0f9f07f18cac4fe9914e37bff3b7dd4a

Open for Booking - Collection Events for 2026

Fri, 28 Nov 2025 17:38:15 GMT

Now available to book - online talks, store tours and study visits for 2026

We have just published several new events on our Eventbrite page for January to June 2026. If you're looking for a way to see some of the amazing textiles in our collection these events are the ideal way to do it; whether you opt for our online talks, where you can see highlights from the collection from the comfort of your own home, or choose to visit us in person. They also make great Christmas presents for anyone you know who shares a love of textiles.

We have three online talks running in January and early February that repeat some of our most popular talks from the last few years.

In March there are store tours giving you a chance to see behind the scenes and get a sneak peek at some of the items that will be going on display in our galleries at Gawthorpe Hall in 2026.

And if you want the chance to spend time looking at beautiful textiles in person we have two study visits - a full day session focusing on patchwork and quilting as well as a half day session exploring costume accessories.

You can book tickets for them all via our Eventbrite page here.

Undaunted - Now Available to Buy!

Wed, 09 Apr 2025 18:30:05 GMT

Undaunted, Rachel Kay-Shuttleworth's new biography is now available to buy

Following a launch event at Gawthorpe Hall on Friday 4 April, with author Jane Hellebrand, Lord Shuttleworth and other distinguished guests we are pleased to announce that you can now buy a copy of the brand new biography of Rachel Kay-Shuttleworth - Undaunted.

Copies are available through our shop and all proceeds support the charity and care of the collection.

Visit the Collection Stories section using the button below to read more about Rachel and the items that she collected.

Remembering Rachel Kay-Shuttleworth

Mon, 17 Feb 2025 09:00:00 GMT

Remembering Rachel Kay-Shuttleworth on her birthday - 17th February

On 17 February 1886, Rachel Beatrice Kay-Shuttleworth was born.

She was the third daughter of Ughtred Kay-Shuttleworth, M.P. and his wife Blanche and she entered the world at their London house, 28 Princes’ Gardens, South Kensington.

To celebrate this event, we are delighted to share the front cover of her new biography.

The biography will be available to buy very soon….. so keep looking in.

Visit the Collection Stories section using the button below to read more about Rachel and the items that she collected.

Watch This Space!

Mon, 03 Feb 2025 19:46:47 GMT

New Biography of Rachel Kay-Shuttleworth Coming Soon!

After nearly five years of research (which also just happened to include a global pandemic and a major relocation!) Gawthorpe Textiles Collection is proud to announce the forthcoming publication in Spring 2025 of a new biography of our founder, Rachel Kay-Shuttleworth.

Her previous biography, written by Canon G. A. Williams in 1969, had been reprinted four times, so an updated replacement was long overdue. Publication has been made possible through recent funding by Scottish Power.

This new biography has many family photographs not previously seen, together with new information discovered during research in our Archives. Rachel’s own embroidery projects are also featured, as she was a skilled embroiderer and designer as well as a collector.

It will be available to buy from our online shop and will also be on sale at Gawthorpe Hall. The launch date will be announced on our website soon, so please watch this space!!

Meanwhile, click on the Collection Stories link below for the first of a new series of stories all relating to items which were donations by Rachel herself. We will be adding to these in the coming weeks, so please keep looking in.

Move to breathe new life into Burnley textiles collection

Sun, 19 Nov 2023 12:02:12 GMT

Move to breathe new life into Burnley textiles collection

The Gawthorpe Textiles Collection is on the move to ensure the legacy left by Rachel Kay-Shuttleworth MBE lives on for future generations.

A collection of over 30,000 textile and craft items that has been housed at Gawthorpe Hall for more than half a century has been carefully relocated to Northlight in Brierfield.

The charity will retain its public gallery space within the hall, which is undergoing a redisplay as part of the investment in the collection’s future, so visitors can continue to enjoy the internationally renowned collection of global textiles in Padiham.

The collection’s new home is a redeveloped cotton mill which has stunning historical features of its own as well as a textile heritage.

Northlight offers the space and flexibility to store and continue to grow the collection, as well as providing a modern, fit-for-purpose workshop space to increase public access to this important educational collection.

Linda Drury, Director of Gawthorpe Textiles Collection, said: “When I joined the charity last year the trustees were already considering moving the collection from the hall as moisture and damp building up in the storage area was starting to impact on some items within it.

“Northlight offers us a more practical space and we are looking forward to welcoming people through our doors once the unboxing process has been done!

“Moving a collection of such enormity and value has taken a lot of logistical planning and we are very grateful to all of our wonderful staff and volunteers who have played their part in making it happen.”

Lord Shuttleworth, Chairman of Trustees and Rachel Kay-Shuttleworth’s great nephew, explained:

“Rachel wanted to use creativity and craft for the good of the community as she believed it was the key to unlock health, social and economic prospects for those most in need.

“Her dedication led her to open her home in Gawthorpe Hall to the public and she campaigned tirelessly to raise the funds needed to secure its future during her lifetime.

“While Rachel’s work is synonymous to Gawthorpe Hall, it felt like the right time to move the collection to ensure its longevity for generations to come.

"Our vision as a charity remains to develop a centre of excellence for textile learning based around the collection and this move is a significant step in achieving that.

“We cannot thank the team enough for working tirelessly to make this happen and we look forward to a bright future at Northlight.”

Recent funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund and Key Fund’s Northern Cultural Regeneration Fund have helped support the move.

Meet the Artists

Thu, 08 Jun 2023 14:33:57 GMT

Cherish the Past, Create for the Future

Thanks to funding support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, this year we are running a programme of artist led free workshops across Burnley and Pendle.

We have appointed four artists to generate exciting, high quality creative opportunities for people from the local community to engage with the collection.

These free workshops will use the textiles of GTC as the catalyst for creative activities, learning new skills, meeting people and making friends.

Meet the Artists:

Nayna Lad

Artist Nayna Lad is 48 years old, of Indian heritage and she currently resides in Liverpool. Having always had a passion for art, she knew it was something that she wanted to do as she got older. Nayna is formally trained to degree level having studied Interior Design and then in the year 2000 she trained to become an Art Teacher. Nayna says that she loved working with children, it was incredibly rewarding not just teaching a subject but also supporting them into adulthood. In 2018 she decided on a career change to become a freelance visual arts facilitator and she has never looked back:

“I love how varied my workshops are from delivering to toddlers right through to the elderly, being involved with drop-in sessions through to longer projects. I work with a wide range of media, but my favourite is printing, textiles and clay and I’m always developing my skill set and learning new techniques to create interesting and creative workshop concepts.”

