Discovering Carlisle's Textile Barons


Year 4 this term are learning about Carlisle’s Textile Barons, who were they and what they achieved?

On Wednesday 9th January, we reviewed what we had learned last term about our local weaving industry in the 19th Century, how this developed and grew and the living and working conditions of those involved, especially the weavers, many of whom lived locally in Upperby.

This term we shall be learning about the history and development of Stead McAlpin Printworks based in Cummersdale and Linton Tweeds, tweed fabric and yarn manufacturers in Carlisle.


We started by investigating shape – an essential element of art and especially design.

Building on our skills of paper cutting and folding, we experimented with folding geometric pieces of coloured paper, such as square, rectangle, circle.



By folding edge to edge, diagonally and vertically, then cutting sections away, we produced random abstract shapes – some of us used our new weaving skills to weave through our cuts with complimentary strips of coloured paper.





Great examples of layering colour and shape and also use of positive and negative pieces! This character was hiding in the pieces!











We used three primary colours and one secondary colour in our designs.

We then experimented by arranging and rearranging our pieces before sticking down our final composition into our sketchbooks. Well done everyone.

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