J288 The Journal for WSD

Notebook Compiled by Hilary Miller

Lost Hampton Court Tapestry A tapestry commissioned by Henry VIII for Hampton Court during the Reformation has recently returned to the UK from Spain, and the possibility of it being purchased to be put on display in the UK has been raised. The tapestry, The Burning of the Heathen Books , has been identified as one of nine panels in a Saint Paul set woven in Brussels to designs by Pieter Coecke van Aalst, ordered by the Tudor king, which had long been thought lost or destroyed. Little is known about its whereabouts after it left the Royal Collection in the early nineteenth century. It was, however, sold in London in 1970, when its significance was not recognised and was bought by a Barcelona-based dealer. It remained in Spain until it was returned to London in 2023 for specialist cleaning and restoration. There is some doubt as to whether an export licence was obtained when the tapestry was sold in 1970. https://tinyurl.com/lost-tapestry

Powering Pencader Michaela Johnston, a textile designer with a focus on local and sustainable practices joined Material Futures at Central St Martins and undertook a residency in Pencader, Carmarthenshire, to explore how renewable energy technologies can be integrated into pre-existing practices and environments to generate electricity while minimizing environmental harm. Our current dependence on fossil fuel for energy is unsustainable, but alternative technologies also have environmental impacts – such as covering large green spaces with solar panels or transforming natural landscapes into wind turbine installations. Michaela says, ‘During my time in Pencader and the conversations I engaged in with its residents, I began contemplating ways to harness energy from the cultural and creative practices inherent to

the community. Specifically focusing on the spinning wheel as I believe it has symbolic value in capturing the significant hands-on creative craftmanship that ingrain Pencader.’ Michaela adapted a spinning wheel by adding a generator to convert motion into electricity. While not a viable solution, the purpose lies in the creation of an environment that aligns with mindful production, independent and local environmental management, and community manufacturing. The spinning wheel generator serves as a tangible realisation of the vision for a living situation that embraces sustainability, nurtures a connection with nature and supports the future of local economies.

www.selvedge.org (Selvedge magazine subscribers only)

Closeup of homemade generator displaying similarities to traditional coiling and spinning techniques

Traditional spinning wheel with homemade generator attached, alongside branded yarn displaying the wattage generated when spun

Michaela working on the generator attachment

Photos: Tom Mannion

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Journal for Weavers, Spinners and Dyers 288, Winter 2023