Printing, Embroidery and Embellishment Textiles workshops

Nayna will be running a series of ten free textiles workshops at Burnley Mechanics commencing on Wednesday 21st June from 10am to 12 noon to Wednesday 19th July, followed by a summer break and recommencing on Wednesday 6th September until 4th October.

To find out more or register to join the workshops, please contact Bev by email at b.lamey@gawthorpetextiles.org.uk

Julia Swarbrick

Julia Swarbrick is a visual artist primarily working as a painter-printmaker. Her background incorporates the fields of Fine Art, Performance and Public engagement. She has over a decade’s experience delivering visual arts workshops in a wide range of settings with a particular interest in the museum and heritage sector, looking at ways to enliven collections and engage audiences through art practice.

Julia finds inspiration in the natural world around her, in the historical, in the personal and the imagined. Found elements from the natural world combined with mental biography are the rich source for the images she creates; using painting and printmaking as mediums that compliment and inform one another. Her work explores her external and immediate environment alongside the internal world of imagination and storytelling.

Julia has exhibited across the UK and internationally. Exhibitions include Liverpool Biennial, The Harris in Preston, The Bluecoat, Liverpool, and the Spectrum Gallery in Perth, Australia. Her own work has been inspired by working with the museums’ collections. She is a regular at Blackburn Museum and Art Gallery where she has held two solo shows and regularly delivers workshops.

Printmaking Workshops

Julia is running a series of ten free weekly printmaking workshop s at Gannow Community Centre in Burnley from Tuesday 27th June from 10am to 12.30pm until September 5th.

For more information and to sign up for the workshops please contact Bev at b.lamey@gawthorpetextiles.org.uk

Nazia Sultana

Artist Nazia Sultana is based in Nelson, Lancashire. She graduated from Cleveland College of Art and Design in International Textiles and Surface Design. Although Nazia is primarily a textile artist, she also loves to work with other subjects including print, calligraphy and fine art. Her work reflects who she is and what she loves:

“I love using a variety of mixed media on my work. I love nature and am hugely influenced by the intensity of colours and surfaces of the world around me, and my work shows this in varying degrees.”

Nazia is interested in creating new and exciting techniques that further layer her work and make it unique and different.

Decorative Textiles Workshops

Nazia has worked with a group of participants at the DEEN Centre in Brierfield to create artworks with a strong ethos of upcycling and sustainability.

The workshops included a visit to source materials from charity shops – garments, bags of sequins, and jewellery which were combined with discarded items we typically throw away and undervalue such as leaves twigs crushed bottle tops bits of metal etc. to create beautiful artworks.

We recognise that artwork!

Tue, 09 May 2023 12:35:58 GMT

Gawthorpe Textiles Collection inspires artist's mural

A popular item from the Gawthorpe Textiles Collection was the inspiration for a stunning piece of art adorning a Padiham gable wall.

Artist Chris Butcher transformed the blank canvas wall on Church Street, into a mural called ‘Up the Hill’, representing the town’s industrial heritage as a textile producer.

The artwork features two tram cars, with passengers on board and surrounding the trams are examples of textile work inspired by our very own Gawthorpe Textiles Collection, on display at the nearby Gawthorpe Hall.

So, what do we know about the item on which Chris based his artwork?

The peacock panel was embroidered by Rachel Kay-Shuttleworth as a present for her parents, Ughtred and Blanche, for their Golden Wedding anniversary in 1921.

She chose cloth of gold for the background fabric and had it framed in an ornate gilt frame made by the Medici Society.

This panel of embroidery is worked in a technique known as laid work where long stitches are laid down first to fill in the shapes and then secured with smaller couching stitches.

The design of a vase, exotic flowers and a pair of peacocks was sketched out by Rachel’s cousin Valerie, Lady North and is taken from one of the carved and pierced parapets up in the galleries of St Mark’s Cathedral, Venice.

Rachel worked on this piece while she was recovering from typhoid fever and perhaps this is why she chose the laid work technique as it allows large areas to be covered relatively quickly.

The embroidery uses many colours of silk floss thread that Rachel arranged carefully to create beautiful gradients and is further embellished with gold metal threads and iridescent beetle wings on the peacocks’ tails.

Linda Drury, director of the Gawthorpe Textiles Collection, said: “The piece is on permanent display in Gawthorpe Hall and is one of the most iconic pieces in the collection, so it’s really fitting that this was the piece chosen to be represented in the mural.

"It also has a strong link to the Shuttleworth family, who were so instrumental in supporting the communities of Padiham and Burnley.

“The peacock as a symbol of resurrection is also quite fitting with the regeneration of the high street and we are so happy that Chris chose this for his eye-catching mural.”

The mural was brought to life with the help of the Padiham Gable Art Project Steering Group including local businesses and groups, Mid Pennine Arts, Padiham Archives and Gawthorpe Hall.

It forms part of the Gable Arts Project, which aims to bring the vibrant history of Padiham to life as part of the wider £1.4million Townscape Heritage scheme funded by the National Lottery Fund.

The Gable Ends Project was supported by Burnley Council, Padiham Town Council, local businesses and residents.

Lottery funded project is underway

Thu, 04 May 2023 12:47:09 GMT

Cherish the Past, Create for the Future

An 18-month project to modernise and digitise the Gawthorpe Textiles Collection has begun.

The “Cherish the Past, Create for the Future’ project has been made possible through National Lottery Heritage Fund and lays the foundations for improving both physical and virtual access to the collection.

New director of the Gawthorpe Textiles Collection, Linda Drury, said: “We are extremely grateful to have received this funding, which goes a long way in helping us to reach more audiences and bring the collection up-to-speed in a digital world.”

The funding has already enabled the employment of two new members of staff; one to lead a programme of outreach across East Lancashire and a second to undertake a comprehensive review and digitisation of the Collection.

Bev Lamey, outreach programme leader, said: “We have already started a 10-week programme with the very talented local female artist Nazia Sultana in collaboration with The DEEN Centre, a faith-based organisation for women and children.

“This unique project focuses on activities to encourage story-telling and narrative building, where participants will learn about the shared heritage of textiles that spans global cultures.

“The project aim is to help women learn creative practices such textile surface designing, fabric manipulation techniques and we have already received positive feedback from those taking part.

