13 Aug From Fleece to Fabric: Weaving a Safe Space With and for LGBTQ+ Communities
On Sunday 12th July, forty attendees were welcomed through the doors of Gut Level, Sheffield’s queer-friendly members club on Chapel Walk, for Fleece to Fibre. These folks had joined us to spend a relaxed day learning about the processes of turning raw fleece into fabric.
This free workshop was part of Common Threads year round programme, gearing up for our festival on The Moor in September. The goal of Common Threads festival is to encourage women and otherwise marginalised people to take up space in the city centre. With that in mind, workshop attendees were asked what, as LGBTQ+ people, makes them feel safe or unsafe in the city? Responses were collected on strips of fabric which were woven onto a peg loom.
The theme of this year’s festival is Transformation, so the metamorphosis of fresh wool into fabric was an ideal fit. Stalls were set up around the walls of the venue that flowed through the processing stages, starting with cleaning and the options for either combing or carding the wool to prepare it for spinning. Attendees were able to have a go with the various tools, whilst Heather explained the different effects produced by combing (smoother, denser yarn) and carding (fluffier, bouncier yarn). Heather said;
It was a fantastic event to be part of. Great to see so many people interested and getting involved. Everyone was lovely and welcoming
With the wool prepared, the next stage was spinning. There were various spinning tools for people to try, from cheap and accessible drop spindles, through to full spinning wheels, all explained and supported by Anne:
I was impressed by the genuine interest and enthusiasm the attendees brought to the event and their curiosity and willingness to try new skills. The preparation of setting up the weaving looms and spinning paid off as people sat, had a go, encouraged each other and chatted away. I was delighted so many people wanted to have a go on the spinning wheels. Even happier they all took away the length of yarn they’d created and spun as a reminder of their creativity and the way fleece is turned into fibre. It was such a positive event to be part of and I’m glad I could share my knowledge and enthusiasm about fibre crafts
Once yarn is spun there are so many options for creating! We kept it to three options: weaving, knitting and crochet. There were many different types of weaving looms set up around the venue for people to engage with, and facilitators on hand to demonstrate how they worked. There were also knitting and crochet supplies in a cosy corner where I helped people learn basic stitches in both crafts. One attendee was so enamoured with the inkle loom that they made their own out of scrap wood as soon as they got home.
Whilst the setup was linear, people were invited to approach the stages in any order they liked and to linger wherever they wanted. This encouraged people to take their time, follow their interest, and talk to each other.
Lunch was provided in the form of delicious homemade soup, with the terrace serving as the setting for food and conversation in the sun. People were very engaged with the themes of the event, there was a lot of lively discussion about craft, intersecting identities and the value of third spaces where LGBTQ+ people can feel safe and unhurried in a non-commercial context. Quiplash commented;
It was amazing to see a busy room of queers enjoying themselves and learning about fibre arts and techniques. I had a great time on the day and hope we can run it again
The success of Fleece to Fabric owes a great deal to the expertise of our co-organisers Quiplash and our talented independent facilitators Anne Smithies and Heather Johnson. You can follow our collaborators for Fleece to Fabric on instagram @quiplasharts @anne_madbird @FlameKnits.
Common Threads festival returns once again to The Moor between 9th – 12th August with a whole range of creative workshops, talks, performances and activities to enjoy. Craft Social at Gut Level will host a Queer DIY Clothing workshop on Saturday 12 September. Check out the full schedule and book via on the Common Threads webpage.
Our thanks to Drew Simms, Community Facilitator for writing this blog.
Common Threads Festival has been made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players we are able to offer all activities with no or low cost. The festival is also supported by Heritage Crafts, the Radcliffe Trust and Sheffield City Council.