“Spinning Jenny” - a chance to explore the textile history of wool.

I'm thrilled to share that my new piece, Spinning Jenny, is now

on display at the Trowbridge Museum's WEFT Exhibition (West of England Festival of Textiles).

Spinning Jenny brings together many stages of wool production, combining old and new methods, hand processes, and machine-made techniques.

The inspiration for the piece came partly from acquiring a large bag of what I later discovered were “pencil rovings” from the National Wool Museum of Wales, alongside my interest in Trowbridge Museum’s rare spinning jenny. The work became a way of bringing together different stages of wool production and celebrating them through a mask that personifies the spinning jenny itself. 

When “Jenny” was nearly completed we visited the National Wool Museum of Wales to see some of the machines in action

One of the pleasures of a commission like this is that it becomes both a literal and figurative journey of discovery. As the work developed, I realised that the finished piece is the result of many different machines and processes — from a modern washing machine to early industrial equipment, including the intimidating “Devil”, a mechanical willowing machine notorious for the danger it posed to workers. The making process has become an ongoing dialogue between the historical and contemporary craft methods of wool production.

I use a small drum carder to prepare the wool for making the mask

The process begins with carding. I prepare wool for the mask using a drum carder — a modern tool that echoes the early industrial carding machines developed during the Industrial Revolution.

The journey of “Jenny’s” hair begins here with the Willowing Machine, which opens the fibres for carding.  This machine was referred to as “The Devil” as it could pull an arm off!

For Jenny’s hair, I use woollen pencil roving produced on a carding machine at the National Wool Museum of Wales. The small kiss curls framing her face show the wool at the very beginning of its journey, before it undergoes transformation through spinning, weaving, knitting, and felting.

This is the carding machine that produces rovings that I have used for the basis of “Jenny’s” hair

I then spin this wool on a modern replica of a spinning wheel, transforming the prepared fibre into yarn. Part of this yarn is formed into a long plait that becomes an integral element of Jenny’s hairstyle. 

I really enjoyed spinning from this prepared wool – it was so easy as the wool practically spun itself!  It also really clarified to me how the spinning jenny would have been capable of automating this process.

Other elements of the piece combine traditional and contemporary crafting methods. The base of Jenny’s shawl is created through wet felting in a washing machine, before being further developed with knitted and crocheted details made from my own spun wool.

Spun wool on niddy noddy – such a lovely name for this device to make a skein. Also showing the roll of pencil rovings

Finally, Jenny’s shawl is completed with a fringe and woven border produced at the National Wool Museum of Wales. This is the same wool that has travelled through many of the processes represented in the work, bringing the story full circle.

While all the wool used for Jenny’s hair is Lamb’s wool, processed at the Wool Museum, for the core of the mask I have used Dartmoor Grey Face to build up the bones of the face.  This is covered with Corriedale.  The eyelashes are made from dark Icelandic wool.  The base of Jenny’s cowl is made of merino.

I am very grateful for the assistance of the National Wool Museum of Wales for showing me all the processes involved in wool production and to Trowbridge Museum for inspiring this rewarding journey.

“Jenny” is pictured sitting on the spinning mule at the National Wool Museum of Wales . This machine spans the room and produces spun yarn from the pencil rovings.  The spinning jenny was the precursor to this machine.

The WEFT Exhibition is open at Trowbridge Museum until November 2026.