As Collections Officer, Rachel Terry’s job is to photograph, categorise and digitise some 30,000 items within the Gawthorpe Textiles Collection.

She said: “I previously worked for the collection as curator, so am familiar with many of the popular items within the collection. But there are a whole host of other gems hidden away in boxes and I have the pleasure of unveiling these items and ensuring they are catalogued within the collection.

“I couldn’t do this without the help of our valuable volunteers.”

There is also funding within the project to modernise the textile displays at Gawthorpe Hall by introducing new perspectives and stories and bringing them to life with audio and film.

‘Cherish the Past, Adorn the Present, Create for the Future’ was a principle that Rachel Kay-Shuttleworth developed from the teachings of architect and designer William R Lethaby.

Linda added: “The ethos of using heritage to create for the future is something that we still hold dear at the Gawthorpe Textiles Collection, using our fabulous collection as a means of creating opportunities to learn and to inspire creativity.

“Our vision remains to develop a centre of excellence for textile learning based around the collection and this project will be a significant step in building towards that.

“We look forward to the next exciting chapter for the Collection.”

Lancashire Textile Treasures programme extended

Thu, 04 May 2023 12:42:28 GMT

More time allocated to celebrate successes of project

The Lancashire Textile Treasures programme has been granted a six-month extension and will now finish at the end of October.

Gawthorpe Textiles Collection was one of several successful organisations awarded funding by The National Lottery Heritage Fund Digital Skills for Heritage, to raise digital skills and confidence across the UK heritage sector.

Lancashire’s Textile Treasures: Connecting Communities; Curating Heritage was a two-year collaborative project between the Textiles Collection, University of Central Lancashire, and Super Slow Way.

New director for the Gawthorpe Textiles Collection, Linda Drury, said: “While this funding came in long before my time, I am delighted that I will now get to carry out work on this project due to its extension.

“The partnership project was to use heritage textiles as a catalyst for engaging and upskilling community members to become digital community curators, building connections, sharing knowledge and skills.

“Through community events and engagement, we were able to explore the cultural significance of textiles, learning from participants, creating connections, and drawing out personal, cultural, social and heritage-based stories.

“We also worked with other heritage venues, archives, and commercial organisations within the region and beyond to digitally map textile heritage assets.

“The extension enables us to fully collate the results of this programme and celebrate its many successes.”

New director appointed for the Gawthorpe Textiles Collection

Wed, 26 Apr 2023 10:02:59 GMT

Linda takes the helm

Gawthorpe Textiles Collection has a new director at the helm and she has an impressive portfolio of charity experience.

Linda Drury is a highly experienced charity, finance and project manager who has held senior positions with both regional and national charities.

She became aware of the Gawthorpe Textiles Collection whilst studying for a City and Guilds in embroidery and when the position for director was announced, she decided to apply.

Linda said: “I was immediately drawn to the history of the collection and was full of admiration for Rachel Kay-Shuttleworth’s passion to preserve traditional craft skills and to share knowledge, skills and expertise across cultures.

“I was delighted to hear that I had been accepted for this once in a lifetime opportunity. Now, settled into the role, I am finding out new things about the collection every single day and it is truly fascinating.

“There are some 30,000 items within the collection from around the world and each piece plays an important role in unpicking the heritage of embroidery and textiles. Many are intricate pieces created by Rachel Kay-Shuttleworth herself or collected as part of her avid learning journey.

“It really is a treasure trove of textile memorabilia and I am proud to be able to join the team in sharing these items with public as she would have wished.

“We have recently started work on a new, 18-month project called ‘Cherish the Past, Create for the Future’.

“Funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, this project will build on Rachel Kay-Shuttleworth’s vision and help us to promote the collection as a centre of excellence for textile-based learning.

Lord Charles Shuttleworth, Chairman of Trustees and the great nephew of Rachel Kay-Shuttleworth, said of Linda’s appointment: “We are delighted to welcome Linda as director of the Gawthorpe Textiles Collection.

“She brings a wealth of experience to the collection and I speak for all fellow trustees when I wish her every success in her new role.”

Prior to joining the Gawthorpe Textiles Collection, Linda was Head of Operations with a national charity involved in refugee resettlement.

Before this, she worked with two federated charities to support their members in developing their strategic plans, diversifying their income, and growing their organisations.

Linda has a Business Degree, a Post Graduate Diploma in Management, and an MBA. She has also worked in community learning and is an experienced trainer.

Linda replaces former director Charlotte Steels, who is now Cultural Strategy Manager for Burnley but pleased to be continuing to work with the Gawthorpe Textiles Collection as a trustee.

Job Opportunities at GTC

Thu, 01 Sep 2022 13:55:48 GMT

New opportunities to work with GTC as part of our Heritage Fund Cherish the Past, Create for the Future Project.

Gawthorpe Textiles Collection is known to textile specialists worldwide, but is often described as a hidden gem, stored mostly in boxes without the facilities to share it more widely with the public.

Thanks to the Heritage Fund and to National Lottery Players we are embarking on a major new project to lay the foundations to build towards establishing the Collection as a textile centre of excellence.

Do you want to work with one of the largest textile collections in the UK at the start of this exciting journey?

Collections Officer, 24 hours per week (minimum), £29,250 pro rata
Key duties and responsibilities: Collection review and documentation, volunteer supervision, digital photography, collections care.
Closing date for applications: 9am, Monday 26 September 2022

Audience Development Consultant , £3,000

Key duties and responsibilities: Review current and potential audiences, support baseline data gathering and create an action focused audience development plan.
Closing date for applications: 9am, Friday 23 September 2022

Evaluation Consultant , £5,000

Key duties and responsibilities: Design and implement an evaluation strategy to report distance travelled to the organisation and funder. Produce interim and end point reports.
Closing date for applications: 9am, Friday 23 September 2022

GTC Receives Heritage Fund Grant

Wed, 31 Aug 2022 15:43:45 GMT

Gawthorpe Textiles Collection is embarking on a new 18 month project, Cherish the Past, Create for the Future, which has been made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Thanks to National Lottery players, we have been able to secure funding for a project which will:

- Lay the foundations for improving both physical and virtual access to the collection.
- Undertake a programme of outreach across the East Lancashire area to better understand and engage local audiences.
- Recruit additional volunteers to work with the collection.
- Work with community artists to embed creative practice in the community.
- Modernise the textile displays at Gawthorpe Hall to introduce new perspectives and stories and to bring them to life with audio and film.
- Undertake a comprehensive review and digitisation of the Collection.

