Hands-On Heaven: Our Visit to the Worstead Guild!

Two trips to meet the Worstead Guild of Weavers, Spinners and Dyers gave some of our members the opportunity to try new skills for ourselves.

​The Worstead Guild of Spinners and Weavers have been kind enough to open their doors to our members on not just one, but two afternoons this month.  They have a cosy workshop at Dilham, stuffed to the brim with wonderful fibre and equipment, and on a sunny afternoon last week a small group of us were given an immensely warm welcome by their Chair Lorraine Hunter and her band of Guild members.

​The day I visited, we were handed cups of tea and coffee as we entered – 5 star treatment right from the start – and after a brief introduction to their historic Guild from Lorraine, explaining the wide range of fibre skills that they cover and the incredible outreach work that they do, we were encouraged to get involved as quickly as possible.  There was fleece to card and spin, using a range of beautiful wheels; a large upright loom to try; smaller tabletop looms to experiment with; inkle band and tablet looms, and even tiny pin looms which could be used to make textured woven squares that could then be sewn together to make larger items.  Within minutes we were all happily involved in making, gently supported and encouraged by the guild members, and a joyful atmosphere of creativity fizzed through the sunny hall for the rest of the afternoon.  

Learning to spin!

Using pin looms to make woven squares

Tablet weaving

​It was a joy to meet with like-minded fabric enthusiasts and the Worstead members could not have been more generous with their time, equipment and patience.  They had set up the equipment beforehand to ensure that we as beginners could access the making from the start, and had put out a wonderful display of their own beautiful work, sketchbooks, samples and equipment.  They were kind and experienced teachers, able to explain processes very simply and clearly but also full of detailed expert knowledge that they were eager to share. They showed us their extensive library, a stock of equipment which can be loaned to members to experiment with, and their treasured historic pieces, including the imposing Great Wheel, which was used to spin from a metal quill (in the style of the Sleeping Beauty wheel with its fatal spindle!) long before the treadle wheel was invented.

We even got to try this beautiful upright loom!

Inkle band weaving

This was such a happy afternoon, with a real feeling of shared interests and community, and it took a lot of effort to tear ourselves away – several of us already planning our Google searches for looms for sale!  Our sincere thanks go to the Worstead Guild, who made us feel so welcome.  For anyone interested in learning more about spinning, weaving or dyeing, their warm community would be a wonderful place to start.  As well as frequent workshop sessions for members they also run a varied range of one-off courses during the year.  They have a super website here: Worstead Guild of Weavers, Spinners and Dyers, England
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First rather wobbly attempts

Even a beginner can achieve striking results with expert support

​Or pop along to their Woolly Weekend in June to meet the members, see their work and perhaps have a go yourself!