The Pom-pom Owls join Sheep at Armley Mills

All three animals in our pom-pom family can be seen together at Armley Mills, Leeds this summer.

They are in the Spinning Room, a magnificent area which shows the animals off in perfect surroundings:- amongst  bobbins, shuttles and spools of wool.

It is just so right that they should all go back to where the pom-pom project started back in 2012.

I am delighted they can be seen by lots of visitors to the museum and hopefully they will raise a smile from all ages.

They are on display until October so if you get chance to visit the museum this summer, you will see them.

Robin Hood welcomes the Armley Mill's Sheep

The sheep made by Sarah Barton at Armley Mills has arrived in school.  Miss Hinton has found a home for it in our new reading area.  She said that as the sheep was so colourful it just looked perfect here.

The sheep was made for an exhibition at Armley Mills to celebrate British wool in October 2012.

Every child in our school made a pom-pom from wool which has made up the body of either this sheep or the Robin Hood Primary School Sheep.  Mums, Grandmas, Grandads, sisters, Friendly Faces all helped and as we had so many, we could make two life-sized models. 

They are now both on display in school for you to see.

I hope you like them.  Can you recognise the pom-pom you made?

Introducing the Armley Mills Pom-Pom Sheep

Can I introduce the sheep made at Armley Mills by Sarah Barton and her team.  It is on display there alongside other pom-pom sheep to celebrate British Wool Week which starts on the 15th October. 

 

 

All the pom-poms have been made by Robin Hood Primary School pupils and it's community, and put together to make this life-sized sheep.

 

 

The other contributors to the exhibition are Hilltop Primary School, Halton District Brownies, Moortown Nursery, The Leeds South East Trefoil Guild, Batley Hall Nursing and Residential Home, Visitors to the Museum's 30th Birthday Party and members of the Museum's staff.

 

The idea for the exhibition was inspired by the "Join the Flock" project run by Eden Arts in Cumbria where they turned pom-poms into mini sheep.  At Armley Mills they decided to make life-sized sheep from pom-poms so the museum could have it's own flock.  As a life-sized sheep takes so, so many poms-poms it was decided to have sheep of varying sizes - which are all unique and very appealing.

 

 

The sheep will stay at Armley Mills until the end of October and then it will come to school so we can all see how fabulous it is. You could even try to recognise the pom-pom you made. 

 

Thankyou to Sarah Barton and her team for giving us a wonderful project to work with, Edward Hill and Co. Ltd of Bradford for donating such a lot of the wool for our sheep and all the Mums, Grandmas and helpers who made extra pom-poms....

 

I know the children have enjoyed making the pom - poms and now we have them on display in a Museum where people can see them and enjoy them too. 

 

 

 

Armley Mills Pom-pom Sheep Exhibition dates...

The Robin Hood Primary School Sheep made by Sarah Barton at Armley Mills has been completed.

 It is ready to go on display on Thursday 4th October.  It can be seen there until Wednesday 31st October.

 

It has been made from the pom-poms made by the pupils during a "whole of school" activity and then by the community after school, who made a lot more.

 

In total we made 300 multi-coloured pom-poms which I delivered to Armley Mills during the summer.

The sheep will be part of an exhibition to celebrate British wool and will be shown alongside other group's sheep of varying sizes.  We can't wait to see it.....

For details about Armley Mills please visit their website at www.leeds.gov.uk/armleymills

Pom-Poms delivered to Armley Mills

The pom-poms made by the Robin Hood Primary School community have been safely delivered to Armley Mills.  Three hundred pom-poms in different colours were taken to the mill where Sarah Barton is going to turn them into a sheep which will be displayed alongside other pom-pom sheep made by groups in Leeds in an exhibition to celebrate British wool. 

 

 

Whilst we were there we dropped into a workshop where we discovered some Victorian games and made a splendid peg doll.

 

 

 

We wandered through the old rooms looking at the original sewing machines and looms.  We dressed in Victorian clothes and read all about how life in the mill was when it was once the largest woollen mill in the world, exporting its goods to North and South America, Europe and the Far East.

 

 

 

 

We had a lovely afternoon and cannot wait to go back to see our Robin Hood Primary School Sheep in the exhibition!  You can visit Armley Mills website at www.leeds.gov.uk/armleymills. Watch this space for exhibition details.

The Robin Hood Primary School Sheep.

Were you wondering if the pom-poms were ever going to transform themselves into a sheep as I said they would?

Here is the photostory of how the sheep has been made.

If the weather is fine, the sheep will come to school tomorrow where she will be exhibited.

I do hope you like it. 

In case you are wondering, there are approximately 350 pom-poms.

We have approximately 300 pom-poms to give to Armley Mills to make the sheep for their exhibition to celebrate British wool.

Thankyou to everybody in the Robin Hood community who has made a pom-pom.

Pom Pom Sheep

Moving on from Pom -pom day on the 30th April I have been deliberating how I am going to make our Robin Hood sheep!

During last half term all the pom-poms that were started on the day and were unfinished have been completed!  The Year 5/6 computer club at lunchtimes co-existed as a pom-pom "doctor clinic" where rather poorly pom-poms were rebuilt by our enthusiastic pupils.  At our last count we had just over 500!!!

This has been helped along by the Grandmas and Mums who came to the Community afternoon and took wool away with them to make at home.  A HUGE thankyou to you all.  We would not have as nearly as many without your contributions.

I contacted Temple Newsam Farm to see if I could study their sheep. They were really supportive and let me take photos.