"Cherish the Past, Adorn the Present, Create for the Future" was a maxim that Rachel Kay-Shuttleworth developed from the teachings of architect and designer William R Lethaby. The ethos of using heritage to create for the future is something that we still hold dear at GTC, using our fabulous collection as a means of creating opportunities to learn and to inspire creativity. Our vision remains to develop a centre of excellence for textile learning based around the collection and this project will be a significant step in building towards that.

We look forward to the next exciting chapter for the Collection!

Ethical Textiles FREE Talks Programme

Wed, 10 Aug 2022 10:50:52 GMT

A FREE programme of online talks to mark the end of our two year Ethical Textiles Community Project, funded by the National Lottery Community Fund.

Over the past two years we have been working with community groups in East Lancashire to explore sustainable approaches to textiles, teaching skills in making, upcycling, recycling and mending to ensure that the textiles that we buy and own have the longest possible life and don't end up in landfill.

Throughout that journey we have made some wonderful contacts in the arts and business sector who are passionate about raising awareness of the issues and helping people to be more sustainable. In this programme of talks we bring you insights from five women working to educate and inspire the communities around them.

Tickets are FREE and available to book via Eventbrite using the links below:

Tuesday 16th August, 7.30pm
Flora Collingwood Norris: Ethical Knitwear and Visible Mending
Flora’s talk will take you through her varied career in knitwear, sharing projects and inspirations, and her passion for making clothes last with visible mending.

Thursday 18th August, 7.30pm
Tze Ching Yeung: Refashion My Town
Tze Ching will provide insights into the problems that are faced in the textile industry and what we can do about it, both as individuals and business owners. Followed by an overview of Refashion My Town and the impact that it is currently making in her community, to inspire people to change their consumer habits; to reduce, reuse and refashion more .

Friday 19th August, 7.30pm
Justine Aldersey Williams: Textile Activism, Homegrown Homespun and Fibreshed
Join natural textile dyer and founder of North West England Fibreshed, Justine for a talk about her work as a creative activist and in particular her project in collaboration with Patrick Grant and SuperSlow Way - Homegrown Homespun - an experiment in developing a ‘soil to soil’ textile system that grows its own jeans for social enterprise Community Clothing.

Tuesday 23rd August, 7.30pm
Jessica Grady: Eco-embellishments and Sustainable Textiles
Artist and textile designer Jessica will take you through her unconventional journey exploring her practice with sustainable textiles and zero waste materials.

Wednesday 31st August, 7.30pm
Brigid McLeer: Collateral, British Textile Biennial art installation
Brigid will discuss her recent commission Collateral, a large embroidered whitework panel which remembers the many people who lose their lives working in the global garment industry today.

Re: Fashion Challenge 2022

Thu, 07 Jul 2022 16:37:23 GMT

Re: Fashion Challenge 2022

After our successful Re: Fashion Challenge in 2021 the Re: Fashion Challenge is back.

This August Gawthorpe Textiles Collection are running the Challenge in Blackburn with partners from UCLan and Super Slow Way from 8th to 12th August with a photoshoot on 18th August.

We are looking for young people aged 14 to 18 to take part in this free project.

Working with fashion design mentors participants will upcycle, reuse and refashion denim into unique sustainable fashion collections.

For more information or to sign up email b.lamey@gawthorpetextiles.org.uk or aodlin@uclan.ac.uk

Download the flyer for this year's event or to find out more about the 2021 project, download the zine using the links below:

Rachel Kay-Shuttleworth Honoured in Film Premier

Fri, 27 May 2022 13:09:52 GMT

As part of Community Rail Week, Community Rail Lancashire have been hosting a number of events across the county. One of the first events was a premier of a short-animated film about the life of Rachel Kay-Shuttleworth, which took place at Padiham Green CE Primary on Monday 23rd May 2022.

This film, which was commissioned by Community Rail Lancashire, tells the inspirational story of Burnley woman, Rachel Kay-Shuttleworth with the purpose to encourage people to travel by train to Rose Grove Station and then walk to Gawthorpe Hall to visit the Gawthorpe Textiles Collection which she established.

The animated film includes archive footage of Rachel Kay-Shuttleworth, which has been provided by The North West Film Archive at Manchester Metropolitan University.

With thanks to the Gawthorpe Textiles Collection team who provided archive photographs and information for the film, and the Heritage Learning Lancashire team who facilitated a tour of Gawthorpe Hall with an actor playing ‘Miss Rachel’.

Filmmakers, Huckleberry Films who created the final animation and accompanying poster, worked with community artist Cath Ford who led a series of workshops teaching art skills and developing resources with year 6 pupils at Padiham Green CE Primary School to create artwork designs that formed part of the final animation.

The premier was hosted by the talented year 6 pupils and was attended by artist Cath Ford, with representatives from Community Rail Lancashire, Heritage Learning Lancashire, Gawthorpe Hall, Manchester Metropolitan University, Huckleberry Films and members of the Friends of the Padiham Greenway.

L to R Artist Cath Ford, year 6 teacher Natasha Gardiner, children from year 6, Rachel Kay-Shuttleworth character, headteacher Mark Dixon, Caroline Eccles and David Pownall from Huckleberry Films and Melanie Taylor

Melanie Taylor, Chair Joint CL & ELCRPs said: “Well done to everyone who has been part of this fantastic project, especially the pupils at Padiham Green CE Primary, the artists, filmmakers and the inspirational support given by the Heritage Learning Lancashire Team and staff at the Gawthorpe Textiles Collection.

“The animated film also includes archive footage of Rachel Kay-Shuttleworth, which has been kindly provided by The North West Film Archive at Manchester Metropolitan University for which we thank them most sincerely.

“A huge thanks also goes to Lancashire County Council’s Heritage Learning Lancashire team, and to the Gawthorpe Textiles Collection at Gawthorpe Hall, who provided information for the project. We also thank the funders for this project, the Community Rail Network.”

Natasha Gardiner, year 6 Teacher at Padiham Green School said: “It was an amazing experience for our pupils to work with artist Cath Ford, and alongside Caroline at Huckleberry Films to create artwork, which featured in the final animation.

“This project has been a great collaboration that has created a piece of history for the Shuttleworth family and Gawthorpe Hall. To host the premier of the film at our school has been an honour for our pupils and teachers.”

