Gawthorpe Textiles Collection

20/06/2026

Study Visit: Fashionable Costume Accessories at Gawthorpe Textiles Collection 👒👜✨

Recently, we welcomed guests to our Studio and archives at Northlight, Brierfield for an afternoon exploring the elegance of historical fashion accessories from the Gawthorpe Textiles Collection. 🏛

The event was a complete sell-out, and we were delighted by the enthusiastic response from everyone who attended. Guests were very complimentary about the range of items available to view — from exquisite shoes, hats, gloves, shawls, fans, and bags spanning the late 18th to 20th centuries.

Our Curator Rachel guided the session, sharing her wonderful in-depth knowledge as visitors examined original pieces up close and discovered the stories behind their design, construction, and use. It was a truly inspiring afternoon filled with insight and connection among fellow historical fashion enthusiasts.

We have more events like this available to view on the What's On section of our website. Sessions take place either in person at our Studio and archives at Northlight, Brierfield, or Zoom

Check out our events here: https://www.gawthorpetextiles.org.uk/whats-on-current

Photos: Copyright of Gawthorpe Textiles Collection




©©

18/06/2026

✨ Wonderful news – Sew Social is continuing at Towneley Hall! ✨
We're thrilled to share that we've been successful in securing funding through the National Lottery Awards for All, to keep bringing our community together every Thursday through a shared love of textiles and making.

Sew Social Group is led by Cassie. This partnership between Gawthorpe Textiles Collection and Towneley Hall Museum and Art Gallery creates something truly special – a space where skills, stories, and support are woven together.
Here's what it means to our members:
💬 "If I didn't come here, I'd have nowhere to go!"
💬 "It's the highlight of my week. I've grown in confidence and taken on roles I never would have before."
💬 "I love the variation of people, skills and the way we all get on."
💬 "Everyone has been so supportive and welcoming. I particularly appreciate the accessibility of the Hall."
💬 "My counsellor told me to return to the group – I'm more calm and better able to cope. I love chatting and learning from all the talented ladies."
💬 "I love learning new things, sharing experiences, and hearing 'I feel like that too.' Learning about sewing and the history of the town and people's lives is wonderful."
A heartfelt thank you to Cassie for leading with such warmth and care, to our funders The National Lottery Community Fund for believing in this work, and to everyone who makes Thursdays at Towneley so special. 🧵💙
📍 Thursdays at Towneley Hall Museum and Art Gallery
Photos Copyright of Gawthorpe Textiles Collection

16/06/2026

✨ Silk embroidery meets Victorian creativity on this stunning late 19th-century cotton bandana 🧵

Originally mass-produced as functional accessories for farm and railroad workers in the USA, these elaborately patterned bandanas featured simple colour combinations and multicultural design elements that reflected their diverse workforce

But Victorian ladies saw something more... They transformed these everyday items into works of art, embroidering them with brightly coloured silk and cotton threads . Some followed the printed patterns carefully, while others added their own creative spin – making each piece truly unique ✨



Photos © copyright of Gawthorpe Textiles Collection

14/06/2026

'Patchwork' ✂️ When making stops but beauty remains 🧵✨

This stunning unfinished patchwork top from c.1875-1890 tells a story that was never quite completed. Created in Liverpool using the English paper piecing technique, it features diamond-shaped pieces arranged into vibrant six-pointed stars set against a darker framework.

What makes this piece so special? The maker, Elizabeth Webster, worked alongside her three children to create these geometric stars using mainly wool fabrics, with touches of silk and cotton. The high contrast between the colourful stars and dark surrounding diamonds creates a dramatic effect that still captivates nearly 150 years later.

Look closely and you'll spot striped, checked, and even floral paisley prints mixed in with solid colours. The central area still holds many of the original paper templates — cut from old letters and magazines — with tacking stitches visible, offering a glimpse into the making process.

Why was it never finished? We may never know. But this beautiful work-in-progress reminds us that the journey of making is just as valuable as the finished piece. 🧵

Part of the Gawthorpe Textiles Collection
📍 Liverpool, United Kingdom
📏 229 x 212 cm



Photos Copyright of Gawthorpe Textiles Collection

13/06/2026

"Book your virtual seat today"
Discover centuries of style in our online shoe showcase! Our Curator will guide you through collection highlights — dainty Georgian slippers, glittering Edwardian metallics, and sleek 1950s heels. Enjoy high-resolution images revealing every beautiful detail, followed by Q&A and chat.
Join us via Zoom on Tuesday 23 June, 7-8:30pm. £9
Your ticket supports our work preserving these treasures for future generations.
Book via our website home page 'Whats On' section

or Eventbrite https://shorturl.at/2DnOn

Photo Copyright of Gawthorpe Textiles Collection

11/06/2026

🧵✨ Vintage sewing patterns are more than just instructions for making clothes. They’re little windows into the world that time.