As our sheep is going to be displayed on the high display shelf in the Red Zone I have to ensure it has a solid base so it can stand sturdily.

Can I thank Ben and Anil at B&Q, Beeston for cutting my wood base as they were so enthusiastic about the whole project.  They said they are off to see the exhibition at Armley mills when it opens.

On to this base I have since attached a wire mesh which is the shell of the body.  Into this I am stuffing wire netting strips wound into spheres.  This is giving sturdy support with virtually no weight.

Once I have created the volume I will make the shape of the sheep.

Pom Pom Day - Monday 30th April

The day started with an assembly given by Sarah Barton, Educational Officer from Armley Mills / Leeds Industrial Museum.  She talked to the children about the Museum, where wool comes from  and it's manufacture.  She explained that the Industrial Museum wanted to show how important British wool is and that they are over the year going to fill their museum full of sheep.  These are not real sheep, but sheep made from pom poms!

We then went back to our classes where we all set out to make a pom - pom each. 

The whole school worked on this project at the same time from Nursery to Year 6.  We are fortunate at Robin Hood to have had enough wool for all pupils to take part.  This was kindly donated by the school community and Edward Hill & Co, a textile mill who produces yarns and wool, based in Bradford.

As it was a sunny afternoon, some enthusiastic Reception children took advantage of the warm sunshine and wound their pom-poms in the sun.





After school the hall doors were opened for our community afternoon where  children came with their families and carers to make even more pom - poms.  It was a lovely afternoon!

Refreshments were served as it's very thirsty work and the Rothwell Record came down to see what was going on.

Many people took wool away to make even more pom-poms at home and I've already started having them back in.  Thankyou Amber and Jacob.



Friendly Faces were winding pom - poms out in the late afternoon sun. 

It was a truly great day.  We finished up with 237 completed pom - poms and if you add to that at least another 100 at least that need to be finished, I think you will agree we will have probably made the most pom - poms out of all the groups taking part in the exhibition. 

Watch this space for news on the making of the sheep!

Pom Pom Day - Monday 30th April

On Monday 30th April (this coming Monday), there will be a community afternoon for which the school hall will be open to all children, parents / carers and grandparents, uncles and aunties to help make as many pom-poms as we can.

The event will be led by Sarah Barton, Educational Officer for the Leeds Industrial Museum, who will be helping us create enough pom-poms to make our very own life-sized sheep!  The Robin Hood Primary School sheep will be part of an exhibition celebrating British wool and will feature in the Museum over the coming year. 

Sarah will be holding an Assembly first thing in the morning for children.  We will be making our first pom-pom during the day.  Please help us to make the most pom-poms... and to make the biggest pom-pom sheep we can. 

The school doors will open at 3pm so please do try to come along with your child after you have collected them at their normal finishing time.  Refreshments are available.

As you can see we have had some busy, busy people already making pom-poms!  Can I say a huge thankyou to Harry's Grandma (Harry in Year 1) who has been so generous in her donation of wool and pom-poms she has made.  Also thankyou to Eleni, Amber, Harry, Lyla, Jack B, Jack and Ross who have been busy making too.  If I have not mentioned you and you have given me a pom-pom, then please come and tell me!

Thankyou to all of you who have donated wool for this event and to Edward Hill & Co, textile manufacturers and yarn suppliers at Hollings Mill, Bradford who have been incredibly generous in their donation of wool to this event.  I look forward to sending them photos of the day and of the completed Robin Hood Primary School Sheep.

We look forward to seeing you on Monday.....

Our first Pom Pom has arrived!

Thankyou so much Harry in Year 1 for bringing in the very first pom pom!

I know this will be the first of many made, but Harry made this out of school with his grandma and I hope they enjoyed making it.

If anybody would like to start making at home, they need to be 6cm in diameter

(which Harry's is).

If you need some wool, I can provide you with a pom pom ready to go.

This wool has come from the generous donations made by people within our school community. If I have not personally thanked you, then can I take this opportunity to say a huge thankyou!

Mrs. Chin

Community Afternoon on Monday 30th April from 3pm onwards

On Monday 30th April we will be hosting a community afternoon where

the school hall will be open to all children, parents/carers and grandparents,
uncles and aunties to help make as many pom poms as we can!

The event will happen straight after school where Sarah Barton, Educational

Officer for the Leeds Industrial Museum, will be helping staff and children

create enough pom poms to make our very own life-sized sheep!

The Robin Hood Primary School sheep will be part of an exhibition

celebrating British wool to feature in the Museum over the coming year.

So if you have any wool to donate, (see the box in the picture - it is in the mall) or buns we may sell, or can just turn up to take part it will help make this a really fun community event.

Life - sized sheep made from pom poms

We are asking if you have any wool you can donate to an exciting community project?

Here at Robin Hood Primary School we have the chance to take part in a project with the Leeds Industrial Museum. The Museum is wanting to celebrate a year of British wool and propose to fill their museum with all different sized sheep.

They are asking schools, youth clubs, groups to get involved and make as many pom poms as they can so they can turn them into sheep and display them all over their museum.

The more pom poms we make, then the bigger our sheep, as each group / school will have their sheep tailor made to them.

We of course at Robin Hood would love to make a life - sized sheep, so the whole school is getting involved and will have the chance to make a pom pom to contribute to the exhibition.

So please, if you have any wool that you can donate to this fantastic project, send it into school. There will be a box in the mall in which you can put it.

Thank you

Mrs. Chin