Norwich is a fine city whose heritage owes much to the textile industry which brought wealth to the city between the twelfth and eighteenth centuries.
The Costume & Textile Association is an independent charity seeking to promote the unique costume and textile collection of the Norfolk Museums and Archaeology Service. The legacy can still be enjoyed today: Norwich is still enriched by the different styles, culture, architecture and language that can be traced back to the ‘Strangers’ who came from the Low Countries to work in the textile industry
. C&TA, as it is affectionately known, is a lively organisation bringing together people who are keen to support and learn more about the history and development of costume and textile. The internationally recognised museum collection held at the Shirehall Costume and Textile Study Centre in Market Avenue Street, Norwich contains some 25,000 items dating from the sixteenth century to the present day. Pride of place must go to the collection of over 700 printed and woven shawls. 200 of these are of Norwich manufacture and remind today’s visitors of the once vibrant textile trade in Norwich which brought wealth and status to the City. Registered Charity number: 1000730
Operating as usual
Another fabulous jumper design by Elizabeth Forster
“Good morning! Continuing our feature of by Elizabeth Forster, here is a fun jumper from our Costume and Textiles collection featuring a square motif. Elizabeth designed from her home in Wiveton, Norfolk.”
See you on the other side!
Following recent government guidance, all our museum sites will be closed from Thursday 5 November 2020 and will remain closed until further notice.
We'll keep sharing our collections and their stories online, and will continue to update our website and social feeds with the latest information.
Dr Sara Choudhrey will be discussing objects from the Emery Walker Trust’s Islamic Collection on NOVEMBER 7, 2020 15.00 - book online if you want to feast your eyes on these wonders and how they relate to the Arts & Crafts Movement.
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Emery Walker travelled to many places including almost a full tour of Spain and Morocco. These countries were places with a rich Islamic architectural and visual heritage stretching back hundreds of years. In this talk, artist and researcher Dr Sara Choudhr...
Now the clocks have gone back and the days are drawing in, it’s the perfect time to read Danie Hadley, Events & Visitor Programme Officer, blog post about her love of the Elizabeth Forster knitwear archive in the costume and textiles department. You might well be inspired to get those knitting needles out and start creating ... enjoy!
Time to wrap up warm with Elizabeth Forster’s knitwear archive
Get ready for winter!
1. Boots Boots are vital in the Arctic for keeping feet warm in cold temperatures and for allowing you to traverse ice and snow. These beautiful boots are from the Gwich’in People of northern Canada and Alaska. They are made from beaver fur and caribou hide and decorated with beading. The boot sol...
Welcome Back to the Castle ...
The Castle Museum is now open again.
C&TA Members are free as usual - however you do need to book in advance through the Art Tickets website - follow link
https://norfolk-museums.arttickets.org.uk - and remember to take your C&TA membership card with you.
The cafe, shop and Keep are closed. There are toilet facilities available. Please wear a mask and observe social distancing and the rule of six.
It’s great to be able to visit again!
A fascinating insight into four colourful objects linked with a 16th Norwich textile merchant
Welcome to Talking Objects, the series where we explore the stories behind some of our most fascinating objects! Today's featured artefacts are a set of stai...
This beautiful tiny object - which may be textile related - was found in Norwich Castle keep.
Listen to its fascinating story
Welcome to Talking Objects with Norwich Castle: a new series where we'll be exploring the stories behind some of the most fascinating objects in our collecti...
Check out this amazing international embroidery art project - sumptuous
A decade long, award winning global embroidery project 2009-2019 by British artist Kirstie Macleod. The Red Dress has been continuously embroidered onto by over 120 artisans from around the world; a vehicle of expression, unity, healing and empowerment.
Welcome Back
We’ve been unable to get into our Facebook account for a while but we are back - hopefully this time to stay!
Has anyone got any mone squares for the Corona Quilt if so can you get in touch with Celia Sutton or Pauline White via the web site. We hope to start the sewing process very soon. Hope everyone is well. Stay safe😃
Victoria and Albert Museum
We are so excited to finally say that we are OPEN!
