All Wales Event, Llanidloes, 2017

The biennial meeting of all (well, most of) the Welsh Guilds of Weavers, Spinners and Dyers is always a great chance to meet up with old friends and catch up with what we have all been doing for the last couple of years.
The meeting is held in the Minerva Centre - an ex-car showroom in Llanidloes.  Over the years, the exhibition space has developed from an echoing cavern, still smelling faintly of motor oil, into a very nice venue indeed.  This year we had the benefit of a new permanent partition dividing the trade area, and a spanking bright new sink and drainer for washing up (and for textile workshops of course).   The Guilds' Challenge this year was on the theme of "Sea and Sky", and as usual the variety and standard of work was excellent.  I am pleased to report that our contribution, co-ordinated by Jenni Frost and based on a piece woven by her on a peg loom, stood out proudly from the others.

Val and our contribution to the Guilds' Challenge.

Bryn and Jenni arrived at the crack of dawn to set up the display of work, and Bryn very nobly put on show the files and folders from her recent Certificate of Achievement in spinning.  Congratulations to her for her excellent work and well-deserved result.

Bryn and Jenni with their display of our work.

In the afternoon, we were treated to a fascinating lecture about historic Welsh textiles from Louise Mumford, Senior Conservator at the National Museum of Wales. Louise had the privilege of conserving the "Llan-gors Textile" - a fragmentary piece found in the sediment of Llangorse lake, near Brecon.  This amazing fabric, based on fine linen at 23 threads/cm., was scrunched into an amorphous lump and dropped into the mud about a thousand years ago.  After it was found in 1990, Louise it was who unravelled it piece by piece, recording every step of the way.  More information at https://museum.wales/articles/2007-05-03/The-Llan-gors-textile-an-early-medieval-masterpiece/
Back to the present, and a final look around the trade stands (selling all sorts of desirable stuff from dyed fibre to fine fleece and equipment) and a last cup of tea before heading homewards into the setting sun.
Thanks to all who took part, especially Hilary Miller and her team of helpers, and Jenni and Bryn for our display (and Alan for the photographs).