Farfield Mill archives hold a 1924 pattern book with plans and drafts of woollen fabrics then in production. My work for this exhibition was inspired by the complex drafts and the tantalising glimpses of pattern revealed by the plans. My final outcome, ‘All in a Day’s Work’ is a playful take on what are essentially purely functional diagrams which inform the weaving process. By doing this, they communicate a complex process in a binary non-verbal and deceptively simple way. At the same time, they allow me to retell a story of working lives through the creation of contemporary images and the use of repurposed artefacts.
The textile materials closely resemble those which may have been used in the mill during this period. The reclaimed lace jacquard cards reflect the plans and drafts used in creating the simple patterned woollen cloths produced by the mill. Woollen fabric and threads have been used to hand stitch facsimiles of the patterns and the colours chosen mirror those found in the Mill’s fabric samples salvaged from the period.