We can see one is stamped as purchased from a shop on Standish Street, Burnley but we can't make out the name of the shop? Do you know the name?

These two apron patterns from the 1950s and 1960s reflect a time when housework was largely seen as women’s responsibility. Pattern companies marketed aprons as practical, fashionable, and almost essential parts of everyday life. The cheerful illustrations present a very idealized picture of domesticity, complete with pretty prints, oversized pockets, and smiles all around.

What caught our eye most was the mother-and-daughter version on the Simplicity pattern. It’s undeniably sweet to see a little girl wearing a miniature version of her mother’s apron. At the time, it reflected ideas about family, sewing, and passing skills from one generation to the next. Today, it feels more like a charming reminder of how much children love to imitate the grown-ups they admire.

The fruit-pocket apron might be our favourite though. 🍓🍎 It’s impossible not to smile at those giant novelty pockets!

Do you remember aprons like these in your family? Did your mother, grandmother, or even your father wear one in the kitchen?

09/06/2026

💇‍♀️ Love Woven in Hair: A Victorian Watch Chain with Heart 💛
A watch chain like no other! ✨

This isn't your typical gold or silver chain. Lancaster woman Edith Gent Smith crafted this stunning "double Albert" watch chain from her own beautiful auburn hair around 1924, as a love token for her husband Sydney. 💕

Carefully woven and twisted, complete with original rose gold fittings, this treasured piece connects us to a Victorian tradition where hair jewellery symbolised love, remembrance, and connection between loved ones. 👫

While "Albert" chains (named after Prince Consort Albert in 1849) were standard Victorian menswear — keeping pocket watches safe from both drops and pickpockets like Dickens's Artful Dodger! — this piece tells a more personal story.

Did Edith follow 1920s fashion and have her long locks "bobbed"? Was this chain a way to gift her husband a lasting reminder of her "crowning glory"? 💇‍♀️✨

At Gawthorpe Textiles Collection, we treasure items like these that go beyond textiles — objects that carry stories of love, craft, and everyday life. There's so much more to Edith's story, from her life at age 14 onwards... 🧵. Log on to our website and visit our Collection Stories written by our Volunteer Jane Hellebrand.
https://gtccollectionstories.tumblr.com/post/818695661205798912/a-watch-chain-with-a-difference

Photos Copyright of Gawthorpe Textiles Collection

07/06/2026

07/06/2026

📚✨ Celebrating Jane Hellebrand & Rachel Kay-Shuttleworth's Legacy ✨📚

As we continue our appreciation of volunteers during National Volunteer's Week, we're incredibly proud to shine a spotlight on Jane Hellebrand, a dedicated volunteer at Gawthorpe Textiles Collection whose passion has brought an extraordinary woman's story back to life! ✨

After FIVE YEARS of extensive research, writing, and tracking down never-before-seen photographs, Jane (a graduate of Lancaster University) published "Undaunted: The New Biography of Rachel Kay-Shuttleworth" in April 2025. This labour of love represents many thousands of hours of work – a truly mammoth achievement! 📚💪

Rachel Kay-Shuttleworth MBE, founder of our collection, was a remarkable philanthropist, social activist, and leading figure in the Girl Guide movement. Her mission? To empower local women and girls in Padiham and Burnley with craft skills that helped them earn a living. 💜

For too long, Rachel's incredible achievements have been overlooked – but thanks to Jane's dedication, her story is finally being shared with the world! 🎉

Jane is a skilled and passionate volunteer who has created something truly outstanding that celebrates Burnley's history. Throughout 2025/26, she's been involved in talks and promotional events (despite preferring to stay behind the scenes!) 👏

She also continues to research the social history and human stories behind items in the Collection. These stories provide a gateway to the past, and are regularly published on our website - one will be published next week !✨

📖 Want your own copy? "Undaunted" is available now in our website shop for £18.00 – beautifully illustrated with 118 pages of fascinating insights and rare photographs. You can even request a signed copy from Jane herself!
Shop now: https://www.gawthorpetextiles.co.uk/books/undaunted-the-new-biography-of-rachel-kay-shuttleworth