2024 was busy, judging from reviewing my CV (and paperwork for the taxman...) A mix of teaching workshops, taking workshops, giving public talks, and demonstrating various textile techniques at heritage and cultural sites here in the UK, Rome, and Germany.
Highlights in brief:
January
I was on research leave from the university for the first part of the year, which meant a lot of travel, but also getting work finished on some projects that needed sorting out, including a monograph that I've been picking away at for about five or six years at this point.
I spent most of January in Rome, living at the British School at Rome, working on my book. All of my chapters needed attention and revision, and this is a wonderful space in which to work with no distractions (aside from the fact that you're in Rome...)
I took a spindle with me and some wool, and grabbed a few checky photos of me spinning at various Roman sites including the Appian Way, Colosseum, and Forum, but the one that really makes me laugh every time I see it, is the one that I managed in from of the Prima Porta Statue of Augustus in the Vatican Museum. Suetonius notes that Augustus was pleased that his wife and daughter spun and wove all of his clothing (and there is a statue of Livia his wife in the Capitoline Museum holding a weaving shuttle). It took a bit of doing, but a kind fellow visitor got the shot for me.
February
In February, I held the first nalbinding workshop of 2024 at the Tudor House in Southampton before heading out to Florida to sort out my mother's estate. Amongst the things we sorted through, and I brought back with me, were some of her sewing things -- she liked to knit, and she had a number of unfinished cross-stitch projects that need doing up. I was also happy to discovered that the quilt she made for me as a child had been kept behind (she'd given it to a friend down there, who kindly returned it to me). It's a Cathedral Window quilt made with fabric from childhood clothing, my grandmother's fabrics, and my mother's clothing.
February half-terms saw my first visit to Fishbourne of the year to demonstrate weaving on the warp-weighted loom, sprang, and handspinning to visiting families.
The month finished up with another nalbinding workshop at the Ashcroft Arts Centre in Fareham
March
In March, I returned to Rome for a couple of weeks to continue working on my book. Another nalbinding workshop here with residents and staff at the BSR.
Later in the month I gave a paper at the Classical Association conference -- not on textiles, though!
April
Back at Fishbourne at the start of the month plying my usual trade with the loom and spinning.
I planted my flax crop in late April -- it had been so wet, I was worried about getting it in on time, but the damp, cold, and wet weather kept everything on hold out of concern the seeds would simply rot.
April was also the start of the 2024 Little Woodham season, a 17th century living history experience. I try to get out to the site a couple of times a month during the season for spinning and weaving demos -- I spin on the wheels there, but I prefer my waist-length distaff, especially for spinning flax.
April also saw the arrival of my magnificent Roman hair.
At the end of April, I headed out to the United States to stay for a few weeks with a friend. We spent a lot of time rummaging around in vintage clothing shops.
At the end of the month, I joined Njörðr's Wanderers, a Viking re-enacting group, at the Frederic Fibre Festival to demonstrate handspinning, weaving on the warp-weighted loom, and sprang.
May
I was still in the USA for the early part of May, and happy to visit the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival for the first time in maybe a decade -- I used to help out with someone's stall back in the late 1990s and early 2000s. It's changed in character quite a bit since the last time I was there.
I got to spend another day with the Wanderers, spinning, weaving, and working on sprang -- they taught me how to manipulate colours in sprang work, which is magical.
I took two workshops in May, both at Berrycroft Hub. The first was a refresher in spinning with a waist distaff -- it didn't quite click the first time, but I've not looked back, especially with spinning flax.
The second was a week later, an intro to warp weighted looms led by Jalea Ward. I'd already been weaving on the WWL basically through book learning and any videos I could find on Youtube (plus bashing away with what weaving experience I already have). The workshop was beneficial, as there were some great tricks of the trade (especially with warping) that helped me to improve how I use these looms -- plus I collected my Mark II loom from Jalea, this one made from sturdier beech.
May saw me back at Little Woodham test-driving my waist distaff.
At the end of May, I was back in Germany for another stay at the Campus Galli -- two weeks of 9th-century living. Every day, all day, working with expert craftspeople with spinning, sprang, and other textile work. And sheep -- loads of new lambs to play with.
June
Still at Campus Galli in the first part of June -- it was a very wet visit this time around, as torrential rains had been affecting Germany since the new year. It certainly affected my return back to Stuttgart, as what should have been an hour's railway journey turned into eight...
By early June, my flax was doing very well.
Demos in June included a wool day at Manor Farm in Botley -- I used to do a number of demo days out there throughout the year, but that sadly has fallen by the wayside.
Mid-month saw a fun workshop on spinning flax with a distaff at Churt Hall, organised for me by the folks at the Let's Grow Flax initiative. We decided to use some of Berta's flax for these workshops -- this is flax from dowries that are anywhere from 60-120 years old.
And of course some time at Little Woodham this month.
Nettles came into harvest season -- it's better really to wait until July and August, but early processing was irresistable.
The cats helped me to make some weights for my loom.
July - December in Part 2.
More detail about my work and what I get up to with talks, workshops, and historical demos can be found on my Instagram account (@AugustaAtrox)
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