The Loom Shed Weavers of Northern England

Every year, we focus on the weavers of a particular region and do our best to highlight the diversity that this craft can provide. This year, we focus to weavers of Northern England, and we are delighted that we have a weaver who hand weaves long production lengths; a weaver whose work is a nod to the tradition, but undoubtedly contemporary; a tapestry weaver whose work is inspired by place and a weaver of colourful, hand dyed rugs. It promised to be an inspiring and empowering day for those who do weave, and an exciting and educational day for those of us new to weaving.

Our first talk this year will be from Becky Sunter of Tabby Textiles. Becky trained in Design Crafts in Carlisle, before setting up her studio in Darlington. Her work is inextricably linked with the tradition of weaving, and she speaks about the importance of sustainability, but also how the cloth is made, handled and constructed. Becky’s work is confident in her use of colour and pattern.

The next speaker will be rug weaver, Jacqueline James. An award winning weaver, Jacqueline designs and hand weaves rugs for private and public collections. She specialises in working with artists, collectors and interior designers to create striking designs fit for purpose. Jacqueline often dyes her own yarns to create the perfect shade of colour, and has an interest in natural dyes.

The third speaker is Kirsty Jean Leadbetter, founder, designer and weaver behind The Liverpool Weaving Company. Kirsty Jean is proud to encompass design, sampling, and small to medium scale weave production all in the heart of her home city. We look forward to hearing about the origins of this micro mill.

Our final speaker is tapestry weaver Jane Walkley. Jane’s work links place, memory and attachment – how a place can evoke such strong memories within us. Jane will share her site-specific woven response to Sunny Bank Mills in Leeds, and how she incorporates Jesmonite and clay into her tapestries. Her tapestries are sculptural and tactile, inextricably linked to Mill, encapsulating their own memories and triggering others.

All four talks will be held online and recorded. Ticket holders will be able to watch the recordings for two weeks following the event.