Meet the Team - Rose

If it’s fibre-related – I’ve done it! I grew up with sewing, knitting, crochet, tatting. In my Brownie and Girl Guide days I literally sat at the feet of an old Welsh seafarer from the sailing ship days to learn plaits, knots and splices and the great mysterious turks heads. From that time on I was hooked on interlacements of all types.

After an exploration of embroidery, I finally came to weaving, not knowing that it would take over my entire life. I do spin occasionally, and I have been known to have a knitting frenzy every few years, but weaving is my passion. I have a custom-built 8 shaft countermarch loom and have no ambition to upgrade to more shafts or computer assisted models. I’ve tried almost every technique, but fine fabrics and table linens are what I love best, and I really enjoy dabbling in braiding.

My task for the 2012 Festival is to coordinate the Exhibition.


I’m usually on the other side of the camera but Meg took this shot of me weaving a wrap with some lovely alpaca and silk yarn.

I live in Blenheim at the foot of the Wither Hills Farm Park which I can access in just a few minutes via a gate at the end of my street. My house is just out of the picture at the bottom left. The hills often look scorched and brown but now, due to abundant rain, they have greened up and there are cattle and sheep grazing.

With my loom in it, my workroom doesn’t have room to swing a camera so you see it from a distance. The plant outside the door is a wintersweet and I am looking forward to weaving on sunny winter afternoons with the perfume wafting in.

Table linens and lace weaves are high on my ‘love-to-do’ list. This was an exhibition entry in mercerised cotton. Double weave linen coasters completed the set. The fussy candle ring is tatted.

At Festival I'll be the one wearing this handwoven jacket. I'm really looking forward to seeing what other handmade garments will be walking around. What will you be wearing? Start making something now.

Rose