The Embroideress

Macclesfield Silk Museums certainly look to deserve a serious visit and are going on my must visit list. The website for the museum has some interesting pages on the history of silk production and weaving, a glimpse at their collections and an enticing description of their huge collection of pattern books.

One of the museums has a huge collection of Jacquard looms all in one spot. I've not seen this many looms together except during a visit to China. We were being herded towards a building and the air vibrated and the rhythmic click/clank/click/clank of the wooden loom cards came wafting through the door. A group of fellow tourists thought I was truly mad as I skipped and ran for the door shouting - they have Jacquard looms. And indeed they did over 50 of them in one work loft - all weaving brocades.

These mighty looms are like elephants - best seen and understood in herds, not as a single stingy example. And they need to be heard and the vibration of the floor felt to truly experience them.

Also in the shop, you can find modern reproductions of silk cigarette prints. What a find for crazy quilters!!!!.

Labels: Jacquard loom, Silk Manufacture, Textile Museum