Trip to Stoke-on-Trent Potteries II

The next stop was Emma Bridgewater's factory tour; similar processes as in Wedgwood's factory tour, but we got to see a few more details as we literally walked through their factory from start to finish (except the mould-makers' in a different building) the atmosphere in the factory was great, with many families/relatives working there, staying up to a few decades.

Again, I can't put up too many photos (I didn't take any in the hand-decoration & lithograph department because they were patterning for next season!) but it would be much more mesmerizing if you saw it in person! : )

Trip to Stoke-on-Trent Potteries I

2 days ago, I went on my first solo (scary) trip to Stoke-on-Trent to visit the pottery factors. Thanks to overpriced train tickets in England, I couldn't get to Wedgwood Visitor Centre in Barlaston until 1pm, I managed to look through a small section of their Museum before the factory tour (both sadly doesn't allow photos), I went on to the Master Experience part when they do demos of a few processes (as seen in the tour but on a more close-up level). 

The whole experience there was amazing and such an eye-opener to what actually happens in the industry, and the history of Wedgwood was another amazing thing to learn about. (Now officially in love with their blue and black Jasper). It's definitely worth a visit, but make sure you have the whole day there to fully take in everything (I have to get kicked out)

To not spoil things for future visitors, I'll only upload a few photos : )

WCFM Tour in Manchester - Burgess Beds

Just came back from a very exciting trip to Manchester visiting industrial factories in furniture making.
On the second day we went to visit Burgess Beds - handmade mattresses and beds manufacturer, we learnt a lot of things about mattresses that we never even thought of before, although we sleep on one for almost half our lives.

A sample of all the fillings inside a mattress - something we always see but never pay much attention to.

I was fascinated by this machine made specially to stitch the seam on mattresses. It was attached the a table with a track for the machine to go around the perimeter of the mattress laid onto the table.

The 'pom poms' used to string through all the layers within the mattress, to keep all the fillings inside in place.

Another special machine made just for the making of mattresses - to compress it to put the pom poms through.

Pocket strings - comes in a row(?!) so it springs open uncontrollably when you open it so be careful.

All the organic materials that goes into the mattress for different levels of firmness. (Never knew what actually goes into the mattress, always thought it would just be some sort of foam.)

And ending it with a very nice illustration in their showroom.