Sally Hampson

Weaver Sally Hampson is passionate about pure British wool and sheep breeds such as Shetland, Welsh Black Mountain and Jacob and has spent time with shepherds in the Cheviot Hills on the Scottish border:

This wild and rugged landscape is an important part of what inspires her weaving and this is evident in her blankets, wraps and scarves – Sally is always close to the colours and textures of natural materials and the simplest way of combining them together: 

The Connemara Banket or the Family Blanket as Sally calls it, was a wool blanket her parents brought over from Ireland when they came to settle in London. The blanket became a very special object, almost like another family member and it was well used for picnics and holidays.

Being the weaver in the family, Sally inherited this precious heirloom from her parents. She decided to replicate it, counting the threads of the faded check and softening the colours slightly to reflect the surrounding landscape along the Connemara shore line, with pools of water and light against the peaty, heathery earth:

These simple aesthetics continue to influence Sally’s artistic career, from working in the theatre on costumes and sets, to travelling to Egypt, Ethiopia and Kenya, to work with artisan weavers, potters and basket makers.

Sally Hampson will be back at Homeworks on both Sunday 3 & 10 December.

Meet the Maker - Sally Hampson

Sally Hampson is joining us at Homeworks for the first time this Christmas. She recently told us a bit about her design life and what inspires her:

My name is Sally Hampson, I’m a weaver and produce blankets, shawls and scarves. I mostly use 100% Pure British wool, from Shetland, the Welsh Black Mountains and from Jacob fleece. I am based in London where I have my studio, but I am also currently running workshops in Stroud where I have set up The Weaving Shed Project.

I studied at the Royal College of Art and graduated with an M.A in Constructed Textiles. Shortly after, I moved to Paris and set up a design studio working closely with the stylist bureaus - this was a real apprenticeship into design. I came back to London and set up my studio and began designing and making woven rugs, collaborating with interior designers and architects.Through my knowledge and experience in textiles I have been invited to Egypt, Ethiopia and Kenya to work on projects along side and support other makers, ceramicists, weavers, basket makers and embroiderers. This in turn has been an inspiration for my own practice as a maker and also as a tutor.

My earliest memories were always of the feel, texture and colour of fabrics. It just seemed inevitable that I would become a weaver. I grew up with a travel rug that my parents bought over from Ireland, when they first came to London. It was a very special possession in our family and has inspired me to produce limited edition woven blankets to be treasured and kept forever.

Sally will be at Homeworks on 4 & 11 December.