Jane’s gallery at the Harrogate Knit & Stitch show was titled ‘Material Traces of Our Industrial North’ and it was totally fascinating; both the items, the history and the textures of the pieces, which is something that always seems to draw me in.

The pieces on show in Harrogate ‘reflects the regeneration of textile mills in the North of England - sites that hold layers of memory, loss and transformation.’ The blurb goes on to say that Jane ‘questions whether site-specific interactions can help bridge the gap between memory, attachment and place in the absence of the workplace activities that once took place in these repurposed buildings.’

Work is centred in Sunny Bank Mills in West Yorkshire which ceased textile production in 2008 and the industrial pumps, looms, hardware and tools were left in place. Jane takes clay impressions from the mill artefacts creating moulds to cast an eco-resin to replicate the intricate details, which she then weaves to produce these sculptural pieces and highlight the emotional and physical connections that bind communities to their past.

There’s so much more on this subject and the best place to explore this further is on Jane’s own website. The pieces I’m sharing here, had me fascinated - their link to the past, their tactile-ness (though I promise I didn’t touch), and the process of how they’re made and came about.

JANE WALKLEY, KNIT & STITCH SHOW - HARROGATE NOVEMBER 2025 — JANE WALKLEY

Each piece has I’m sure it’s own story, and I was torn between those with colour and those which were monochrome. I loved the free flowing pieces, but this framed piece showed how easily these artworks could be included in a more conventional framing.

I loved the bobbins and the cogs, and they had an almost jewellery-like feel to them. This blue piece caught my eye across the gallery, and these were the pieces I most wanted to touch (but resisted).

But it was the one above that had I to choose one, I’d choose. It’s simply just gorgeous, isn’t it?