The Loom Shed

Learn to Spin with Amanda Hannaford
2025-11-16 10:00 - 16:00 (Europe/London) | The Loom Shed, Sutton Barton, Cullompton, Devon, EX15 1NF, United Kingdom
This is one not to miss! The very experienced spinner and highly skilled tutor (and author), Amanda Hannaford is coming to The Loom Shed to teach us how to spin right from the very beginning!
So if you’re completely new to spinning, but always wanted to have a go, this workshop is for you. Amanda will start by introducing you to a large basket of clean wool straight from the sheep’s back, and all the tools you need to turn the wool into useable yarn.
We will use specially designed wire brushes to turn the wool into fluffy rolls, and then add twist using a hand spindle to make the loose fibres into yarn. There will be spinning wheels on hand to try, if you’d like to take your newfound hobby further, and we’ll also experiment with mill-prepared wool if you don’t know any friendly sheep!
Amanda will also be bringing a few copies of her new book ‘The Handspinner’s Companion’ if you would like a signed copy.

The Red Dress Project : A presentation by Kirstie Macleod
2025-11-08 10:30 - 11:30 | The Loom Shed, Sutton Barton, Cullompton, Devon, EX15 1NF, United Kingdom
We are excited to welcome Kirstie Macleod to The Loom Shed. The Red Dress is an awe inspiring project, shining a spotlight on hundreds of women whose circumstances overshadow their lives. Kirstie co-ordinated this project, travelling around the world with the dress, and we look forward to hearing more about the thought that started the project and the stories she heard as they stitched.
Kirstie has recently been elected as an Ambassador for the Textile Society for her “sustained commitment to The Red Dress as a global community project, which has become an icon of contemporary world textiles”.
The Red Dress is an award winning global collaborative embroidery project centred around a red silk dress that holds the voices and stitches of 380 individuals from 51 countries around the world. Over 60% of participants are vulnerable women; living as refugees, survivors of war and trauma, or living in extreme poverty.
The garment speaks of unity, peace and collaboration, and has become a platform for voices to be shared and heard. It also showcases an exquisite variety of embroidery skill, traditions, symbols, motifs and imagery from around the world. For more info : www.reddressembroidery.com
For those able to join us in house, you can meet Kirstie and join us for morning coffee and cake after the talk.
Please note, The Red Dress will not be at The Loom Shed (we are a bit too worried about dust and looms), but will be exhibited at Killerton House from the 15th November 2025.
We will record this talk for ticket holders only to watch for two weeks after the event. So if you can’t make the date or the time isn’t right for your time zone, you can still watch the talk.

seam collective - Textile Talks: Textiles, sustainability and collaboration
2025-10-03 10:00 - 16:00 | Somerton Parish Rooms + ACEarts, Market Place, Somerton, Somerset, TA11 7NB, Somerton Parish Rooms + ACEarts, Market Place, Somerton, Somerset, TA11 7NB, United Kingdom
Somerton Parish Rooms + ACEarts, Market Place, Somerton, Somerset, TA11 7NB
As part of the Warped and Wasted project, seam collective are hosting Textile Talks: Textiles, sustainability and collaboration, a one-day symposium on Friday 3 October 2025, both online and in-person in Somerton. seam invites the public and their peers in the fields of textiles, visual arts and sustainability to join the conversation as they, and invited speakers, discuss issues of textiles and sustainability and add to the critical dialogue around sustainable arts practices locally, nationally and internationally.
The speakers are:
Judith van den Boom, our host, leads the MA in Regenerative Design at Central St. Martins in London and she has been mentoring the Warped and Wasted project. Judith’s talk Warped and Wasted: A Collective Process to Practice Life, explores how we can understand sustainability not as a passive concept, but as an active, living-learning practice.
Paula Orrell, the National Director of CVAN England (Contemporary Visual Arts Network), will speak on the role of the visual arts, including textiles, as vital cultural infrastructure and as a driver of social and economic growth.
Helen Carnac with seam members Alice-Marie Archer, Oliver Bliss, Nina Gronw Lewis, Angie Parker and Nicola Turner in-conversation. Helen, an artist and curator who has also been mentoring seam, will lead the in-conversation, asking the members to reflect on the Warped and Wasted project and how it is changing their approach to sustainability in their collaborative and individual practices.
Becky Earley, Professor of Circular Design Futures at Chelsea College of Arts, University of the Arts London, is a designer, researcher and educator whose work concerns the climate crisis. Becky will be bringing materials and creative thinking tools to the event and share with the audience the research outcomes from her most recent research, presenting the current landscape of sustainable, circular and regenerative textiles.
Read more about the Programme, Speakers and Talks here, and the Warped and Wasted project here.
All talks will be recorded. If you can’t make the date or time, all ticket holders will be sent recordings on 8th October. The recordings can be accessed for two weeks (until 22nd October).
*** To reduce the cost of tickets, lunch is not included in the in-person ticket price. You are welcome to bring a packed lunch or support one of the many lovely local businesses in Somerton.***

