Making Paper – Elephant Dung, Shredded Bank Notes & Wimbledon

What do Elephant Dung, Shredded bank notes and Wimbledon all have in common?  Frogmore Mill  has been making paper for centuries and it’s most recent products, which are all manufactured on site, now include some of these ‘extra materials’.

If you know me, you’ll understand by now that I’ve confessed to one addiction – I adore anything textiles.

It’s confession time. I love paper too, in particular little note books, and own way more than I should do.

Mill Shopping

The Mill is just down the road from me, hence from time to time I find my self drifting in for new supplies to use in my new Embroidery Course.

making paper with elephant dung

The paper is available in various weights. Some paper I use for mounting design work, although I rather like the thicker papers for sewing into. 

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Textile Treasure – Fabric & Lace

Another week, another day out wandering around in my favourite charity shops.  The beauty of it is I’m never quite sure what I’ll find. Half the fun comes when I rummage in a box and spot a vintage textile treasure.

Textile Treasure

This wooden bobbin from a weaver’s shuttle caught my eye.  It had nails in one end, to use for French knitting. It wasn’t until I came home, that I noticed it was marked Saltaire.  One of my favourite Mill buildings in the North of England.

Textile treasure - Saltaire Mill Bobbin and needle lace
This yard long piece of gorgeous needle lace was of particular interest. I’ll have my girlfriend check it out. She’s an archivist at Hatfield House.

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