Caroline Eccles, from Huckleberry Films, was delighted with the end results. She said: “We were so excited when we were first approached about this wonderful project.

“Miss Rachel, as she was affectionately known, was an incredible woman and helping to share her legacy has been fascinating. Everyone that has worked on this project should be very proud of themselves, especially the super talented children.

“My hope is that it will have a real impact on those that see it and it will encourage them to visit Gawthorpe Hall, using our wonderful railways, and inspire them to learn more about the life and achievements of Rachel Kay-Shuttleworth.”

Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant for Lancashire, Lord Shuttleworth, Rachel Kay-Shuttleworth’s great-nephew added: “I was delighted be one of the first people to watch the video that outlines the amazing life of Rachel Kay-Shuttleworth, plus the rich heritage of Gawthorpe Hall and surrounding areas.

“It is great to hear how the pupils thoroughly enjoyed learning about the fantastic history of Gawthorpe Hall, while creating art pieces to share their knowledge. This video will be a piece of history for my family and all at Gawthorpe Hall.”

Green Canopy Platinum Jubilee Workshops

Fri, 27 May 2022 12:44:55 GMT

Meet the artists leading our Green Canopy Platinum Jubilee Workshops!

Thanks to National Lottery players and administered by UK Community Foundations on behalf of the Arts Council, England, Let’s Create Jubilee Fund, Gawthorpe Textiles Collection are running a series of free workshops to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. There is no charge for these workshops.

Support to purchase bus tickets can be provided for travel to the workshop for anyone living within the Burnley Bus Service area. Please contact GTC Community Engagement Officer, Bev Lamey before the workshop to request this support b.lamey@gawthorpetextiles.org.uk

Family Workshops with Jess Grady

Embroidery artist, Jess Grady’s free zero waste workshops

for families with children are running in half term week. Jess will demonstrate how to create textile leaves from waste materials inspired by the Green Canopy Ethical Textiles exhibition.

Tuesday 31st May 9.30am - 12.30pm
Valley Street Community Centre, Burnley, BB11 5LZ

Tuesday 31st May 9.30am - 12.30pm & 2pm - 5pm
Brierfield Library, Colne Road, BB9 5HW

Wednesday 1st June 9.30am - 12.30pm
Padiham Town Hall Community Room, Padiham, BB12 8BS

Wednesday 1st June 2pm - 5pm
Finsley Gate Wharf, Burnley BB11 2FG

These workshops do not need to be booked – just drop in and join in.

Meet the artist:

Embroidery artist Jessica Grady lives in West Yorkshire and creates colourful and contemporary hand stitched 3D sculptures and wall art. She utilises unconventional and recycled materials to create her own intricate embellishments and sequins. Her work has a zero waste approach with all offcuts being recycled into new works. Jessica has created embroidery designs both as an artist and as a freelance designer for the textile industry. Her own work has been exhibited across the UK, Europe and Asia and she is also a member of British groups: Art Textiles Made in Britain and the Society for Embroidered Work. She is very passionate about sharing her skills with others and she teaches various workshops and community projects for a variety of education placements, private groups, charities, festivals and individuals. In 2018 - 2019 Jessica was awarded the Under 30's Guild Scholar Award for her professional practice.

Workshops with Rabia Sharif

Local textile artist, Rabia Sharif is running her free embroidery and applique workshops for adults in May and June linked to the Green Canopy Ethical Textiles exhibition

at Gawthorpe Hall. Rabia will help you create a beautiful coaster made from scraps of fabric. These workshops are suitable for adults (over 18 years) who have at least a basic skill level in embroidery and stitch but could be enjoyed by more experienced stitchers.

All materials (fabric scraps and threads) and equipment will

be provided including embroidery hoops, but bring your own sewing kit if you have one.

Saturday 28th May 12.30pm - 4 pm

Thursday 9th June 12.30pm - 4pm

Thursday 16th June 12.30pm - 4pm

Gawthorpe Hall, Burnley Road, Padiham, BB12 8UA

Book via Eventbrite

Numbers are limited so please book early to avoid disappointment.

Meet the artist:

“I am a UCLAN graduate in Eastern Fashion Design, living in Burnley. I am a full-time mum and grandma who is passionate about fashion, embroidery and saving the environment. I like trying out new embroidery techniques and love taking on challenges. One of the many challenges was the project I undertook in 2021 alongside a fine artist for the British Textile Biennial 2021, creating Collateral, a large whitework panel depicting all the lives lost in textile factories around the world. My projects are mostly inspired by nature, vibrant colours, and my surroundings. I love to do my part in helping the environment by using preloved garments and fabric waste no matter how big or small and creating them into something beautiful to cherish for a long time to come. I am a firm believer in zero waste. I have a shop on etsy called SaBella where I sell some of my work. Embroidery techniques from all around the world have always fascinated me and it saddens me to see it all dying out because of mass production. I love to share or pass on my knowledge of creativity in stitching to anyone willing to learn...just so it can carry on for eternity!”

Rabia’s work can be seen in the Green Canopy – Ethical Textiles Exhibition on show at Gawthorpe Hall until July 10th, 2022.

GTC Awarded Let's Create Jubilee Funding

Thu, 21 Apr 2022 13:08:13 GMT

Gawthorpe Textiles Collection has received funding to help the local community to get creative for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

GTC has received a grant of £3,500 from the Arts Council England Let’s Create Jubilee Fund to help our local community to put creativity at the heart of the celebrations for Her Majesty the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in June 2022.

Made possible thanks to National Lottery players and administered by UK Community Foundations on behalf of the Arts Council, the Let’s Create Jubilee Fund will support a programme of artist led workshops linked to the Green Canopy Ethical Textiles Exhibition on show at Gawthorpe Hall until 10th July.

Local artist, Rabia Sharif will run a series of free workshops for adults in May and June at Gawthorpe Hall. Rabia’s beautiful, embroidered jacket pictured here is a key piece in the Green Canopy Ethical Textiles exhibition.

Contemporary embroidery artist, Jess Grady, will run a series of workshops for families in the Jubilee half term week in venues around Burnley. Jess utilises unconventional and recycled materials in her textiles which are a bold and tactile exploration of colour and pattern.

Details of the workshops will be added to our Eventbrite listings in the coming weeks.

