Threads Textile Festival: Sunny Bank Mills in Farsley back for fourth time

As a former worsted cloth mill, Sunny Bank Mills in Farsley is the perfect location for a festival all about textiles. Threads Textile Festival is in its fourth year and has something for everyone interested in everything textiles.

The woman behind Threads is Dr Sarah Gaunt, Threads Textile Festival Director.

"I have always been quite a keen textile person and had gone to the Knitting and Stitching Show in Harrogate for a number of years, I just I thought Sunny Bank Mills was the perfect venue to hold a textiles event of our own.”

Threads has grown since its first inception attracting people interested in textiles from across the country.

“We were very lucky to have Amber Butchart as one of our first speakers who’s a very well known textile historian and has appeared regularly on the Great British Sewing Bee. And since that first year it has just grown as people have got know about us.”

Described as a vibrant celebration of cloth, craft and creativity visitors to the historic mill buildings, can immerse themselves in a programme of exhibitions, talks, workshops and a bustling makers’ market.

"I like to think there is something for everyone at Threads no matter what their budget or their ability,” says Sarah.

At the heart of the Festival, the iconic 1912 Mill will host a lively market featuring 50 independent makers and textile businesses each day. From beautifully curated fabrics and haberdashery to yarns, kits, clothing and handcrafted homewares, it’s a chance to shop directly from artists and suppliers from across the UK and to meet the people behind the work including emerging makers giving them a platform to connect with new audiences.

Festival-goers are invited to take part in the popular Me-Made-May sewing competition, celebrating handmade fashion. Visitors can have their photo taken in their self-made outfits, with the public voting for their favourites. Winners will be announced the following week, with prizes including textile books from Batsford Books, a pattern voucher from The Fold Line, and a Sunny Bank Mills workshop voucher.

Art takes centre stage throughout the Mills, with four exhibitions offering diverse perspectives on contemporary textiles.

The acclaimed 62 Group of Textile Artists return with Touchlines: The Delicate Boundaries of Care and Cloth (May 1-31) on the 3rd floor of the 1912 Mill , exploring the emotional and physical edges of textile practice.

For the Love of Textiles (until 28 June) in the Sunny Bank Mills Art Gallery in Sandsgate explores the deeper emotional connections between textiles and making.

In the Spinning Mill Loft, Ellie Sanders presents Interchange, an interactive installation inviting visitors to handle handmade hagstones crafted from clay, yarn, beeswax and pigment, and even take one away. There’s also an exhibition of new work to discover from textile students at Bradford College on the 2nd floor of the 1912 Mill.

“Threads is a unique opportunity to experience the breadth and richness of contemporary textile practice in one extraordinary setting. From exhibitions and talks to workshops and our bustling market, there’s something for everyone whether you’re an experienced maker or simply curious to explore,” says Sarah.

“It’s always inspiring to see people connecting with textiles in different ways, learning new skills, meeting artists, and leaving with ideas for their own creative projects.”

As well as exhibition there is a dynamic talks programme which offers rare insight into the world of textile art and design.

"We are trying to innovate and get a younger audience in so we try to vary the exhibitions and the workshops as well as the speakers.”

Highlights this year include The Narrative Thread with Michele Carragher, whose intricate embroidery has featured in productions such as Game of Thrones, The Crown and Peaky Blinders, sharing her journey into film and television. “I am hoping she will bring in a slightly different audience.”

Quiltmaker Jessie Cutts will demystify her intuitive approach in Free-form Quiltmaking, while textile artist Hannah Lamb explores the balance of control and chance in her practice in A Quiet Unfolding.

Alongside the talks, a packed programme of hands-on workshops runs across the weekend, offering visitors the chance to learn new skills and create something of their own. From weaving onto found objects and trying a traditional dobby loom, to natural dyeing with plant-based colour, needle felting, embroidery and textile basketry, there’s something for every level of experience. Whether crafting scrappy fabric sculptures, stitched charms or embellished florals, participants can enjoy relaxed, small-group sessions led by expert makers with many workshops suitable for beginners and young people.

The Sunny Bank Mills Museum & Archive will also be open across the weekend, offering visitors the chance to explore the site’s rich textile heritage including the display of WOVEN’S Calico Dress.

In the neighbouring Bobbin Room, there’s even more to discover, with a special focus on the National Lottery-funded Dyevolution project, an inspiring three-year exploration of colour, cloth and collaboration.

With its mix of heritage, innovation and hands-on creativity, Threads Textile Festival promises a weekend to get lost in the textures, stories and possibilities of textiles.

Sunny Bank Mills is one of the most exciting and respected cultural and community hubs in the Yorkshire region.

It is home to an acclaimed contemporary Art Gallery, a large artists’ studio community, a textile Museum & Archive, and with many other creative independent businesses on site. It’s situated in the heart of the thriving village of Farsley in West Leeds.

Threads is at Sunny Banks Mills from 10am – 5pm Saturday May 16 and Sunday May 17. Textile Market £4 entry on the door (carers & under 12s free) – no prebooking required.

www.sunnybankmills.co.uk/arts/gallery/threads-textile-festival-2026