership Secretary: Noreen Roberts 7 Broom Park, Teddington, Mddx, TW�� 9RN Tel: 020 8973 �847 Email: [email protected]

Warp &Weft28

Meetings 2006

9th September my own worK

sue hiley harris (Morning workshop with Anne dixon)

�4th October my woven textIles

frederiQue denniel (Ann Sutton Foundation Fellow)

11th November a Contemporary fIne art praCtICe – fIndIng CreatIve InspIratIon emma price

9th december annual CompetItIons and CHrIstmas party

All meetings are held at St. Stephen’s House, 48 Emperor’s Gate, London SW7 and start at 2:30pm, unless otherwise indicated.

warp & weft

Documents