Yan Tan Tethera Songs of Textile Folk

Welcome to Yan Tan Tethera - a project exploring and celebrating the connections between the making of textiles and song. Curated by David Littler in partnership with the English Folk Dance and Song Society (EFDSS). The project features: An exhibition of new work by artists Freddie Robins, Shane Waltener, Prick Your Finger, Stewart Easton and the McGrath Makers Group who will be delving deep into the EFDSS's archive; A series of textile inspired making and singing events and graffiti stitch chairs for you to embroider your favourite textile song. The project culminates in a live performance from sonic arts collective sampler-cultureclash as they unite Gaelic song with spinners, weavers and knitters, and traditional and electronic musicians in an exploration of things that spin. May to Sept 2014 at Cecil Sharp House. London. http://www.efdss.org/ Supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England.

[textilefolksong]

Visit Original Link

As we finish our exhibition at Walford Mill, Wimborne, Dorset, it seems apt to share Aimee’s version of the traditional Dorset “Sheep Shearing Song”. This version was collected in April 1906 from a William Miller in Wooton Fitzpaine Dorset by HED Hammond. Roud no 812.

We used the song for Stewart Easton and the Awesome Youth Group’s interactive illustration, where you were able to touch the drawing and hear lines from the song.

[textilefolksong]

Some of the Yan Tan Tethera artists travelled to Walford Mill Crafts to celebrate the opening of the exhibition during the Wimborne Folk Festival 12/13/14 June. We knitted and sang songs with a local knitting group and Shane Waltener and his newly assembled bobbin dancers took to the streets, alongside a host of Morris and other traditional dance groups, to dance the unwinding of the knotted score led by musicians Ben Moss and Aimee Leonard. Photos by Faye McNulty

[textilefolksong]

Yan Tan Tethera on film. Montage by Roswitha Chesher.

[textilefolksong]

Yan Tan Tethera hits the road to coincide with Wimborne Folk Festival next weekend 12/13/14 June 2015. If you’re in dorset or fancy a trip come join us Saturday 13th June for dancing, singing and knitting to celebrate the opening.

[textilefolksong]

An excellent discussion introducing the Lancashire Cotton Famine. It reminded me of the song “Th’ Shurat Weaver’s Song” written by Samuel Laycock about this famine. It demonstrates how the growing and production of cotton had already become a globalised industry, and the song illustrates beautifully, if tragically, Lancashire’s relationship to slavery, the american civil war (1861-1864) and cotton production and trade with India.

[textilefolksong]

A selection of photos from the Spin Cycle Finale event for Yan Tan Tethera 25 Sept. 2014. A wonderful way to wrap up what has been a a very special project. Thank you to all the performers and everyone who came along and made it such an enjoyable evening. Featuring sampler-cultureclash featuring David Littler, Jason Singh, Anne Martin, Hector MacInnes, Rachael Matthews, Deirdre Nelson, Adam John Williams, and special guests The Dulwich Folk Choir, Shane Walteners' Bobbin Dancers and Ben Moss and Laurel Swift.

Photos by Faye McNulty.

[textilefolksong]

Delighted that the Spin Cycle performance is featured by Jobina Tinnemans in Sound and Music's pick of the week. Thank you. Tickets still available here:

http://www.efdss.org/component/content/article/21-shared/shared-events/1335-spin-cycle

[textilefolksong]

Thank you to Embroidery Magazine for featuring Yan Tan Tethera in its September Issue.

[textilefolksong]

This beauty will be appearing as part of sampler-cultureclash's Spin Cycle courtesy of the wonderful Howard Hope Gramaphones and Phonographs. Thank you Howard.

Thursday 25th Sept at Cecil Sharp House. Tickets still available here: Spin Cycle

[textilefolksong]

Still time to catch Freddie Robins' Cabinets of Textile Curiosities for Yan Tan Tethera at Cecil Sharp House until 25th September.

[textilefolksong]

Shane Waltener reflects on the series of works he produced for Yan Tan Tethera.

[textilefolksong]

Thank you to the lovely folk at Selvedge Magazine for featuring Yan Tan Tethera in its July/ August edition.

[textilefolksong]

The Dulwich Folk Choir led by Aimee Leonard singing at the Museums at Night event 15 May 2014 at EFDSS for Yan Tan Tethera.

Photo by Faye McNulty

[textilefolksong]

A selection of images of Prick Your Finger's and Aimee Leonard's "Songs for Knitting to" for the Museums at Night Event 15 May 2014 at EFDSS.

Thanks to everyone who came along, sang, knitted, chatted and shared their skills.

Photos by Faye McNulty

[textilefolksong]

Shane Waltener's Stairwell Weave-In for the Museums at Night Event - 15 May 2014 at EFDSS for Yan Tan Tethera.

Images by Faye McNulty

[textilefolksong]

Lace Tell to accompany Shane Waltener's Stairwell Weave-in - commissioned as part of Yan Tan Tethera: songs of textile folk curated by David Littler in partnership with English Folk Dance and Song Society. Performed at Museums at Night event 15 May 2014 at Cecil Sharp House. Lace Tell sung by Aimee Leonard, Sally Davies, Sarah Madden, Jenny Thompson, Ian Kennedy and Sarah Lloyd: members of Cecil Sharp House Choir and Dulwich Folk Choir.

Stairwell Weave-In performed by Ruth Bradshaw, Zoe Gilmour, Tina Gotschi, Pallavi Jain, Julia Manheim, Chloe Metcalfe, Benjamin Moss and Vanessa Trotter.

Original Lace Tell collected from F G Crowsley from Bedfordshire by Fred Hamer.

[textilefolksong]

Wife Wrapped in Wether's Skin

She would not knit and she would not spin, Jinny fare jintle, Rose-a-Marie, For fear of spoiling her gay gold ring, As the dew flies over the green vallee. She would not into the kitchen go, Jinny fare jintle, Rose-a-Marie, For fear of spoiling her high-heeled shoes, As the dew flies over the green vallee. He took her by the heels and went a-dragging her along, As the dew flies over the green vallee. (As sung by E.F. Hall of Ludlow, Vermont) Posted by Freddie Robins