From inspiring trails to staying safe and how to book your free timed ticket, find out everything you need to know about visiting the museum. https://fal.cn/39zAv
Ready when you are...
Victoria and Albert Museum
X-ray photography is a unique tool for museums as it allows us to see details not visible to the naked eye. Watch what happened when we x-rayed our fashion collection: https://fal.cn/39zWK
Our museum is finally opening tomorrow and that includes our free fashion gallery! See 6 gorgeous Balenciaga designs on display from tomorrow.
(Pictured: Evening dress, Balenciaga, 1965. X-ray by © Nick Veasey)
What were you were over lockdown ... the Museum of Norwich wants pics of your ‘lockdown-wear’. It could be loungewear, activewear, gardening-wear or ....... ?
Today we are launching a call out for you to send us pictures of your typical lockdown outfit to help us document the changes this extraordinary time has had on your day to day wardrobe. It would be lovely to see you but if you prefer you can send us a 'flat lay' of your outfit in the comments and tell us a little about your lockdown experience. Thank you!
Wonderful to see John Craske’s name among the 26 artists inspired by East Anglia in the EDP. John Craske ‘painted’ in cotton and wool. Also John Crome, son of a Norwich weaver.
Are there any other costume or textile links to the others mentioned in the article?
East Anglia has an amazing artistic heritage. As well as all the sculptors, painters, print-makers and more who have been born here or made their homes here, many more have been inspired by holidays on the Norfolk or Suffolk coast.
USA celebrates National Underwear Day today.
Have fun with your un**es and treat yourself to a new set of underwear.
Looking forward to the C&TA Costume Detectives ‘Unmentionables’ sadly postponed until 2021.
Those of you who joined our online Show and Share session will have enjoyed seeing Mara Webb's lovely lamps inspired by the Plantation Garden in Norwich (right).
Mara has been a student with Creative Stitch Suffolk, and now a video of her course work, and that of her fellow-students, is available on YouTube.
It shows a wonderful variety of work - thanks Mara, for sharing it with us.
You can see it on YouTube via this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBe8LjsGcDg
Work created by students completing the accredited SEFWI Creative Stitched Textiles course in July 2020 TUTOR - Mary McIntosh STUDENTS - Jane Elliott -Jan Pe...
Alexandra Lester-Makin's 'The Lost Art of the Anglo-Saxon World: The Sacred and Secular Power of Embroidery' is published by Oxbow Books - with support from the C&TA's Geoffrey Squire bursary.
Alexandra was awarded £1,000 to part-sponsor her considerable publication costs for photographic images. The panel recognised the great importance of images in this book, which sheds light on embroidery in the so-called 'Dark Ages'.
The publisher's website says that the work is the "first substantial monograph-length historiography of early medieval embroideries and their context within the British Isles".
See the C&TA website for more details about the Geoffrey Squire bursary.
Museum of Norwich at the Bridewell
Milly J Shoes has shared these amazing face in face mask shoe clips with us! Please keep sharing anything you've been wearing or have created.
Museum of Norwich at the Bridewell
Another brilliant picture from the Streetstyle photographic archive, this one was taken in 1992 at the top of Gentlemen’s Walk. The archive was created to record everyday and fashionable clothing to help guide curators when collecting clothing from the recent past. All week we have been asking about the impact lockdown has had on your wardrobe and sewing basket. Thank you for all your comments and contributions.
Today we'd love to know about shopping during lockdown, did you miss going clothes shopping? Did you have to buy online for the first time? Or did the lockdown encourage you to revisit what you already have and get creative with your wardrobe? Were you first in line when the shops re-opened and if so what was the first thing you bought?
Our online survey is still open if you would like to help us build a detailed picture of the impact of Covid-19 on our communities. https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/HomeLifeinLockdown/
Museum of Norwich at the Bridewell
This gorgeous set of beach pyjamas, dating to about 1930, are a very stylish example of leisure clothing, perfect for a sunny Sunday. They are made of cream rayon and a jazzy printed spongecloth, which is an absorbent fabric similar to terry towelling. I’m sure many of us would love to wear an outfit like this to one of Norfolk’s beautiful beaches this summer.