In announcing the £4.58 million investment given out to community and voluntary organisations across the UK, Rosemary Macdonald, CEO, UK Community Foundations, said: “For community foundations, people and places are the priority and the Queen's Platinum Jubilee is a unique opportunity for people to get together and celebrate in their communities. We are proud to have connected Arts Council England with local organisations whose imaginative and exciting projects and collaborations with professional artists will bring communities together to enjoy marking this milestone moment in our history.”

Re:Fashion Repair Shop at Finsley Gate Wharf

Sat, 12 Mar 2022 11:34:40 GMT

Do you have clothes in your wardrobe that you can’t wear because you’ve lost a button, or there’s a hole in your favourite jumper? Do you need to turn some jeans up but don’t know where to start? We can show you how!

Bring along any clothes that need mending and we’ll see what we can do. Leave them with us to repair and renew and come back and collect them next time we are open. You can also donate clothing that you no longer want that we can upcycle, repair, and resell. Come and see us at Finsley Gate Wharf in Burnley on one of the following dates. We will also be running free workshops where you can learn simple mending techniques to repair items yourself. Sign up for your free place at the Re: Fashion Repair Shop by contacting Bev Lamey - b.lamey@gawthorpetextiles.org.uk:

Saturday 30th April 11am – 3pm

Workshop: 11am to 1pm - Make a decorative patch to cover a hole or stain

Sunday 19th June Heritage Open Day 10.30am to 3.30pm

Workshop: 11am to 1pm - Learn how to darn a hole in a knitted garment

Saturday 30th July Repurpose and Recycle Day 11am – 3pm

Workshop: 11am - 1pm - Learn basic sewing skills to mend your clothes

Sunday 28th August 11am – 3pm

Workshop: 11am to 1pm - Make a decorative patch to cover a hole or stain

Why are we doing this?

The Fashion and Textiles industry is one of the most polluting and unsustainable industries on the planet. Fast Fashion has become a by word for cheap clothes but at what cost to the environment and to workers in the garment industry at home and abroad? What is the alternative to fast fashion if you have limited income and no other choice? 3 million tons of clothing ends up in bins every year, with 20% of that going into landfill and the other 80% burned. £140 million worth of garments are being trashed in the UK alone. The UK Parliamentary report into the Fashion industry concluded that the most sustainable garment is the one we already own and that repairing, re-wearing, reusing and renting are preferable to industrial recycling or discarding clothes. We want to help people to develop the skills to make the clothes they have last longer and ultimately to make their own clothes.

The Re: Fashion Repair Shop is being run by Gawthorpe Textiles Collection in association with the Canal & River Trust and is part of the Ethical Textiles project funded by the National Lottery Reaching Communities Fund.

Join Our Board of Trustees

Wed, 23 Feb 2022 09:53:46 GMT

Would you like to support a local heritage, education and community engagement focused charity? GTC is seeking new trustees to join its board during an exciting period of development.

During 2021 the charity underwent a period of organisational review to establish a new vision for the future of the charity and collection. This vision is to create a centre of excellence for the 21st century focused on the textile collection. It is underpinned by 6 principles which connect the ambitions of GTC with partners and stakeholders, these being: collection care and management, learning, research and impact, engagement and widening participation, access and development.

We would like our board to reflect the diverse communities that we work with, with candidates bringing skills and new perspectives to help us to achieve our vision and create a robust and secure future for the charity and the heritage collection that it cares for.

We would welcome applicants from a range of different backgrounds, particularly those with experience in any of the following areas: marketing and PR, charitable fundraising, charity law, accountancy, museums & heritage and education.

Commitment: minimum 6 meetings per year.

Closing date for expressions of interest: 31 July 2022

Please note candidates will be assessed on receipt of their expression of interest, we will not hold applications until the end of the recruitment period.

Download further details below or contact recruitment@gawthorpetextiles.org.uk for more information or to arrange an informal conversation with the Chair of Trustees Lord Shuttleworth.

New "Feathers" Range of Textiles

Wed, 09 Feb 2022 21:09:42 GMT

Our new "Feathers" range of textile homewares and gifts is now available in our online shop, based on a bedspread made by Rachel Kay-Shuttleworth.

The design has been transformed into items made locally in Accrington by Lantex, and includes cushions, cosmetic and wash bags, aprons and oven gloves, the perfect addition to any home.

The original bedspread was embroidered by Rachel over a 30 year period (1937-1967) in dark blue and green crewel wools. Each one of the 100 feathers, large and small is unique, with a different stitch pattern.

Rachel based her design on a fragment of an embroidery owned by the Arts and Crafts movement designer, Lewis Foreman Day, which was said to have been worked by Amy Robsart (1532-1560), the ill-fated wife of Elizabeth I’s favourite, Robert Dudley. This story appears to have captured Rachel’s imagination and she made the bedspread for the 17th century bed of her ancestor, Richard the Roundhead which is displayed at Gawthorpe Hall.

The bedspread includes a small coat of arms with Rachel’s initials and the year 1966, a year before her death. The piece was almost finished at the time of Rachel’s death and was completed and then donated to the Collection by her niece, Rosemary Kay-Shuttleworth.

Re: Fashion Challenge Winners Announced and Zine launched

Wed, 08 Dec 2021 10:02:28 GMT

As part of our Ethical Textiles project Gawthorpe Textiles Collection collaborated with the University of Central Lancashire Fashion department to run a Re: Fashion Challenge with a group of young people from across East Lancashire.

The project aimed to introduce skills in making, mending, and upcycling and promote the ethos of sustainability and zero waste.

The Re: Fashion Challenge took place across one week in August at Victoria Mill, the UCLan campus in Burnley. We worked with four young fashion designers who acted as mentors for a group of young people from across East Lancashire. Each mentor worked with a team of two young people and developed a collection from second-hand clothes, dead stock, discarded and recycled materials. The week culminated in a professional photoshoot where some of the young people and mentors modelled their collections.

Each team developed a theme – Punk Princess, Botanical Bin Liners, Gomibako and The Great Outdoors. They all worked incredibly hard, and the work created in such a short time was stunning in its creativity and originality. The work was so good it was hard to separate them out and choose a winner. We are grateful to our team of judges for the time and care they took to go through the information and images in the judging pack to make their choice. The judges were Nic Corrigan, fashion knitwear designer, of Whitehall Studios, Rizwanna Matador, modest fashion designer from Cover Me Collection, Ashley Sutcliffe, Gawthorpe Textiles Collection trustee, and designer from Live Like The Boy, Charlotte Steels, Director, Gawthorpe Textiles Collection, and Sarah Lloyd, Head of Design at Panaz Textiles.

