The Collection blog

Spare Rib jumper in the main library

Knitting the Woman’s Woolly: Part 2 – P1R1 (Progress 1, Regress 1)

Details of how the Spare Rib jumper was made and exploring where it pushes boundaries and where it conforms.

Spare Rib jumper in the main library

Knitting the Woman’s Woolly: Part 1 – Purls of Feminist History

Feminist magazine Spare Rib published a pattern for a handknitted jumper in 1982. As volunteer Becky knitted one up for our collection, the more there was to learn about the jumper and its position in the history of knitting and feminism.

Rabiya Choudhry's artwork affixed to the side of the library building

Rabiya Choudhry artwork donated to Glasgow Women’s Library

We are delighted to announce Rabiya Choudhry’s illuminated artwork ‘Give light and people will find the way (Ella Baker)’, commissioned by The Common Guild for ‘anywhere in the universe’ has been gifted to Glasgow Women’s Library by the artist and will remain in place here at the library as a permanent installation. 

Black and white photo of an Evening News van, with 'Lesbians Fight' spraypainted over its side

Reassembling the Network After the Internet? Sappho Magazine (1974-1981) and Reproductive Technologies

Rebecca Close is a doctoral researcher at Aalto University doing a dissertation in artistic research as ‘reproductive work’. Rebecca conducted research on the Sappho Archive held at GWL in 2022 and wrote this piece on Sappho, queer networks and assisted reproduction.

Cover of Your Jackie Guide To Slimming, featuring a teenage girl being carried in the arms of a mustachioed young man

Clearing out: What a weight to go!

Longtime GWL supporter and donor Shirley Henderson gives us food for thought in this blog post about a recent donation to our museum collections… My mum went to Glasgow’s ‘Dough […]

1970s fashion spread from Jackie Summer Special titled "Double-Take Cover Ups!"

Memories of a Girl Unfolding

As GWL embarks on our 30th anniversary celebrations, we’re delighted to share another blog post written by longtime supporter and donor Shirley Henderson. This time, Shirley unfolds a ten-year journey […]

Class notebook with typed verse beside a small paperback play titled The Cricket Match, New Era Academy certificates with gilt borders and a book titled The Elocutionists

Clearing out: The Cricket Match

We’re delighted to share another blog post by GWL donor Shirley Henderson. Here, she voices the memories of elocution lessons sparked by treasures unearthed during a clear out.

Monochrome photograph of a woman wearing the Spare Rib 'woman's woolly' knitted jumper, squatting beside a wall sprayed with the words 'If I gave her the wool would she make me one too?'

Spare Ribbing: Unpicking the Woman’s Woolly

This Women’s History Month we’re delighted to share a blog post written by longtime GWL supporter and donor Shirley Henderson, reflecting on knitting and feminism Start at the back Going […]

Art in the Time of Coronavirus

Over two months in to the COVID-19 lockdown, one of the joys nestling amongst the fear and sorrow has been the discovery of global art collections made accessible through the […]

Placement, Interrupted: Digitisation to Lockdown

Paige Plannette shares her experience of her Museum Studies student placement at GWL Hello everyone! I had the opportunity to do a work placement at Glasgow Women’s Library through the […]