The National Wool Museum holds the National Flat Textile Collection. Housed in the former Cambrian Mills in Carmarthenshire, Wales, the museum provides demonstrations of woollen textile manufacture on historic machinery.
At a time when many former mills have had to close, a commercial woollen mill, Melin Teifi, operates successfully on the site.
“Wool production was once the most widespread industry in Wales,” says museum manager Ann Whittall. “It’s important that these skills and the end products are preserved.”
“We have serious industrial machines here,” Whittall says. “In this kind of environment the health and safety of our visitors and craftspeople is paramount and we interpret the process in a safe way.”
“We keep explanations fairly simple, showing why wool has to be spun to give it strength, and the concept of warp and weft in weaving. Our gallery staff add value by providing more technical detail during their demonstrations.”
“Our volunteers also add to the experience by showing craft techniques such as hand spinning, peg loom weaving and knitting.”
The final gallery displays blankets and other historic wool textiles. “Visitors often recognise blankets they have in their own family,” Whittall says. “This is where we can tell that what we are doing works – visitors are making that connection between the process and the finished textile.”
Around 40 volunteers enable the museum to capitalise on the resurgence of interest in textile crafts. The volunteers, along with local spinners, knitters and other groups, now help to lead a range of activities. These include gardening – growing plants to make natural dyes for the wool spun at the site.
“We celebrate British Wool Week, and our latest success has been speed-crafting,” Whittall says. “It’s our version of speed-dating – people can try out different textile techniques to see if they’ll enjoy them as a new hobby before they spend money on materials and equipment.”
At a time when many former mills have had to close, a commercial woollen mill, Melin Teifi, operates successfully on the site.
“Wool production was once the most widespread industry in Wales,” says museum manager Ann Whittall. “It’s important that these skills and the end products are preserved.”
“We have serious industrial machines here,” Whittall says. “In this kind of environment the health and safety of our visitors and craftspeople is paramount and we interpret the process in a safe way.”
“We keep explanations fairly simple, showing why wool has to be spun to give it strength, and the concept of warp and weft in weaving. Our gallery staff add value by providing more technical detail during their demonstrations.”
“Our volunteers also add to the experience by showing craft techniques such as hand spinning, peg loom weaving and knitting.”
The final gallery displays blankets and other historic wool textiles. “Visitors often recognise blankets they have in their own family,” Whittall says. “This is where we can tell that what we are doing works – visitors are making that connection between the process and the finished textile.”
Around 40 volunteers enable the museum to capitalise on the resurgence of interest in textile crafts. The volunteers, along with local spinners, knitters and other groups, now help to lead a range of activities. These include gardening – growing plants to make natural dyes for the wool spun at the site.
“We celebrate British Wool Week, and our latest success has been speed-crafting,” Whittall says. “It’s our version of speed-dating – people can try out different textile techniques to see if they’ll enjoy them as a new hobby before they spend money on materials and equipment.”