Dyeing with Fresh Indigo Leaves with Jane Deane
2025-09-06 10:00 - 16:00 | The Loom Shed, Sutton Barton, Cullompton, Devon, EX15 1NF, United Kingdom
Enjoy a day immersing yourself in the craft of indigo. For this workshop we will be using fresh indigo leaves sourced from Devon and exploring the ways that colour can be obtained.
We are hoping for a good harvest this year to be able to explore three different ways of transferring colour from the leaves to yarn or fabric.
Our expert tutor, Jane Deane will guide us through the process of creating an indigo vat. This seems mystical and the colours on the top can be hypnotic, but it’s all down to the chemistry at work in the vat.
We will also be looking at more immediate ways to get the dye from the leaves, including a salt rub and katazome – a violent method using a hammer!
Jane will give you the tools to be able to follow your own investigation of the dye, ignite your own curiosity, both in the workshop and afterwards.
This will be a day to devote to the colour blue, although we can’t promise our delicious lunch will be blue themed

Weavers of the Midlands Online Talk Day
2025-05-10 10:00 - 16:00 | The Loom Shed, Sutton Barton, Cullompton, Devon, EX15 1NF, United Kingdom
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, our focus turns to weavers who work in The Midlands and this year we we will hear from weavers who are working in very diverse field of weaving, from creating their own brand, to taking inspiration from weaving heritage, from creating woven art pieces to intricate braids. Each weaver has their own story to tell and will share their inspiration, motivation and love of the craft.
Our first talk at 10am will be by Jennie Parry.
Jennie is a weaver that uses the Kumihimo braiding technique. She says: “My creative life changed in 1985 when I learned to use a marudai. Today my relationship with the most sophisticated type of Japanese braiding equipment, the takadai, and now the three level ‘Tri Takadai’ is deeply rooted, total and passionate. The freedom for (my) hands to pass through the fanned out warp threads choosing a path for the . . . bobbin thread to change from warp to weft, to decide its destination on the same level or to a different level, and to beat with a highly personal touch of the sword/hera/tou leads to highly personal work ” Jennie uses a variety of non-traditional yarn in her work; Japanese paper, monofilament, silk, linen, lycra, shrinking yarns, silk and stainless steel, and even dissolving threads. This innovative approach to the traditional craft has led to her international recognition and respect. Her continued exploration and experimentation is admirable of which she says, “I continue to strive for a simplicity of form, to seek the essence of rhythm and inner oneness that I value and respect in Japanese craftsmanship.”
At 11.30 we will hear from Helen Foot.
Helen’s playful style has been described as ‘Rebellious Nostalgia’. With a strong sense of colour and a passion for keeping traditional skills alive, Helen creates beautiful fabrics in harmony with the loom. Using a 24 shaft computerised AVL loom, Helen handweaves her collection of scarves and other goods from her home studio. Her inspiration is drawn from traditional handcrafts such as patchwork and cross-stitch which she merges with contemporary geometric patterns and bold colour combinations. There’s always a story behind her collections of work from an interest in organic gardening, six colour palettes began to form based on edible plant families. The a love of expressive fine artists became a squeeze of paint in the form of a wiggly french knitted tube. Investigating the Festival of Britain grew into a collection of scarves which took their names and colourways from cities which hosted events for the 1951 celebration of Britain. Helen trained at the Royal College of Art and since graduation has designed fashion fabrics for Paul Smith and Alexander McQueen. She is a member of the Gloucestershire Guild of Craftsmen and Design Nation.
Then after lunch at 1.30 will will hear from Momoka Gomi.
Momoka is a Japanese-born, UK-based textile artist who explores the connections between memory, time, and identity through weaving. Her practice revolves around the slow and meditative process of handweaving, which she sees as a metaphor for life—where each thread contributes to a larger narrative shaped by time and transformation. She works primarily with handwoven denim, incorporating techniques such as bleach, sandpaper, and knife treatments to create layered textures that evoke a sense of erosion and fading. Her pieces often feature organic patterns that emerge naturally through the weaving process, marking traces of time and preservation. Through her work, Momoka invites viewers to reflect on the beauty of imperfection and the quiet poetry found in materials that carry history. She explains the origin of her work; “My grandmother had a way of reshaping reality—turning ordinary moments into stories that felt almost dreamlike. As a child, I believed every tale she told, even when the details shifted each time. When she was later diagnosed with dementia, I began to see her storytelling in a new light—not as something fading, but as something transforming. She remains at the heart of my work, shaping the way I think about memory and change. ”
Our final speaker of the day is Sue Russell who is working with Masson Mills in Derbyshire.
Sue says that she came to weaving relatively late in life inspired by a visit to the tapestry exhibition at Stirling Castle. Captivated by the craft she started on a part time BA (Hons) in Textile Design at the University of Derby in 2016 specialising in weave. Now she is in the final stages of a PhD using weaving as a research tool exploring Masson Mills in the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site. She weaves using her beloved 4-shaft Harris loom, but thanks to Masson Mills, she also has a collection of 8 and 16-shaft dual warp beam Harris looms to use for demonstrations and workshops. Through the University of Derby she also has the use of a 24-shaft floor standing Arm loom and a Bonas jacquard. These two looms that I use for the majority of my research work which we will hear about in Sue’s talk.
All four talks will be held online using Zoom and recorded. Ticket holders will be able to watch the recordings for two weeks following the event.

