Lee Mills/Collection/Library:
Volunteers needed 2009-10

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Lee Mills will be closed from mid October 2009 till April 2010 to allow time (and space) for essential work on the Knitting & Crochet Guild Collection and Library.

The Collection-related jobs include:

(These are not in any particular order, though the 2009 displays do need to be taken down before anything else can be done, to make space to work over the winter; and you would have a choice of what to do)

• taking down and returning to their ‘home’ boxes all the times on display; at the same time, check their condition: do they need any repairs? Do they need to be cleaned?;
• checking each Collection box that is opened to make sure the items stored in it have not suffered any deterioration; replacing acid-free tissue where necessary; (great fun as it allows close contact with the Collection);
• cataloguing the bedspreads on display and items acquired during 2009; [professional training can be given to anyone making a regular commitment];
• finishing sorting the collection of knitting needles; cataloguing them;
• assessing the collection of knitting machines; are there any duplicates? Are there any that are too damaged to ever work? Can you match boxes of accessories to their machine? – some knowledge of knitting machines needed;

Library-related jobs include:

• sorting “unsorted” boxes of library items, ie separate periodicals from pattern booklets from pattern leaflets; sort into crochet, hand knitting, machine knitting; sort leaflets according to spinners; put periodicals into date order; (come with a friend and reminisce over the old patterns);
• listing periodicals and pattern leaflets (on an Excel spread sheet);
• sorting the Guild archive of magazine and newspaper cuttings into ‘themes’ and listing them;
• sorting the collection of Stitchcraft magazines and part works like Golden Hands and listing them;
• checking the stock of autographed books and foreign language books;
• allocating ‘keywords’ to library books; we have decided not to use a classification system like Dewey, but to rely on up to 5 keywords per book keywords to enable us to search the books for whatever people are looking for.

Lee Mills-related jobs include:

• making a “map” of which boxes are where (this means updating the map of Collection boxes and starting one for Library boxes); numbering boxes and shelves;

When does all this happen?

Most Saturdays (perhaps not during December!); Liz can be available during the week provided we have 7 – 10 days notice, on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays. She could collect you from a rail or bus station in Leeds, Wakefield or Huddersfield.

What do you need?

• Adaptability – to do whatever needs doing; a sense of humour, warm clothes (especially shoes and socks), a willingness to get your hands dirty (sometimes)
• You don’t need to know how to use a compute
• Hot drinks and biscuits available all day
• Bring your own lunch

During the 2010 “Open Season” we need more help, too

• We’d like to have a “hands on” area where visitors can try things like
  • Extreme knitting and crochet
  • French knitting
  • using a Shetland knitting belt
  • trying square needles
  • using knitting looms
  • drop spindle spinning
  • learning to knit and/or crochet
    We can only do this if we have volunteers willing to stay in that area to encourage visitors
• We need more knitting and crochet tutors. Would you be willing to take a 90 minute workshop? Your choice of subject.
• Would you be willing to welcome visitors? And/or to talk to them about the displays (guidance will be given)?

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Would you like to help?

Contact Liz Gillett:
0113 266 4651 (Office hours)
email