ARMLEY MILLS SATURDAY 2ND JUNE 2018

 We had an extremely interesting and exhausting day out to Armley Mills, Leeds.  The mills when first built were the largest woollen mills in the world.
First stop coffee and cake by the Darling Rosebuds WI.  
There were lots of stalls including felt, wools, buttons, clothing; something for everyone.
Some of the staff were dressed for their part either as Luddites or factory workers.
We watched a demonstration of one of the machines working.  It must have been unbelievably noisy and so dangerous when the whole factory was in full swing.
The managers house and workers cottage were open to visit with furnishings including a working loom in the Luddite cottage.
Eventually the rain stopped and we were able to have a walk in the dye garden which was very pleasant.
The WI had put on a delightful and delicious sandwich and cake stall which kept us going all day.




View from the window inside Armley Mill.  Photograph by Marion C.

 These pieces are all by Jane G.
   
 Cogs in the water 1.
It is created from Blue Faced Leicester/Swaledale wool from Yorkshire and has been dyed in the microwave from Kenanthonol acid dyes, using alum as the mordant.
The piece depicts cogs going rusty around the outside of  the mill and its juxtaposition with the mill itself.

 
 

 Cogs in the water 2.
This is from the same Blue Faced Leicester/Swaledale wool and shows the rivets that held the metal together as felt balls.
The weathering of the pieces creates many interesting shapes and hues and leads to imagining what the pieces would have been part of when they were part of a working machine.



 

     
 Different types of cogs at Armley including the mangle wheel and how chains connect to make the cogs go round.

This shows a variety of cogs at Armley and explores the nature of building up layers up felt.  It looks at the way ridges can be created in felt and displayed beyond the boundary of the piece.