Last month, I visited the Silk Museum in Macclesfield, close to my Bollington studio.
I have a long fascination with fabric. My grandmother Daisy was a dressmaker, and when I spent time with her, there was always fabric, trimmings and thread EVERYWHERE. I think it sparked my love of colour, fashion and costume design. I've always felt very connected to fabric, although until recently, I've never explored its use in my art practice.
Back to Macc. Macclesfield, nicknamed 'Silk Town', was a centre of the UK's silk industry from the industrial revolution until 1970 and 80s, when a lot of the silk industry went into decline. Not just Macclesfield but in the UK generally.
It was fascinating to find out more about the silk industry in Macclesfield, as well as also learn little bit more about how silk is weaved.
The museum still has about 20 of the original 70 looms that once worked in the grade II listed Paradise Mill, which was run by Cartwright and Sheldon until 1981. Two of the looms are currently in working order with silk threads all set up for weaving, which we got to see in action.
It really showed what hard work it was. And how loud! The looms are huge 3 metre high solid wood structures and very heavy to operate, so it was mostly men doing the work back in the day, with women working in other roles in the industry. There were around 5,000 looms in approximately 70 mills in Macclesfield at its height. The town must have boomed with sound of looms going all day long.
It is very exciting to see the work in action and actually see new patterns being woven on the looms for the first time in several decades. The mill specialised in Jacquard weaving which is creating very complex patterns using an an even more complex punchcard system, which Bea and Ruth demonstrated. What a skill!
I've been weaving (pun intended) what I learned at the Silk Museum into my MA and it has definitely fed its way into my studio practice, which I'll share more on in the coming months.
If you're in the area, I would thorough recommend the Silk Museum for a visit.
There's loads of history to be learned and there's a great collection of artefacts, and regular tours of the mill. Paradise Mill feels like the workers have only just left – it's quite a special place.
There is also a well curated series of art exhibitions, and lot of exhibits about the history of the area, including information about the families that made Macclesfield during the Industrial Revolution, like the Brocklehursts.
The Silk Museum building is actually in what was the original Macclesfield School of Art. It was at one time, was one of the UK's leading art schools, servicing the design and craft side of the silk industry, with an alumni including renowned wildlife painter, Charles Tunnicliffe
Oh and fashion legend Dame Zandra Rhodes is also a fan, so you have no excuse.
Take a gander: https://www.thesilkmuseum.co.uk/