Natalie in Stitches - Thinking outside the pattern: What if…?
2024-04-17 19:00 - 20:00 | The Loom Shed, Sutton Barton, Cullompton, Devon, EX15 1NF, United Kingdom
What if…you saw a knitting pattern you really liked – but wasn’t quite right for you in some way?
How would you feel about:

Changing the yarn specified?
Changing styling details like necklines?
Changing colour combinations?

Sometimes knitters are hesitant about this, feeling that they should knit up the pattern ‘as the designer intended’. Or, you’ve seen the pattern – you like it as it is, and you don’t want to have to think about changing anything – you just want to cast on and enjoy the knitting.
But…what if the original pattern isn’t quite right for you and your wardrobe – how you like to dress? Do you knit the pattern anyway and hope it’ll be okay in the end? Or do you make a tweak or two (or three) to get your jumper just right?
Or maybe you’ve stashed some beautiful yarn, waiting for the right pattern to come along…but it just hasn’t found its way onto your feed. You keep an eye out for tried-and-tested favourites and new-to-you designers, just in case they release your dream pattern. It will happen, because there are so many talented people designing knitwear, and new patterns come out all the time, don’t they? You’ll find what you want. Someday. You just have to keep looking.
What if…there was a way to knit together your stashed yarn and nearly-there patterns? One that gives you permission to make and wear the knits you’ve always dreamed of?
Join The Loom Shed and Natalie in Stitches online for an evening of permission slips, playing with yarn, and taking you-sized liberties with patterns.

