Archives

An archive is 'a repository of public records and monuments generally: public records'
ed. Macdonald, A M. (1978) Chambers Twentieth Century Dictionary. Edinburgh: T & A Constable Ltd.

There are many different types of archive and what could be described as one:

• Libraries 
• Google
• Museum Collections
• Film archives

I had the opportunity to visit the Knit and Crochet archive in Holmfirth.
This was a collection of knitted and crocheted pieces which they had collected. This is from both people's private collections and from auctions.

This is a jumper from the collection which I like for the mixture of colours which have been used as well as the hexagonal tessellating shapes. It is something which I feel that I could be inspired by, for future projects or work. 

The archive, although not what I was expecting, was interesting to see. It allowed me to see first hand what an archive is. They are still in the process of cataloguing all of the pieces so there were still pieces which needed to be filed. The room consisted of shelves with boxes on containing the pieces. It is basically a collection of pieces of old knit and crochet as well as patterns and books.

I could say that I have an archive of work. I have kept all of my textiles work from the different stages of my education and this has left me what I could call an archive.

Archives come in different forms and do not all stick to the exact wording of the definition but I still feel that they meet the criteria of what one is.