The winners were announced at an event held at the Lawrence Hotel in Padiham on November 18th. Participants, mentors, judges, and guests enjoyed looking at an exhibition of the finished collections and images from the photoshoot and we launched our Re: Fashion Zine – a publication about the project. Congratulations to the winning team, the Botanical Bin Liners – Eira Odlin Bates and Dainy Casper, led by their mentor, Allison Orr. They each received a fashion book and Eira and Dainy won gift vouchers worth £25. Each of the other participants in the competition received a £10 voucher. Thanks go to Panaz Textiles for sponsoring the prizes.

Photographs and the full story of the project can be seen in our Re: Fashion Zine which can be downloaded here:

Talking Textiles

Tue, 02 Nov 2021 15:31:19 GMT

Talking Textiles workshops, part of Being Human Festival 2021

As part of the national Being Human Festival 2021, the UK’s first and only festival of the humanities, the University of Lancashire (UCLan) is teaming up with Gawthorpe Textiles Collection and the artist-led organisation Manasmitra , t o deliver two exciting workshops for women in the Northwest.

The workshops Talking Textiles explore storytelling through clothing and textiles through a combination of craft making, music, storytelling and sound. The workshops will take place at the Valley Street Community Centre in Burnley on Saturday 13 November and Saturday 20 November, 10.00am -1.00pm. They are free to attend but booking is recommended in advance via Eventbrite .

For further information contact patternsofmigration@uclan.ac.uk

UCLan Press Release: https://bit.ly/3vRiIP3

British Textile Biennial 1 - 31 October 2021

Wed, 08 Sep 2021 12:08:01 GMT

Get Inspired by Gawthorpe's Textile Treasure Trove

Lancashire has a rich history linked to the textile industry and this October sees the return of the British Textile Biennial, shining a spotlight on the story of textiles past and present across Pennine Lancashire.

During the Biennial, Gawthorpe Hall will play host to two exhibitions as well as inspiring work that will be shown at other venues in the region.

- Turner Prize winner, Lubaina Himid will present a major new work responding to themes in the Collection, exploring the histories of industrialisation, female labour, migration and globalisation which will be shown in the Great Barn at Gawthorpe Hall.

- Headed up by 999 Call for the NHS, The Threads of Survival exhibition will capture people’s experiences and reflections on the “Year of Covid”. The 18 quilts will represent groups and individuals of all ages and abilities from across the country.

- BTB21 guest curator, fashion historian Amber Butchart has delved into the Collection to create Cloth Cultures: Stories of Movement, Migration and Making which will be shown at the Haworth Art Gallery , Accrington. Amber said, “I’m really enjoying working with the Gawthorpe Textiles Collection, it’s such a brilliant resource packed full with pieces from around the world and throughout history. It’s a real treasure trove, and it’s fascinating tracing the local stories that have global connections.”

- Artist Brigid McLeer’s Collateral project is a poignant tribute to the hundreds of textile workers whose lives have been lost working in factories around the world supplying the fast fashion industry. Brigid has designed a large textile piece inspired by a Battle of Britain Nottingham lace panel housed at Gawthorpe which was made to commemorate RAF airman lost during WW2. With contributions from a network of embroiderers both local and national, Brigid’s panel will be shown at Queen Street Mill Textile Museum , Burnley.

For full details of the Biennial programme visit britishtextilebiennial.co.uk

Refugee Week 14-20 June 2021

websitebuilder@1and1.de — Fri, 11 Jun 2021 09:44:41 GMT

Refugee Week 14-20 June

This year we're taking part in a fabulous programme of activities across Lancashire during Refugee Week.

Refugee Week has grown into a global movement since it was founded in 1998. Now a UK wide festival of arts, cultural, sporting and educational events, it is held each year to mark World Refugee Day on 20th June.

The theme this year is "We Cannot Walk Alone", which is taken from Dr Martin Luther King’s famous "I have a dream" speech. After a year when many people have experienced unprecedented challenges, uncertainty and hardship, taking care of the wellbeing of individuals and communities is more important than ever. This Refugee Week we are encouraged to reach out, connect and learn from others in the community.

Visit the Refugee Week website for more information about the national festival.

Events are taking place around the county as well as many being online due to ongoing restrictions. Download Lancashire County Council's brochure below for a programme of the activities.

Since 19th May we have been running two workshops a week for female refugees from countries including Iran, Iraq, Guatemala, Syria, Kuwait, and Albania linked with the theme of the Patterns of Migration project. Funding for the workshops was provided by Super Slow Way and in addition, we successfully applied for funding from the Lancashire County Council Refugee Women Grant Scheme to pay for language support and transport. We are working with Community Arts by ZK, and artist Aysha Yilmuz. We are posting regular updates on the project on Instagram and Facebook so please follow us to see some of the work.

For more information about our work in the community, visit our Valley Street Textiles Studio page.

Gawthorpe Textiles Collection receives funding to boost digital development in heritage organisations

websitebuilder@1and1.de — Thu, 18 Mar 2021 13:12:10 GMT

Digital Skills for Heritage

Gawthorpe Textiles Collection (GTC) is among the successful organisations awarded funding by The National Lottery Heritage Fund Digital Skills for Heritage initiative, to raise digital skills and confidence across the UK heritage sector. National Lottery funded Digital Skills for Heritage has expanded thanks to an additional £1 million from the Government’s £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund.

GTC’s Lancashire’s Textile Treasures is one of 12 grants announced today, awarded to address three distinct areas; driving digital innovation and enterprise, providing answers to organisations’ most pressing concerns, and empowering collaborative work to achieve common aims.

Digital skills are more relevant and necessary than ever as heritage organisations affected by the coronavirus pandemic look toward a more resilient future. In October 2020, The National Lottery Heritage Fund published the findings of its survey of over 4,000 staff, trustees and volunteers at 281 heritage organisations, identifying the current digital skills and attitudes of the sector. The results highlighted what tools and training organisations needed to weather the coronavirus pandemic and move forward into a more resilient and creative future.

