Winter Travels- The Silk Mill

 When the boats are safely tucked up in winter storage it's time to go exploring on land. So we jumped in the car and took a ferry across the Solent  and spent a few days pottering around the Southern Counties. On my list of places I wanted to visit was The Silk Mill at Whitchurch.

http://whitchurchsilkmill.org.uk/mill/index.php

 I really enjoy going to somewhere out of season; when they aren't so crowded with holiday makers you can take your time and really absorb the atmoshere, look closely at things and feel inspired.

  The first photos shows a tray of coloured silk bobbins, the next shows the hanks of silk being wound onto the bobbins- this is powered by a water wheel. Even more exciting for me there was a floor loom warped up and ready to "have a go"

 I was in my element! I proceeded to weave and dream that I could have a loom just like this one in my work room. Skipper had to prise me away from the loom (as we had the place to ourselves there was no queue waiting so I managed to add a bit of length to the cloth).

 Here is the main weaving room with all the looms producing various cloth. Do pop over to their website for more information.

Outside the water which powers the wheel was icy cold and you can see the branches dipping in the flow of the river covered with icicles.