National Needlework Archive

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The Old Chapel Textile Centre in Newbury, home of the National Needlework Archive, offer courses, workshops and exhibitions in sewing, haberdashery, needlecraft, textiles, embroidery, cross stitch, quilting and textile art. Our shop carries an extensive range of all needlework and sewing products including fabric, threads, wool, zips and patterns. We have an archive of historic textiles and patterns and are home to The Country Wife mural.

National Needlework Archive

The NNA maintains a documentary and photographic record of textiles located in the community throughout the United Kingdom. The archive is used for research, and helps raise the profile and esteem of textiles housed in public, or semi-public places, and those owned by community groups or associations. The NNA is highlighting the historical, sociological and design value of this vast resource of textile art.

This year the NNA will be recording all textile projects made to celebrate the Royal Platinum Jubilee. If you, your group, your neighbourhood or your village, town or city is making a commemorative work that involves any type of textile work then the NNA would like to include information about it in the National Archive. Further details of the recording process to follow.

In addition, the NNA keeps a library of textile related books, magazines, instruction leaflets, dress and knitting patterns, and items relating to other textile related crafts. Our study collection includes textile articles, machines and tools, haberdashery and laundry items. We also keep a dedicated collection of WI textiles. We keep books and articles from any decade.

The NNA promotes contemporary textile art, education, and exhibition; catalogues collections in corporate and private hands, records the work of individual and professional textile artists; assists with textile art re-housing should this become necessary, and records the stories of teachers and textile workers for posterity.

Please use the menu to the left for more information about our projects and news of events.