A festival celebrating all things woollen is set to take centre stage at a popular city museum later this week.
Held on Saturday October 4 from 11am -5pm, visitors to Leeds Industrial Museum at Armley Mills will be able to take part and enjoy a range of woollen delights on the day which will include a mini market with over 15 stalls, special performances and tutorials from the experts through a Finishing Techniques Knitting Workshop.
On offer to delight the crowd will be cabaret performances of ‘A Stitch in Time’ at 11.30am and 2pm, which features knitting songs, stories and poems from the United Kingdom and North America. A spinning demonstration will also be undertaken by Penelope playing the role of a Luddite, who in the 19th century, campaigned against newly developed labour-saving machinery.
As part of the Knitting workshop led by expert Audrey Wilson, which is priced at £25 and must be pre-booked, you can find out the secrets of invisible seams, buttonholes, grafting, blocking, picking up stitches, making buttonholes, professional edgings, and necklines. On the day, you are invited to bring an unfinished garment of your own to the workshop, and swatches will be provided for seaming, grafting and practice. All you will need to get involved is a pair of 4mm knitting needles and a Tapestry needle. To pre-book your place at the workshop, please visit Armley Mills or ring: Tel: 0113 2637861.
Also featuring on the programme is guest speaker Anne Kingston, who will provide an insightful talk on ‘Innovations in Hand Knitting’. Anne will talk about new knitting techniques, improved knitting techniques and developments in seamless garment construction. To top off a fantastic day some rare breed lambs will also be on site, which are sure to be a big hit at this family-friendly event.
This special event will precede ‘UK Wool Week’ from 6 – 12 October 2014, where as part of the celebrations, Leeds Industrial Museum will be also be holding on 9 October from 5pm, ‘Spinning a Yarn’. Those in attendance can listen to stories in the atmospheric cinema, while they knit or crochet. Tickets are priced at £4.50 per person and must be booked in advance. As part of the entrance fee, a free drink during the interval will also be provided on the night that is suitable for age 18+.
For more information regarding events and activities at Leeds Industrial Museum at Armley Mills, please see: www.leeds.gov.uk/armleymills
Councillor Lucinda Yeadon, Leeds City Council’s executive member for digital and creative technologies, culture and skills said:
“We are really looking forward to playing our part in celebrating UK Wool Week, and as part of the run-up to this event, a special festival is set to be held at Armley Mills on the 4 October.
“On offer will include a mini market boasting a range of stalls, special cabaret performances of ‘A Stitch in Time’, and in what promises something not be missed, a Finishing Techniques Knitting Workshop.
“An opportunity to enjoy the surroundings of the atmospheric cinema at Armley Mills and listen to a range of interesting stories while you knit or crochet is also be available on 9 October, and with tickets limited, we would urge anyone interested in attending to book their place as soon as possible to avoid any disappointment.”
Sarah Barton, Keeper at Leeds Industrial Museum at Armley Mills said:
“We are always aiming to put together a diverse and interesting programme of activities and events at Leeds Industrial Museum, and we are excited to be hosting our very own wool festival.
“This promises to be a great fun for all the family and we are hoping to see a great crowd on the day.”