This is the last day of our Costume and Textile hosted week of the Picturing the Pandemic project, it’s been wonderful to see your creations and we are delighted with our capsule collection documenting this extraordinary time. Many thanks to everyone who shared.
Did you wear lots of sportswear during the lockdown? Maybe not just strictly for your daily exercise…
Museum of Norwich at the Bridewell
Yesterday we were asking about creativity during lockdown and were sent a picture of this mask made by Felix Hewison-Carter which was not designed to be a practical protective accessory but to reflect on the situation we have found ourselves in. The Latin text on the mask translates as 'while I breathe, I hope'.
Masks are for most of us a completely new addition to our wardrobes, a new consideration which we need to factor into our everyday lives.
How did you choose the mask you wear?
Does it say something about you?
And are you finding wearing a mask changes how you interact with people?
We'd love to see your masked selfie in the comments!
Museum of Norwich at the Bridewell
Here are some of the wonderful images that were shared with us in the first week of our Picturing the Pandemic campaign documenting the vital role the NHS and keyworkers have played in keeping us safe and well. We are still collecting so if you would like to share an image please comment below, you can also email them to [email protected]
If you have 15 minutes to spare we also have a survey to capture your lockdown experience https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/HomeLifeinLockdown/
With many thanks to Robert Pitt, Jo Woods, Jessica Sayer, Paul Stearman, Jenny Hartt, Mickey Longstaff and Pip Lacey for contributing their photographs.
(Remember - By posting you are agreeing for us to use this in the future in displays, our communications & online content.)
Museum of Norwich at the Bridewell
Welcome to Fancy Friday! We love fancy dress in the Norwich Costume and Textiles collection so we’re sharing a couple of favourites to celebrate the transformative power of clothing.
The right outfit can alter your mood and get you ready to face anything – have you used the power of dress during the lockdown? was used on social media instead of dress down Friday at the height of the pandemic as an antidote to casual dress worn while working from home. If you love to express yourself through your style how did early lockdown affect you – did you take to social media to share your lockdown looks? Have you dressed up with nowhere to go? Recreated a Saturday night glamming up session for a Zoom drink with your pals? Or maybe you have been home-schooling some little superheroes?
We would love to hear any clothing related memories of lockdown for our Picturing the Pandemic Project, please share in the comments.
Images are of an 1880s fancy dress probably depicting the figure of a Folly, similar to a female Jester although sadly her hat and shoes have not survived with the rest of the outfit.
The two children’s outfits were worn by Frederick and Florence Eaton on the 7th of January 1885 to a fancy dress ball at St Andrews Hall given in honour of the coming of age of Prince Albert Victor. Frederick was a Young Cavalier and Florence a Tyrolean Peasant.
And finally, a 1920s Pierette, as the female version of Pierrot was known. This gorgeous outfit was worn by Phyllis Shreeve of Westcliff on Sea, Essex.
An armchair gift upholstered in a replica WW2 uniform worn by Capt Sir Tom "amazing", says family.
One of our members has a large embroidered wall hanging which features a castle at the centre, surrounded by trees. The design includes metal threads.
If anyone has any ideas about where this fabulous mystery hanging might have been made, please leave a comment.
A beautiful therapeutic embroidery in the Norwich Costume and Textile collection from 1917 ...
Dressmaking, knitting, embroidery and patchwork are all wonderful ways to improve your wellbeing. The Norwich Costume and Textile collection contains some wonderful examples of therapeutic textiles like this embroidery by soldier Stephen Buller made while he was recuperating from an injury during WWI.
Did you get crafty during lockdown? Today we would love you to share pictures of anything you have made over the past few months. Did you finally get around to working through your mending pile? Have you finished any of your half-made projects? Or have you been inspired to pick up a hobby you haven’t had time for in a while or learn a new creative craft?
Many people used their textile skills to support others during these difficult times by sewing scrubs for front-line healthcare workers or making masks to sell for charity. We’d love to hear from anyone who has been supporting their community in this way.
Norwich Museums Need You!
Norwich Museums are collecting pictures and testimonies about the impact of lockdown on our communities. Have you been knitting, stitching or embroidering during lockdown? Please post comments with pictures of your own work on the Museum of Norwich at the Bridewell page ...
