Features
From Circus Seamstress to Flax Farmer: A Grow-Your-Own-Clothes Adventure
At the start of 2020 I had never touched a spinning wheel. Two years on, I have been growing, harvesting, processing, spinning and weaving flax into linen!
Journal Timeline
The Quarterly Journal of the Guilds of Weavers, Spinners and Dyers was first published 70 years ago in March 1952.
Women's Woven Voices
How can weaving a story be a powerful act of compassion, and a catalyst for connection and change?
A Life at the Loom: The Work and Practice of Janet Phillips — Teacher, Weaver, Author, Designer
In 1968, a teenager from Edinburgh sat down for the first time at a weaving loom and discovered her calling.
Online Guild Spinning Challenge
The challenge was to create one yarn from five randomly allocated elements, the idea being that when presented with random elements you are pushed outside your comfort zone and become more creative.
A Gotland Journey
Pauline Caroline Jones shares her journey building her Gotland flock, and Sonya Hammond discusses her spinning and weaving experiments with their fleeces.
Private View - Old Church Studios
My long awaited purpose built room in the corner of our garden within the curtilage of our Grade II listed small village church
Fleece Washing
Creating a finished item from a fleece is a rewarding experience. The start of this journey is washing the fleece but, with many approaches advocated, which is the best? This article is the result of two days of testing and describes a comparison of seven methods from various sources, referenced at the end of the article. A method of fleece washing based on these test results is proposed.
Exploring Primitive Breeds
In late 2018, the Cumbria Support Group of the Rare Breeds Survival Trust1 (RBST) launched their Primitive Produce Project.
Woad from seed to dye
There is currently a strong interest and a resurgence in using natural dyes. I enjoy growing woad in my garden and I have found that the following methods work well for me, as the magic of indigo is so captivating.
What a Challenge!
What do you think of when you hear the word ‘Challenge’? Maybe it has negative connotations for you, or maybe it offers something to be conquered.
This article describes the challenge the Peter Tavy Weaving Group set themselves for 2018.
Loom-Controlled 3D Shaping for Garments — An Interview with Sally Eyring
The wonderful world of Sally Eyring
New Threads: Uncovering the Stories of England’s Past Weaving Industry
For centuries, cloth production was the main industry in and around Trowbridge. Many local people can still trace ancestors connected to the weaving trade.
Modesty and a Fine Great Wheel
Michael Williams is a modest man, and an exceptionally fine craftsman. I interviewed him three years ago for an article about his super-light and über-fast drop spindles and, as I was leaving, I asked him whether he had ever thought about making a spinning wheel.
What is Jacquard Weaving?
Before I write about Jacquard looms I want to define a loom as a tensioning device.
These articles appear in the Journal for Weavers, Spinners and Dyers.
The Journal is published on behalf of the Association of Guilds of Spinners Weavers and Dyers. It covers a wide range of textile subjects, including articles on historic textile techniques and cutting edge modern design.