Printing with Resists and Indigo with Jane Deane
2024-03-23 10:00 - 16:00 | The Loom Shed, Sutton Barton, Cullompton, Devon, EX15 1NF, United Kingdom
Join us for a day of Printing with Resists and Indigo with expert natural dye tutor Jane Deane
Jane will guide us through the process of making natural resist pastes and printing them onto cotton fabric with blocks and found items. The process of dipping in indigo will reveal the shapes that we’ve created. This is an utterly absorbing process, where we explore the ‘what if’ question with different shapes and the number of times the fabric is dipped into the magic of an indigo vat. Will you choose a repeating pattern dipped enough times to create a dark blue? Or a single motif with a gentle pale blue? Organic shapes or geometric? So many choices!
If you’ve never tried printing or indigo dyeing before, you will be in for a treat, but equally if you have some experience and want to enjoy a day of play and experimentation this is a workshop not to miss.
The cotton material and all the dyes will be provided, but you may want to search your house for interesting items to print with.
A lovely Loom Shed lunch will be provided during the day, as will plenty of tea, coffee and sweet treats.

An Introduction to Kumihimo Braid Making with Jacqui Carey
2024-03-09 10:00 - 16:00 | The Loom Shed, Sutton Barton, Cullompton, Devon, EX15 1NF, United Kingdom
Kumihimo is the gentle art of Japanese Braidmaking. This introductory course for beginners and improvers covers the basic knowledge required for braiding on a Marudai. Those with experience can start the course as a re-cap, before moving on to new territory later in the workshop. The rhythmic movements of Kumihimo make the craft an aesthetic activity, and the finished braids can be the perfect compliment to any textile craft. They can also be a feature in their own right, such as jewellery.
Please don’t worry if you don’t own a Maradai (a type of round wooden loom) yet, as you have the option of learning on borrowed equipment*, or if you already own one, you can use the opportunity to become better acquainted with your own equipment. During the day, you will be able to produce a range of samples, with the option of continuing to finished items.
In this one-day workshop, Jacqui Carey will cover many aspects of the craft of braidmaking, including:
1) Equipment-what, why and how.
2) Warp threads – what, why and how.
3) Working techniques-how to braid and improve ones style.
4) Braiding sequences – a variety of different structured braids and numerous patterns.
On booking, you will be supplied with a list of materials to bring with you. Your day at The Loom Shed will also include a full lunch, plenty of tea and coffee, and a sweet treat in the afternoon.
*Please let us know on booking if you require a maradai and bobbins or if you have one of your own.

The Loom Shed Natural Dye Symposium 2024
2024-02-24 10:00 - 16:00 | The Loom Shed, Sutton Barton, Cullompton, Devon, EX15 1NF, United Kingdom
This event has become one of the highlights of the year at The Loom Shed. We have been blessed with such inspirational speakers that we usually head straight for the dye pot the day after the talks. This year is no exception.
During the day, we have four speakers talking about their work with natural dyes, whether it be how they created their business or what it is about using natural dyes that inspires them. We have also enjoyed talks about the science and history of natural dyes.
This is a hybrid event; we have two speakers speaking at The Loom Shed, and two will be giving their talk online. All will be available to view live from the comfort of your own home, or you can join us at The Loom Shed for the day. You’ll chat to the speakers, be tempted by their products, and of course, enjoy a lovely Loom Shed lunch in good company.
All talks will also be recorded, so if you can’t make the date or time, you’ll be sent a recording on Wednesday 28th February) to watch and catch up for two weeks after the symposium.
Our first speaker of the day is Sophie Holt from PIGMENT Organic, a business that champions the small scale commercial growing of dye plants. It is also a business that embeds itself within the community, offering work placements to adults with learning difficulties. A business that takes its social and environmental commitment seriously. Sophie will speak from The Loom Shed and will bring a selection of her products for you to buy.
Our second speaker is Malú Colorín from Talu Textiles, West Wicklow, Ireland. Originally from Mexico, Malu brings her love of colour and slow textiles to life through her business. She teaches and offers a dye service to small textile businesses. She encourages us all to slow down and think about our impact on the world around us. She is also a founder member of Fibreshed Ireland, further cementing her commitment to reducing the impact of textiles on the planet. Malú will be speaking online.
Our third speaker is Sue Day from Blotz Dyes. Sue will share her research into natural dyes of the Roman era. Where did the plants come from and what were they used for? Sue’s relationship with natural dyes started at an early age, which has paid dividends now, as not only does she sell natural dye products, but also re-enacts the life of Roman dyer at a Roman villa in the Cotswolds. Sue will speak from The Loom Shed, so the audience at The Loom Shed can see her samples first hand. She will also be bringing a number of products from Blotz dyes too.
We offer a warm welcome back to our final speaker, Susan Dye from Nature’s Rainbow. Her talk is entitled Foraging for Colour, and she will share some of the findings from a group of natural dyers interested in the sustainability of foraging for dye plants. Susan will debate the many complex issues surrounding this topic and the next steps the group will take to develop guidelines for natural dyers that can be considered when foraging. Susan will be online, speaking from Hitchin, where Nature’s Rainbow have their dye garden.
You can read more about all our speakers here

