Lydiard tasters

In the next two or three weeks, I'll post a few small tasters ahead of our exhibition at Lydiard House, Swindon, opening on 3 April - and this is the first.

Great Western Embroiderers, are a group of between 20 and 30 stitchers of very varying interests but we always make something to which everyone contributes. This time, it was to be two concertina books A5 size containing a small piece of work from each of us, 7 inches by 5 inches in size, and accompanied by a short statement about ourselves and our work. The pieces are therefore intended to represent us, to summarise what we think is important in our work and what we most enjoy doing.

Such activities are always very revealing and, in our case, give rise to the complete cross-section of embroidery and stitch and often include weaving, beading and lace-making.

First here is my effort, a small piece of weaving executed with minimal planning in an afternoon because I always seem to leave such things till the very last minute. In fact, it's yet to be finished and sewn into its place in one of the concertina books - my job for this evening. Sometimes it can be good to work on impulse ...?

And then there is a view of one of the finished books, now carefully stored in my dining room ready for the hanging at the end of March.

This has been a very gratifying collaboration - a lovely day was spent with my friend, Ruth, designing and thinking through the making of the concertina books, then there was the interest of seeing how everyone recorded their purpose in their work, and today there was the pleasure as the pieces were stitched in to the books and everything fell into place.

Today was also hand-in day for our work and it was fascinating to see the pieces I'd thus far only seen described on the entry forms as I typed up the lists of work. As always there were some lovely surprises ... more of these gems another time ...