Collectively they revealed not only the beauty, renown and craftsmanship of Indian fabrics but also their political, social and cultural significance as a commodity connected to complex narratives of colonial history. 

A second room featured related objects from the museum's collections, many of which were incorporated into the artworks.  Films by the artists, as well as smaller drawings, paintings and archival material offered insights into the Twins’ creative thinking and processes.

Inspired by Eastern and Western art forms, the Singh Twins use artistic language from centuries ago to address a range of modern, social and political themes through a combination of hand-painted and digital techniques. At the heart of their work lies the desire to challenge narrow perceptions of heritage, culture and identity and show a more balanced representation and understanding of the past which can influence how we relate to the present. The result was a beautiful, scholarly, and thought provoking exhibition.  

A commission inspired by victorian puzzles and picture books in the NMS collections will now go on permanent display at the Castle Museum.

As Christmas rings in once more this year, it is a good time to reflect on the successes and achievements the year has brought.  This lovely felt ornament was made at Joy's Christmas Workshop where members sat and sewed together - a treat that has been missed by many over the last couple of years.  But restrictions have been the mother of invention and the C&TA has seen great expansion in its online presentations and talks, adding to its popular programme of Norwich based events to welcome fellow textile and costume enthusiasts from around the world.  Some of our zoom lectures have been recorded, so there may be a chance to catch them if you missed the first airing. 
Please let us know if there were any you particularly enjoyed.

Next year we are looking forward to more of the same, new books being published, an exciting programme of lectures and talks, trips, sharing knowledge and friendship. Keep an eye on the website, social media, and do sign up for our newsletter if you haven't already done so.Email Newsletter  -  Happy New Year - see you in 2023!​

This month, Members had two fascinating insights into dressing for the Coronation of HM Elizabeth II's coronation in 1953.  On Zoom, Costume Historian Jane Hattrick gave us a privileged look at the extraordinary private archive of couture designer Norman Hartnell.  He designed both the Queen's wedding and coronation dresses as well as a glamorous wardrobe of garments that redefined the royal 'look' during the first part of her reign until his death in 1979.

Hartnell designed hundreds of ensembles for numerous Royal tours and State events, creating a Royal style and working wardrobes for Her Majesty that still resonate in terms of the Royal ‘look’ today.  His Royal designing also inspired his fashion collections.  Dr Jane Hattrick who has curated  this private collection explored stories of fashion and Royal dressing through a study of original sketched designs, Royal correspondence and paperwork, photographs, garments and interviews with Hartnell’s staff.  
 
This was followed, later in the month, by a presentation from Meredith Towne, who also took us to the coronation, but concentrated more on the wardrobe of the ordinary woman in the street. She modelled Coronation pinafores, petticoats, designer  and home-made outfits and re-enacted street parties on post war rations.  The original  Coronation Programme which Meredith brought along testified to the extraordinary expense and spectacle of the event. How fascinating it will be to compare with the coronation of 2023.

​The advent of Zoom Lectures has enriched many of our lives - what a privilege it is to be able to listen and talk to leading experts around the world from the comfort of our own armchair.
That was certainly the case at this month's C&TA zoom lecture  with Textile Archaeologist Dr Gillian Vogelsang-Eastwood, Director of the Textile and Research Centre at Leiden in The Netherlands about her lifetime of research and painstaking recreation of the garments found in the tomb of Tutankhamen. 

The tomb contained a large and varied collection of textiles in varying states of preservation that are now being studied in detail, and are revealing surprising new insights into the life of the young King. These include 145 precision-folded loincloths, 12 tunics, 24 shawls, 28 pairs of gloves, 25 head coverings and 15 sashes, along with 47 pairs of shoes and 4 pairs of socks plus 2 leopard skins and 2 aprons.  The clothes were of the finest materials and include the ceremonial robes worn at his Coronation when Tutankhamen was still a young boy.

It was fascinating to examine the clever design, fine embroidery, symbolism and colours used, and see the care that had been laboured on these royal garments and personal items - as much status symbols as the glittering golden masks and accoutrements more often associated with Howard Carter's discovery, and no less fabulous.  A glimpse into his wardrobe enables a more revealing and intimate reconstruction of the life of a Pharaoh and these extraordinary objects still have more to tell us.

As the country mourned H M Elizabeth II the C&TA were able to celebrate her great ancestor Queen Elizabeth I's progress to Norwich in 1578 with a workshop recreating some of the Virgin Queen's elaborate costumes.  There will be more workshops later in the year creating luminous mannequins to be displayed in the City's illuminated window trails during the winter. 

The textiles of the sixteenth century and the 'Strangers' - religious refugees who fled to Norwich in their thousands bringing their skills as weavers and textile workers -  were remembered through a hidden treasure, a rare tapestry in St Peter Mancroft Church dating back to 1573 which was researched for a C&TA/Heritage Open Days talk.  Look out for it in this year's Miscellany.

September's meeting paid tribute to C&TA founder, textile expert and conservationist Pamela Clabburn.  It was a chance to open our store and get some vintage clothing onto the catwalk once again with reminiscences of Pamela as a tour de force in the textile world.