The Loom Shed Behind the Pattern Online Workshops with Emma Vining
2024-01-15 19:00 - 20:00 | The Loom Shed, Sutton Barton, Cullompton, Devon, EX15 1NF, United Kingdom
The Loom Shed x Emma Vining: Behind The Pattern Workshops and KAL 2024
Join us to knit designer Emma Vining’s Ridge and Furrow Shawl and discover the design processes behind the pattern.
The Ridge and Furrow pattern will initially be available exclusively to participants of The Loom Shed KAL. After the final session, the pattern will be available for general purchase through Emma’s Designer Stores on Ravelry and Payhip and Chilton Grounds Farm.
Over four 1 hour Zoom sessions, you will learn the techniques required to knit the Ridge and Furrow shawl, using either the recommended yarn or yarn from your stash. Participants are invited to knit along as part of a supportive, friendly online group, or to knit the shawl at their own pace if preferred.
The four session dates are 15th January 2024, 29th January 2024, 19th February 2024 and 4th March 2024.
At each Zoom session, Emma will introduce a section of the Ridge and Furrow shawl and describe an aspect of the shawl design. These short talks will cover design inspiration, colour choices, shawl shaping and finishing. The remainder of each session will include a demonstration of the relevant knitting techniques and a group discussion, with an opportunity to share progress and ask questions. A recording of each session will also be made available.
About the Ridge and Furrow Shawl Pattern
The Ridge and Furrow shawl is inspired by a fascinating feature of the landscape at Chilton Grounds Farm. Medieval farming practices required the use of oxen to pull heavy ploughs over the fields. The resulting ridges and furrows are still visible today. The end of each furrow has a distinctive ‘reverse S’ shape due to the way the plough was turned before the neighbouring furrow was ploughed. The shawl pattern combines an eyelet reverse ’S’ pattern with a series of knitted ridges and furrows, representing the ancient and modern landscapes.
Ridge and Furrow Shawl Emma Vining
Chilton Grounds Farm
The shawl is knitted as two long right-angled triangles, the first of which is increased to the centre point. The second triangle is decreased by the same number of stitches to match the first. The stitch pattern is reversed at the mid-point, creating a mirror-imaged design. The shawl is knitted with 2 x 100g skeins of Chilton Grounds Farm 4ply Wensleydale Lambswool. This soft and luxurious hand-washed yarn is from the farm’s own flock of Wensleydale sheep. The beautiful shades are inspired and named after plants found on the farm, and the yarn is spun and hand-dyed by the Border Mill. Find out more about the Chilton Wensleydale sheep behind the yarn here. (https://www.chiltongroundsfarm.co.uk/chilton-wensleydales)
Materials
The shawl pattern and session plan will be sent to you in advance of the first meeting.
You will need a computer or tablet to join the Zoom meeting.
Yarn for the project – the workshop ticket does not include the yarn.
Accessories:
3.5 mm needles, or suitable needle size for your chosen yarn.
Stitch marker x 1.
Yarn:
Chilton Grounds Farm Hand-Dyed Wensleydale Lambswool 4ply Yarn (100% wool, 280m/306yds per 100g ball)
Shade A: Honeysuckle; 1 × 100g skein
Shade B: Silver Birch; 1 × 100g skein
Chilton Grounds Farm yarn available to buy here
Use the yarn specified in the pattern or an equivalent from your personal yarn collection. Please note that you may require additional meterage/yardage if using an alternative yarn, and that using a different yarn and needle size may result in different shawl dimensions. (Yarn choices will be discussed during session 1, You do not need to have started knitting before the first session.)
About the Designer
Emma Vining is a hand-knitting designer with a passion for all aspects of knitting and design. Her knitting patterns regularly feature in The Knitter and Knitting magazines. She is the author of A Knitter’s Sketchbook: Design Inspiration for Twists and Cables, and A Knitter’s Guide to Shawl Design, both published by The Crowood Press. You can find more of Emma’s patterns on her website, www.emmavining.com and on Ravelry, Payhip and LoveCrafts.
Ridge and Furrow Shawl Emma Vining

