Monthly Archives: July 2013

Experimental archaeology – growing flax

Posted on 26 July, 2013 by Alice Dolan

After testing out my practical skills on the intensive textile course at the TRC, Leiden,  I bought flax seeds to try some experimental archaeology. I grew flax successfully last year, with the basic aim of getting a better understanding of … Continue reading →

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Learning to Spin

Posted on 24 July, 2013 by Alice Dolan

In May 2012 John and I visited the excellent Textile Research Centre (TRC) in Leiden, Holland to take the Intensive Textile Course with six other people run by Dr. Gillian Vogelsang-Eastwood. The course provides a highly practical introduction to textiles … Continue reading →

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Inspiration in Copenhagen

Posted on 18 July, 2013 by Alice Dolan

Spending a week at the Centre for Textile Research in June this year proved an inspiration. CTR brings people together to share ideas and inspiration – one of its strengths is that academic writing and experimental archaeology are undertaken alongside … Continue reading →

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The silk throwing mill at Caraglio, Italy

Posted on 16 July, 2013 by John Styles

This enormous water-powered silk-throwing mill, at Caraglio in Piedmont in north-western Italy, was built in 1676-8. Mills like this were the model for the first successful English factory for manufacturing silk warp yarn [organzine] by water power, built by Thomas … Continue reading →

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