I’m pleased to announce that Good Grub is part of the Embroiderers’ Guild 2024 Members Challenge ‘Opposites Attract’.
My first thought on hearing the challenge theme was ‘sweet and savoury’ and of course that meant hand embroidering a recipe or two.
Good Grub
Each design revolves around a memory growing up in Lancashire in the 1970’s.
My childhood was full of tasty, sweet and savoury, home cooked grub. A good food day was having one of my favourites for lunch, Manchester Tart – a batch-cooked school pudding, filled with bananas and jam – followed by Mum’s Lancashire Hotpot for tea.
The work was hand embroidered with vintage Sylko threads in backstitch, couching and seed stitch. The edges are turned under and topstitched.
I’m delighted with the response I’ve receive so far from fellow stitchers.
The work has prompted others to share their own warm memories of Manchester Tart and Lancashire Hotpot.
Gawthorpe Textiles Collection (GTC) is an internationally renowned collection of global textiles located in the heart of Pennine Lancashire, England.
Last week, I was honoured to be invited to a private tour of its new home at Northlight, Suite 26 Unit 2, Northlight House, Pendle Rd, Brierfield, Nelson BB9 5FF – a 15 minute drive from Gawthorpe Hall.
This post shares a flavour of what the collection has to offer and how you can access the beautiful embroidery for yourself.
A visit to Gawthorpe Textile Collection
“Founded by the Honourable Rachel Kay-Shuttleworth (1886-1967) the collection was amassed to educate, inspire creativity, support wellbeing and to preserve traditional craft skills by sharing knowledge, skills and expertise across cultures.” Gawthorpe Textiles Collection.
Northlight
Up until recently, the collection had been stored within Gawthorpe Hall, in a damp storage area that was starting to impact the condition of some of the pieces. After funding was secured a decision was made to move the entire collection to a new home within Northlight.
Northlight is a perfect location to visit with plenty of parking and just a stones throw from Brierfield Railway station. Northlight, a redeveloped cotton mill full of stunning historical features of its own.
This new purpose built archive holds the collection of over 30,000 textile and craft items. Each item has been carefully wrapped in acid free tissue and then placed in a box, labelled and referenced with its contents.
I was completely blown away by the diversity of the Gawthorpe Textiles Collection.
Beryl Dean
Rachel Terry the Collections Officer gave me a guided tour of the boxes and explained some of the stories behind their contents.
Rachel Terry the Collections Officer gave me a guided tour of the Gawthorpe Textile Collection.
I took a particular interest in a box labelled ‘Beryl Dean‘ and Rachel offered to get the box down for me. I naturally accepted and was in awe at it’s contents which included some tiny handstitched English Paper Piecing and an amazing artwork created in gold work and silk embroidery.
An amazing artwork by Beryl Dean created in gold work and silk embroidery.
Rachel Kay-Shuttleworth
Other embroidery that interested me was work stitched by Rachel Kay-Shuttleworth herself. Another box was chosen from the shelves and opened.
After carefully unrolling its contents – a long piece of beautifully hand stitched crewel work embroidery – Rachel explained the story behind the work.
A long piece of beautifully hand stitched crewel work embroidery by Rachel Kay-Shuttleworth
Whilst we chatted, Rachel mentioned a selection of pieces that I might be interested in. Pieces that had connections to the Kay-Shuttleworths.
On the far side of a wall covered in framed art was a hand painted artwork with links to the early years of the Girl Guiding Movement. Other frames contained patchwork and hand embroidery including two hand embroidered world maps documenting the travels of a family member.
Artwork with a connection to the Kay-Shuttleworths
My eye was drawn to three mysterious parcels wrapped in white fabric to protect them from dust and light. Each had decorated the tower walls at Gawthorpe Hall. I asked about them and Rachel offered to unwrap one for me. Inside was a very special piece by Rachel Kay-Shutleworth.
The work was mounted on a wooden frame and had the most beautiful, vibrant, red poppies hand embroidered in wool, in techniques that allowed the flowers and seed heads to sit proud of the foundation fabric.
Embroidery by Rachel Kay-Shuttleworth that once decorated the tower at Gawthorpe Hall
After seeing all this beautiful embroidery, my mind was buzzing and I needed a hot cup of tea and a sit down.
Before leaving the archive I had a chance to pop into a beautifully lit room adjoining the archive. The space is used for hosting talks and workshops, and also has a small shop where I had to purchase a new mug for my sewing room.
Viewing the Gawthorpe Textiles Collection – Talks and Tours
I can heartily recommend planning your own visit to the the collection. Enquiries for group tours and individual study visits are available via this link.
Another way to see the beautiful collection is at a new exhibition opening in summer 2024 at Gawthorpe Hall.
Gawthorpe Hall, Burnley Road, Padiham, BB12 8UA; (for Sat Nav use BB12 8SD).
Other ways to view the collection
The collection is gradually being digitally photographed and documented. A large selection is available to view here on Tumblr.
GTC has designed a number of Loan Boxes to support creative learning in schools and adult learning classes. The boxes are full of inspiring textiles covering Patchwork, Plain Work Samplers plus boxes dedicated to Contemporary Stitch and Lace. Please enquire about availability.
Thank you for joining me on this tour of the fabulous Gawthorpe Textiles Collection.
I hope you are inspired and plan to make a trip of your own in the future.
My latest artwork is inspired by a winter special and a crowdpleaser in my childhood home – Lancashire Hotpot.
My mum had a menu that changed and rotated with each season. When the nights started to draw in hotpot was added to the mix. She made it in a deep glazed stoneware pot in the shape of a plant pot – a pot I now cherish in my own home.
Work in progress
Mum cooked it low and slow then took the lid off in the final 20 mins of cooking to brown up the top layer of sliced spuds. She dished it up with a jar of pickled red cabbage, fresh vegetables from dad’s allotment and a bread plate for mopping up the gravy.
Lancashire Hotpot
Recipe for Lancashire Hotpot
It’s the sort of meal you can pop into a low slow oven and forget about it. If your lucky the spuds will catch and caramelise on the top edge of the dish and taste wonderful. There are lots of recipes on the internet, but this is the recipe I remember at home.
Sliced spuds
Sliced onions
Stewing meat like lamb neck end
Stock
Put a layer of spuds in a deep oven proof dish.
Add a layer of meat and a layer of onion.
Repeat layers of spuds, meat and onion. Season well.
Finish with a layer of spuds.
Pour over stock. Cover with a pleated greased paper or a lid.
Cook in low oven for 2 hours, 350’f.
“Tasty with homemade stock, Mum used the saved onion water from making cheese and onion pie, there aren’t any carrots in it, remove the lid and brown the spuds on the top, eat with pickled red cabbage.”
For extra flavour add a bouquet garni and bay leaf to the layers, and add strips of bacon to the top.
Detail – Lancashire Hotpot
Size 11 x 23cm, hand embroidered with vintage Sylko threads onto cotton cloth.
