For the ambitious art installation moon landing Margo Selby chose British wool for the weft yarn along with fine silk threads which stitch the geometric shapes together. 

From the start of the project using British wool was an important part of the piece, not only for its inherent biodegradable and sustainable qualities but also for texture and colour that it brings to the cloth. Colour is central to Margo’s work, and as a fibre wool’s ability to take on full, vibrant colours provided the perfect palette for the graduations and intricate stripes which translated the music of moonlanding. Using a wool weft creates a soft, contrasting texture to the sharp sheen of the cotton in the warp. As it is woven in, the wool fibre compacts into the cloth, filling the space between warp yarns to create pure, solid blocks of colour. 

The wool was sourced from Shepley Yarns, a family owned business based in the heart of the Pennines. The high quality wool comes from sheep that roam freely on the fells and downs of the British Isles. By using wool in the artwork, Margo wanted to give a nod to the wool industry which forms a significant part of Britain's textile heritage. 

Materials that matter

Margo embraces many opportunities to weave and promote wool through both her art and commercially produced products.  

“I have always been interested in working with wool for its beautiful texture, strength and sustainable qualities. As a fibre wool takes on colour brilliantly providing me with the rich and vibrant palette which was so essential to the moonlanding artwork”. 

Margo Selby

“We're thrilled to witness Margo Selby, an acclaimed British designer, specifying British wool in her latest vibrant and mammoth installation! How fitting to have British wool displayed at such this iconic contemporary art fair held in such an historical location as Summerset House, mirroring Margo’s use of British wool in such a bold, contemporary form! Seeing British wool yarns on this scale not only highlights the durability and strength of British wool but its versatility and the incredible spectrum of colour achievable in British wool yarns.”

Haldi Kranich-Wood, British Wool