Lasting Impressions in the Spinning Room at Salts Mill, Saltaire

One of my recent trips was to the Saltaire Arts Trail where I visited The Spinning Room at Salts Mill.  Textile artists, Hannah Lamb & Claire Wellesley-Smith were there encouraging us to leave imprints of our clothing on small porcelain tiles and in doing so to consider the value of cloth and clothing.

Porcelain tiles

Every participant was given a porcelain tile and a numbered tag.  You left an imprint of your clothing by pressing it into the tile and numbering it to match your tag number.

My tile with an imprint of my cardigan

Then, on the tag, you gave some info about what garment it was, where it was made, what from, how long you'd had it and why you liked it.

Information tag

The tags were then hung up so you could read what people had said about their garments.  It was interesting to read through them.  Some people's clothing was special because of comfort and familiarity, practicality, where it had been bought, who had made it, or from remembering happy times when wearing it - a "material" representation of memory and experience.

Everyone's information tags

The tiles were stored in drawers until they could be taken away to be fired.

Imprinted porcelain tiles

As a reward for taking part, you could have a gold or silver stitch made on your clothing - one lasting impression in return for another.  Thanks to Hannah for my silver stitch!

Silver stitch on my cardigan - another lasting impression!

I am looking forward to hearing more about this project and where it is going next.  I'm sure we'll be hearing more about it soon.