This year, 2004, marks the 25th anniversary of the Ulster Spinners and Weavers Guild and to celebrate this tremendous achievement the Guild are organising a traveling exhibition to show the work that is currently being done by the modern day spinners and weavers. The theme of the exhibition will be socks – but not just any old socks! A modern day slant will be evident – who says knitting is old hat, or should that be old socks?

In 1979 the Guild was established in Northern Ireland with the hope that it would continue to attract a growing number of members whose interest in these traditional crafts of both spinning and weaving would ensure that they would continue into the next generation. 25 years on this has been proved beyond doubt and the crafts are still as popular as ever. The Guild boasts a very healthy membership with new and very welcome applicants joining every year.

Turquoise Socks Created by Dorothy Ward	Kay Johnstone's Fluorescent Socks

In this, our Silver Anniversary year we are mounting an exciting and innovative exhibition which will initially be displayed at the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum Joint Textiles Exhibition in which opens on August 21st. After that the exhibition specific to the Spinners and Weavers will move to other venues around the Province.

Our title ‘Flocks, Socks and Two Smoking Needles’ reflects the use of the many different type of fleece; will be centred around socks and, of course, needles will come into play to assemble the various pieces which will be both knitted and woven. Our range of items will depict the ancient craft as it was to the modern day interpretation of the brief. It will be a stimulating and interesting contemporary slant on what has previously been viewed as an old and, somewhat mistakenly, a rather staid traditional craft.

The exhibition runs during the last week in August '04 at the Folk and Transport Museum.

Andee McKeown's Liquorice Allsort inspired Piece	A work in Progress by Merle Osbourne