Lancashire’s Textile Treasures: Connecting Communities; Curating Heritage is a two year collaborative project between the Textiles Collection, University of Central Lancashire and Super Slow Way a warded £99,200. The partnership project will use heritage textiles as a catalyst for engaging and upskilling community members to become digital community curators, building connections, sharing knowledge and skills. We will explore the cultural significance of textiles, learning from participants, creating connections and drawing out personal, cultural, social and heritage based stories. We will also work with other heritage venues, archives and commercial organisations within the region and beyond to digitally map textile heritage assets.

Charlotte Steels the Director of Gawthorpe Textiles Collection said, “We are thrilled that our project has been selected and thank the National Lottery Heritage Fund for their support. During the pandemic, digital has provided valuable opportunities for us to try different ways of working and to connect with audiences worldwide. This project will enable us to work collaboratively across heritage, education and arts to engage communities in innovative and exciting ways; to enrich our historic collections through harnessing community voices and stories in a new, open access digital resource.”

Josie Fraser, Head of Digital Policy at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said, “Throughout the coronavirus pandemic we have all seen the essential role that digital skills have played in helping heritage organisations continue to work, communicate and connect. We are proud that our National Lottery funded Digital Skills for Heritage projects have provided the sector with practical support when it has been most needed.

“The £1 million Culture Recovery Fund boost from DCMS recognises the value of digital skills and allows us to expand the initiative. These new grants focus on what organisations have told us they need most – digital innovation, enterprise and business skills to improve and rethink how the sector operates.”

Caroline Dinenage, Minister for Digital and Culture, said, “I have been really impressed by the innovative ways that sites and projects have already pivoted during the pandemic, but now more than ever it is essential that our heritage sector has the latest digital skills to bring our history to life online. This £1 million boost from the Culture Recovery Fund will ensure that staff and volunteers have the skills they need to keep caring for the past and conserving for the future through the sector's reopening and recovery.”

Inspired Flooring for Your Home

websitebuilder@1and1.de — Wed, 24 Feb 2021 18:02:33 GMT

A new and exciting way to bring a piece of Gawthorpe Textiles Collection to your home.

We've recently collaborated with local company For the Floor and More on a new range of vinyl flooring based on a selection of designs from the collection. For the Floor and More is a family owned company that produce bespoke flooring and tiles in a number of mediums.

Four fabric designs were selected from a range of items - a patchwork quilt dating to 1780-1820, silk fabrics from 1900 and a 1950s rayon dress fabric. Motifs were resized and recoloured with vibrant contemporary colour schemes.

The designs have been named after women in the Shuttleworth family - Lady Blanche (nee Parrish) - Rachel Kay-Shuttleworth’s mother, Selina Adine Bridgeman, who married Rachel's brother Captain Lawrence Ughtred Kay-Shuttleworth, Janet Shuttleworth, wife of leading educationalist John Kay creating the Kay-Shuttleworth name and ancestor Eve de Hulton, the wife of Henry De Shotilworth.

A percentage of sales profits is being given to the Collection to support our charitable work and also to a local carbon offset scheme being run by the Lancashire Wildlife Trust.

Images copyright For the Floor and More.

Re-Fashion T-Shirt Competition Winners Announced

websitebuilder@1and1.de — Wed, 24 Feb 2021 17:12:27 GMT

The winners of our Re-Fashion a T-shirt competition have been chosen.

They are Holly Astin, aged 10 and Ruby Hartley aged 12. Holly took two old T-shirts and combined them to make a lovely new cushion with tassels and her name appliqued onto the front. Ruby took an old T-shirt and cleverly transformed it into a bag embellished with Suffolk puffs, beads and tassels.

They have each won a shopping voucher for £30 kindly donated by Mitchell Interflex Ltd. and a £5 Turtlebee zero waste shop voucher.

We are very grateful to The Participation Works who partnered with us for this project and for the support of local businesses Mitchell Interflex Ltd. and Turtlebee for providing the prizes.

Introducing Ethical Textiles

websitebuilder@1and1.de — Sat, 14 Nov 2020 21:12:04 GMT

How can our Ethical Textiles project help?

Would you like to explore ways to address this issue and learn new ideas and skills along the way? The Ethical Textiles project aims to explore the context and impact of Fast Fashion and present an alternative. Looking at learning from the past, preserving craft skills, learning to repair and preserve, developing local products, understanding and using eco-friendly materials, with the goal of protecting the environment and presenting a different view of the value and cost of the clothes that we wear, the textiles we buy and the associated industries. Inspired by items from the collection we will work with people from across the local community on events, activities, exhibitions and campaigns that promote the idea of sustainable fashion for all.

Why are we doing this?

The UK Parliamentary report into the Fashion industry – called Fixing Fashion (published February 2019) states that most garment workers across the world exist on poverty wages and poor conditions. It is even stated that forced labour is used on cotton plantations in some central Asian countries. Even in the UK some companies pay less than the minimum wage so that they can sell their clothes so cheaply that they can be regarded as single use items.

Greenpeace report that UK consumers buy more clothes per person in the UK than any other country in Europe and we are estimated to buy 400% more clothes now than we did 20 years ago! Some unwanted clothes get donated to charity but many items are not resold so end up either being turned into insulation or mattress stuffing. Large quantities of unwanted clothes are simply thrown away and end up in landfill or incinerated. A tiny amount of materials from unused clothing is recycled into new clothing at the end of its life.

Are you wondering what you can do as one individual about all of this? One conclusion of the parliamentary report is that the most sustainable garment is the one we already own and that repairing, re-wearing, reusing and renting are preferable to recycling or discarding clothes.

Three ways to make a difference:

1. Give your old clothes away to friends or to charity shops but remember only a third of donations actually are resold. The rest go into landfill so only donate high quality clothes.

2. Recycle and repurpose. Learn to repair and reuse. Colourful and creative patching and darning can make your clothes original and different. If they are too damaged to repair, make them into quilts or rugs or other products.

3. Swap your clothes. Organise a one off event or set up a clothing exchange where people can bring something and take something away.

Textiles in Lockdown Ebook and Podcast

websitebuilder@1and1.de — Wed, 11 Nov 2020 12:58:57 GMT

Textiles in Lockdown - a new e-book and podcast by artist Ruth Singer on behalf of Gawthorpe Textiles Collection exploring the impact of lockdown on textile makers.

Ruth's research explores the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on professional and hobby textile makers with contributions from 300 people across the UK and beyond.

Click here for more details and for links to the e-book and podcast.

The full archive will be held by GTC and will be available to researchers. If you missed out on the opportunity to contribute, don't worry you can still submit your stories to the archive. Details are available on our website via the link above.