2023 – 08 CRAFT DEMONSTRATION DAY, Sunday 27th August, 2023  

/ Past Events / By
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Local craftspeople were in the Hall and garden explaining how they produce their wares using age old techniques.

Lavenham itself has been a centre for making and creating throughout its history of spinning, weaving, dyeing and mat making. Part of Little Hall’s charm is to be found in the examples of the Gayer-Andersons’ craft skills in carpentry and woodwork. Indeed, the dresser in the dining room was designed and made by the Colonel Gayer-Anderson in 1905. The library has examples of leather and cloth bound books, the windows show the skills of glaziers, and Nellie Smith (housekeeper during the Art Hostel years) embroidered a panel based on a design by Stephen Spender which is now displayed in the dormitory and is a fine example of needlework.

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A display by bookbinder Paul Garcia of various styles and types of handmade books will be in the Well Room.  Paul Garcia is a member of the Society of Bookbinders which is a charity whose aim is to preserve and teach the craft of hand bookbinding.
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Lynette Domoney, a member of the Lavenham Guild of Weavers, Spinners and Dyers.
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spinning to make wool yarn
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Stuart Race, who is the owner of “The Woolpatch” in Long Melford and supplies the Little Hall shop with his beautiful woad dyed wool hanks demonstrating how he dyes yarn, in the garden.
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The colour gradually changes from green through to blue
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“Pastures Ewe”, Jan Hannaford and Penny Evens were felting sheep fleeces in the dormitory.
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Sharing their techniques for turning rare breed, cruelty free British sheep fleeces into rugs, throws and pet beds.
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The library was the setting for our own volunteers who continue to care for the book collection and use special techniques for preserving antiquarian books.