Celebrate the Cotswolds' woollen heritage
The event will include a flock of sheep and lambs outside
the Town Hall, replicating the town's old wool market (shown here). You'll also
be able to watch and try demonstrations of spinning and weaving, and other
textiles crafts such as rag rugging.
A new festival will launch in the Cotswold town of Chipping Norton this May,
to celebrate its history in the wool and weaving industry. The Fibre
Festival is being organised by The Fibreworks, the town’s knitting and
crochet shop, and will take place in the Town Hall from 10am until 4pm on
Saturday 4 May.
If you're part of a local knitting group, why not take part in the grand
‘knit-in’ – and enjoy the vintage teas being served.
Fibreworks staff will also be holding a knitting surgery, there'll be stalls
selling local craftspeople's work, and you can learn about The Fibrework's
classes such as quilting, crochet, millinery, sewing and screen printing.
Lesley Wildman, co-owner of The Fibreworks, explains, “Chipping Norton has a
long and proud association with wool and over the past 18 months, The Fibreworks
has had considerable success in promoting local, contemporary crafts and in
encouraging a new generation to explore the pleasures of handmade textiles. I
felt the time was right for something on a bigger scale than our small shop can
offer and so the idea of the Festival was born.”
The town is famous for the Bliss Tweed Mill, shown here,
which was operational until the late 1980s. The Local History Society will be
hosting a display of the history of the mill and the town’s wool trade, and
there will also be guided walks led by John Grantham, with rare access to the
mill itself.
For further information about the Festival, visit The Fibreworks website or call 01608
645970.