Helmshore Cotton Mill – Video Diary

A trip to Rossendale in Lancashire means many things to me.  It’s a place where I feel at ‘Home’. I catch up with my family and now and again I revisit aspects of the industrial heritage and it’s textiles stories that had sparked my love of textiles, many years ago.  I remember family tales from the Cotton Mills – of clogs sparking on cobbles, the Mee Mawing Language of Weavers and my great-aunt explaining how she used to thread a shuttle.  Helmshore Cotton Mill is one of the last remaining Mills in the Rossendale  Valley where you can truly experience the full glory of original machinery in working order.

Helmshore Cotton Mill is one of the last remaining Mills in the Rossendale Valley
Helmshore Cotton Mill is one of the last remaining Mills in the Rossendale Valley

This video is from a recent visit and shows some beautiful working Carding, Roving  & Spinning machines. It’s noisier than you might think!

A little bonus for you are the fabulous Fulling Machines showing how Military Wool Cloth was made.

If you have memories or family stories from the Mills, I’d love to hear them. Please share them below.
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Cotton Mills by the Irwell

Even though I’ve been wet-felting for years, it still amazes me what can be created with some wool roving and a bit of soapy water.
At the weekend I had another brilliant day with the Feltmakers, this time with the very talented Valerie Wartelle. Her landscape work is stunning.
I started with a blank piece of pre-felt and started imagining a landscape of my own.
Slowly the picture developed.
A bit of rolling later.
And a bit of fulling and rinsing later.
The felt was drying.
My Cotton Mills by the Irwell.
It needs a good press, a little bit of embroidery and then framing.
I’m chuffed to bits with it.

Inspiration from the Cotton Mills of Lancashire

The Cotton Mills of Lancashire have inspired a great deal of my work, especially my latest stitchery project.

I’ve combined my love of red thread with a vintage garment and the job titles of those working in the cotton industry to make a piece of wearable art.

I love red. This wonderful pincushion from Beyond Measure is made using cloth woven in Lancashire.
It’s a work in progress – my mind is already busy thinking about the next two pieces of embroidery I want to create! Does is happen to you too?