Wild About Wool

Welcome to the Wild About Wool Project website.

'Wild about Wool' is an exciting project focusing on the heritage of wool in the Colne Valley. The project began in the Autumn of 2010, and will culminate in a permanent exhibition, housed at The Colne Valley Museum from January 2012. As well as reflecting the experiences of local people, the exhibition will include interpretations of these experiences by crafters, singers, filmakers and students of any and many ages.

Young people from local high schools have been able to learn about the heritage of the area through interviewing local people who have spent time (sometimes lifetimes) working in the mills of the Colne Valley.
They have been assisted by museum staff from Kirklees Museums, who have trained them in the use of equipment and best practice when interviewing people.

These reminiscence sessions began in January (mainly because of the snowy weather before Christmas), and have been used to inspire workshops making film, hats, window banners and willow lanterns during the 2011 Slaithwaite Moonraking Festival which took place in February

Slaithwaite Moonraking Festival 2011

The final touches are now being put to a series of craft workshops and drop in sessions aimed at giving people of the Colne Valley the opportunity to learn new skills, develop existing skills, and together resurrect and spread the domestic wool crafts used on a daily basis by their forebears.
Watch this space if you:

• Have memories or stories about the Colne Valley Woollen Mills.
• have woollen skills you would like to share
• Want to learn to knit, crochet, felt.
• Want to meet up with other wool crafters like yourself.