North Pennine Textile Group

While some of us enjoyed the tour underground, others stayed above, looking at the mine's surface remains: We looked at the scenery and geology... climbed over rocks..... ... looked at lichen... ... and found Hayley's fossil stone... Back inside the barracks building were rock samples to also fuel our ideas for next month's weaving project: Thanks to Lydia and Sian for the adventurous climbing, and Helen and Sian for the photos. 

Apparently the LoLasses are one of the noisiest groups ever to have visited the barracks building at Nenthead Mines 😂 After tea and delicious cakes, courtesy of the mine volunteers, Julia introduced next month's weaving project. Following a look at the geological specimens on show, and some quick sketching of ideas, ten of us went underground to look at the mine's construction and geology, and learn about its history. On the way through, we hung the textiles prepared last month. Thanks to Nicola, Helen and Lily and for the photos. 

Our first session. After lots of chatter getting to know each other, we focused on preparing material to go down Nenthead Mines next month.  We folded, bundled, tied and pegged organic calico and other materials.  We added in bark, rusty metal items, bark, pine cones. Or we folded or rolled in leaves - geranium, creeping buttercup, most, ajuga, fern, or willow And then we dribbled or dipped in tea, coffee, and rust coloured silk dye.  Now we wait before putting our items down the mine and leaving them for two months, hoping the atmosphere will have an effect...... Thank you to Eve for the photos above, and Julia for the photos of finished items below.

  North Pennines Textile Group LoLasses Project The LoLasses Project follows on from the Land of Lead and Silver ‘Explore textiles and heritage’ workshops run in Nenthead through June 2025. LoLasses is funded by the North Pennines National Landscape's Land of Lead and Silver community grant fund, funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.   Through the community grant scheme, 2-years of funding has been secured to cover equipment, materials, activities, and research trips to develop a sustainable North Pennines Textile Group. Skill sharing and research will be at the heart of the LoLasses Project. We will explore heritage textile crafts and skills, as well as engaging in basket making and pottery tile making. There will be 18 funded places. Meeting monthly for 3-hour sessions, the LoLasses will be researching into women and their role in Lead Mining Heritage, their homes and the clothing that they and their families wore. We will look at fabric types and style, and about ...