Our fantastic friends at the Costume and Textile Association have been encouraging their members to get stitching during the lockdown. So far, they have made over 200 scrubs bags to safely transport the uniforms of NHS and healthcare staff and have also been making squares for an amazing ‘Coronaquilt’. Here a just a few of their wonderful creations, please visit www.ctacostume.org.uk to see more.
C&TA chairman Joy Evitt said: "Sewing is recognised as a calming and therapeutic activity, and so we thought that if people were stressed out, this could be the answer. There has been a great variety of styles and techniques, and so many of the messages are full of hope and humour.”
Norwich Museums are collecting pictures and testimonies about the impact of lockdown on our communities. Have you been knitting, stitching or embroidering during lockdown? Please comment with pictures of your own work.
(Remember - By posting you are agreeing for us to use this in the future in displays, our communications & online content.)
Sustainable dyeing
In the latest instalment of our series supporting artists through lockdown, Jo Thompson explains why she’s ditching synthetics for natural products.
Thank you to Jenny Daniels for her evocative VE Day celebration square to celebration VE 75 under lockdown.
All together now: ‘We’ll meet again, don’t know where, don’t know when ... '
Penelope Lumb: 'I saw a quote, a couple of weeks into lockdown and used it to make a card which I sent to dear friends. When I was trying to think of a theme for my square, I was pondering the way we have managed to keep in touch, in spite of the obstacles. Then I realised that my little card said what I felt and so I reproduced it in stitch .... '
Many thanks, Penelope.
A Fine City indeed
In the 14th Century Philippa Queen of Edward III invited her ‘Good and Trew’ Flemish weavers to come in crowds to England; many of them came to Norwich. As a result Norwich prospered and became the second city of the realm. The inventories taken by William de Swyneflete (Archdeacon of Norwich) i...
Blackbird's song by Jan Burnett: 'I have always loved hearing birdsong, and been even more appreciative during lockdown of the dawn chorus, and blackbirds singing at different times of day. They are so cheering and a constant reminder of the delights nature brings.'
Wow! Not one but six .... Jane Snowdon has stitched six corona quilt squares, shown as a composite here. She says: "I was thinking 50 years hence when hopefully the Quilt will still be seen. So I thought of the catch phrases that have been around during this strange time of a world pandemic."
Picturing the Pandemic:
Museums across Norwich are appealing to the public to help them record their experiences of living through the COVID-19 crisis in Norfolk
Museum staff would like to collect personal items from the community, backed up by individual stories. This could be notes from neighbours, rainbow window displays, or even pyjamas worn for a working day!
Curators from The Museum of Norwich at The Bridewell, Strangers' Hall and The Norwich Castle Study Centre have begun collecting items which will be preserved for future generations, including face masks sewn to raise money for the Puppet Theatre.
Norfolk county councillor Margaret Dewsbury says: "The impacts of the pandemic will be felt for a long time and it's important that we begin the task of preserving the story of the past few months while memories are still fresh in our minds and before key objects disappear."
Get involved via:
https://www.facebook.com/MuseumofNorwich/
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Norwich is a fine city whose heritage owes much to the textile industry which brought wealth to the city between the twelfth and eighteenth centuries. The legacy can still be enjoyed today: Norwich is still enriched by the different styles, culture, architecture and language that can be traced back to the ‘Strangers’ who came from the Low Countries to work in the textile industry. The Costume & Textile Association is an independent charity seeking to promote the unique costume and textile collection of the Norfolk Museums and Archaeology Service. C&TA, as it is affectionately known, is a lively organisation bringing together people who are keen to support and learn more about the history and development of costume and textile. The internationally recognised museum collection held at the Shirehall Costume and Textile Study Centre in Market Avenue Street, Norwich contains some 25,000 items dating from the sixteenth century to the present day. Pride of place must go to the collection of over 700 printed and woven shawls. 200 of these are of Norwich manufacture and remind today’s visitors of the once vibrant textile trade in Norwich which brought wealth and status to the City. Registered Charity number: 1000730
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