As someone who did more than most to conserve and promote the immensely important 19th Century Norwich Shawl industry, the Paisley pattern must have been one of Pamela's favourites - It is a design motif which many have laid claim to, but which dates back into the depths of history and across the globe. This was  demonstrated by our online talk from Dr Dan Coughlan, Curator of Textiles for the Paisley Museum. He gave us a fascinating insight into its universal appeal transcending all cultural divides and dating back into antiquity, with examples from the seventh century BC  to the present day and across all continents and religions. A favourite of the celts it can be seen on greco roman tunics, ancient Chinese, Persian, Zoroastrian designs, Afghan jewellery, Mesopotamian, Byzantine, Sicilian, Scottish - The pattern is ubiquitous and timeless. Become a Paisley Spotter! 

​The skill of the seamstress took centre place this month in the Divine Deco presentation from the ever popular History Wardrobe team.  A packed hall of C&TA members spent a delightful afternoon learning how a generation of women changed silhouette and created beautiful, less restrictive clothes.


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Our monthly zoom lectures in June and July also gave us fascinating insights:

Norwich City Football Club has changed its logo to mark its 120th anniversary.
The updated branding includes a new badge that has been modernised for the "digital age" and a new typeface called "Norwich Weave". The club said it consulted with supporters and was "proud of our history and the connection the club has with the heart of the city".  The branding "pays homage to Norwich's industrial past, when during the 16th Century the textile and weaving industry in the town boomed following an influx of refugees from the Spanish Netherlands, known as 'The Strangers'"  (who incidentally introduced canaries to Norwich). The Norwich Weave typeface has been specially created for the club.  It was two years in the planning and demonstrates the importance of textiles  to the city.

At the AGM at the end of May we had the rare pleasure of examining some beautiful Victorian  Norwich shawls in the collections of some of our members and learning more about them from  resident experts Helen Hoyte and Joy Evitt.   These exceptionally fine textiles were of premium quality, they were a favourite of Queen Victoria and were exported around the world.  It was wonderful to see these precious textiles close-up, to learn more of how they were manufactured and discover how these huge pieces of cloth 12ft (3.6m) wide, would have been folded and worn over a lady's crinoline.   

Another treat for textile fans was the chance to see a splendid exhibition of exquisitely embroidered ecclesiastical textiles which bedecked St Peter Mancroft church over the Jubilee weekend.  Church raiments, copes, altar pieces, pennants glowed with colour in the medieval building and it was a great chance to see how fashions have changed across the decades even in these conservative textiles.  Alongside intricately stitched traditional goldwork and hand embroidery, were copes adorned with chinese silks incorporating buddhist symbols of good luck, some even experimented with tie-dye  -  a great celebration of the creativity of makers.

C&TA member Jacquie Harvey BEM writes:
Still being cautious about going out has given me extra time to sit and sew.  This year, as you will know, we will be celebrating Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee, with a long weekend of celebrations planned for June.  Thought you might like to see what I have made as a mark of respect.

I was 8 when the Queen was crowned, and we were lucky enough to have a TV, which allowed us to see the Coronation service.  It was a very cold day and even then, I wondered if the Queen was keeping warm, particularly in the drive from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey. What a WOW moment it was when she got out of that glorious Golden coach.  I immediately fell in love with Sir Norman Hartnell’s dress, the moment I saw it and was lucky enough to see it on display, in London, not long afterwards.

70 years has been such an achievement for our Queen, although she has had a few problems along the way, especially in losing Price Philip last year.  I felt I wanted to pay my respects to her in making this miniature dress (just 20 ins high), to celebrate such an auspicious occasion.  As you may know, the Queen insisted that an emblem from every country in the Commonwealth be included on her dress.  Unfortunately, I didn’t have room on mine, so have therefore limited the design to just four from the UK.  However, there is a hint of New Zealand fern, on behalf of our daughter- in- law, whose family live there.  I used silk sateen fabric and thousands of beads and sequins. The quilting was done by hand and the floral design painted in. Looking carefully at the original it was obvious to me that the background was quilted, and I am not surprised.  That must have given a lot of support to the weight of the many precious gems and pearls, sewn on.  Apparently, the Queen loved the dress and wore it several times more on her journey around the Commonwealth, shortly after the Coronation had taken place.
Very best wishes 

Jacquie

Let us know about your coronation/platinum jubilee celebrations.

April 2022 - at last the 2020 programme of events has got up to date with no less than eight guided tours of the Broderers' Guild workshop at Norwich Cathedral.  Manager Helen Jenkins and her team of dedicated volunteers opened up the Broderers' Studio, a vital part of Church life in East Anglia and beyond. C&TA Members gained a privileged insight into the depth of skill and knowledge required to produce, maintain and restore a range of sumptuous ecclesiastical  garments and altar fronts from humble rural churches to magnificent cathedrals. 
​Each is painstakingly hand stitched on natural fabrics in expensive mixtures of silk, linen and wool.  Designed to last for decades, they are invariably visually dazzling in rich colours, and big, bold patterns to make an impact even from the back of a church.  It was a delight to witness the Guild's work maintaining a rich textile heritage dating back centuries.  

Meanwhile on Zoom, Author Victoria Finlay's exuberant examination of 'Fabric, the Hidden History of the Material World' took us round the world from Alabama to Papua New Guinea, and across time, in a fascinating examination of our relationship with cloth, and the gift of turning scraps of fabric into an art form. 

​Speaking of which, our monthly online Afternoon Chat not only let us into the secret of which nail varnish HM Queen Elizabeth II has been wearing throughout her reign (and yes I am wearing it now as I type!) and we took a look at yarn bombing. Has your post box been coddled lately?  Send us your pics! ​