The Loom Shed Natural Dye Study Group
2023-09-20 19:30 - 21:00 | Online with The Loom Shed, Sutton Barton, Cullompton, Devon, EX15 1NF, United Kingdom
20th September, 24th January, 24th April and 17th July.
Wednesday evenings 7.30pm – 9pm
This year we are starting a new online study group for those interested in getting to grips with natural dyes. Perhaps you’ve tried a few different plants, but want to know why you get a certain colour. Or you’ve enjoyed a natural dye workshop and are hungry to know more: we will give you the framework for a thorough exploration of this topic.
We will be meeting seasonally throughout the year to explore weld in September, madder in January, Saxon blue in April then enjoy overdyeing in July. Each zoom session will be led by expert dyer and a Loom Shed regular tutor, Jane Deane who will lead us in a discussion, demonstrate a certain technique and set your project for the months ahead.
We will also be joined by Debbie Bamford, Helen Melvin and Nature’s Rainbow at different sessions throughout the year. They will also be sharing their areas of expertise and inspire you to explore a different avenues in your research.
We will be focussing on dyeing protein fibre for 2023/24, looking at different mordants and modifiers to create a wide palette of colours. We will also be discussing salient issues that affect the dyer – how best to dispose of your unwanted dye material? What is the best policy for foraging for materials? What effect does your water have on the colour?
You will need a certain amount of dye equipment and an area away from food preparation to complete this study. You will be sent a materials list in booking and we are working with Debbie Tomkies at DT Crafts to be our one-stop-shop for dyes, mordants, modifiers, mini skeins and equipment. She will also be able to answer any questions you may have about what resources you need.
We estimate this course will take approximately 12 hours of independent practice time, but we don’t ask you to produce a certain amount of samples. How involved you get with each session will depend on how much time you have available that season. Each session will be recorded and sent out to all participants in the following week, so that you can catch up if you miss an evening or simply watch a bit that needed clarifying again.
We will set up an online social group for you to share your results and ask questions throughout the year. It’s always good to have a group to celebrate your successes and commiserate your failures with!
This is a unique opportunity to study this fascinating topic in depth with experts in their fields, but also undertake your investigations in your own time.
***This group is now full, please email us hello@theloomshed.com if you would like to be added to the waiting list ***

Ria Burns- Dyeing Yarn Naturally
2023-09-09 11:00 - 12:00 | Online with The Loom Shed, Sutton Barton, Cullompton, Devon, EX15 1NF, United Kingdom
Our first online talk of the academic year will be from Ria Burns. Bristol based knitwear designer, natural dyer and author will be joining us to talk about her work, her book ‘Dyeing Yarn Naturally’ and her passion for making garments that are sourced as locally as possible.
‘Dyeing Yarn Naturally’ is the debut book by Ria Burns, published in April by The Crowood Press. It’s a step-by-step guide to dyeing yarn from start to finish, aimed to be accessible, informative but also inspirational. It’s the culmination of years of research and creative experimentation into natural dye plants and their wide spectrum of colours that Ria has undertaken in order to create bright, long lasting shades for her knitwear brand.
As well as talking through her book Ria will give an insight into her wider practice and explain why and how she has chosen to work in a hyper local way, sourcing wool from a local farm and growing the majority of the dye plants in her back garden. Ria works in fashion, but follows a plant-led, rather than trend-led approach to design.
If you’re interested in making in a sustainable way or wanting to know about the natural dye process or even starting your own dye garden, this talk is going to be a wealth of information. We look forward to seeing you in the audience online.
