Hand Spinning, Natural Dyeing, Weaving

Introducing our next project led by @wtlgi_residencies
Spinning wool, natural dyeing and weaving fibre.

During the first session, you will learn how to prepare the locally sourced raw fleece. You will explore fibre selection of the various breeds including Leicester Longwool, Derbyshire Gritstone and Jacobs. Within the workshop you will learn how to wash, prepare and card the fleece. This workshop will be led by shepherd Joanne Wood & multi-disciplinary artist Kathryn Wood, whose work addresses the relationship between the back-to-the-land movement and a new understanding of the rural as a place of cultural production.

During the second session you will learn natural dyeing using foraged plants and organic by-products from the Where The Light Gets In kitchen. During the workshop you will learn about the dyeing process, and different techniques that can bring colour to fibre. You will use a selection of kitchen by-products, home grown flowers and foraged plants to create various botanical dyes and develop a beautiful range of coloured samples on, fabric off-cuts, wool yarn and fleece.

This workshop will be led by Katrina Wilde, Katrina is an artist working with people, plants and materials. Her work is always collaborative; with other artists, designers, brands, communities and nature. She graduated from an MA in Textiles from the Royal College of Art in 2021 and is based in Stoke-on-Trent.

The third workshop will focus on hand-weaving, using the textiles from the previous workshop. Participants gain a basic understanding of the principles of hand-weaving, whilst creating their own unique woven fabric. This workshop will be run by Nadine of Wilde Studio. Wilde Studio is a slow textile project between two sisters, Katrina and Nadine Wilde. Exploring natural materials, slow processes and craft, they create naturally dyed, printed and handwoven textiles in their studio; Katrina focuses on colour application and Nadine on hand-weaving.