Fox On They Sley has created The Tools which are a response to Sunny Banks Mills Museum and Archive and a Warp Twister who worked in the mill from the 1960s. A Warp Twister mends and threads up the warp on the loom, tying knots, twisting yarn together. Fox found through Oral History and the Warper's donated tools that the mill workers, had to make or pass down tools to each other, as they were not given tools by the mill. So based on the Warper's threading hooks, apron, and other tools he combined found objects, threads, metal and wood. Found objects and parts were taken from bobbins and weaving objects from the weaver who Fox bought his loom from, so it carries her heritage from weaving silk scarves to sell in Asia. The bright colours represent Fox's own knowledge and understanding of woven textiles noting that there is a loss in skill due to teaching changing since the 1960s. Tools are important to Fox, they are more than just a object for working. Tools are collective, they tell a story of who once used to the tool, a collective memory and narrative of workers.




