As the Chinese year of the Snake slithers out of our lives, we welcome the year of the Horse, symbolizing freedom, strength, energy and vitality. This year is extra special because it’s a Fire Horse Year, created by the pairing of the Horse with the element of Fire and it’s the first time this has happened since 1966, so Happy Chinese New Year to you all.
When we were faced with a distribution issue for February, I thought I would enjoy the break but in actual fact I missed settling down to gather thoughts and ideas for a newsletter and to research creative offerings for the month to come, so it’s good to be back with you once again. However, the break did provide the opportunity to be a total couch potato, absolutely rivetted to the whole Winter Olympic coverage. The snowy landscapes were breathtaking but, oh my goodness, the bravery of the Young Olympians soaring through the air and racing down the icy slopes, the nerve-wracking skill of the skeleton racers and speed skaters and the grace of the ice dancers plus the nail-biting excitement of the Curling events.
It has certainly dispelled the grey and gloom of a very wet and dismal February. There have been no opportunities to get out into the garden, which is totally waterlogged but what a pleasure to see the snowdrops putting on a brave face and the cheerful nodding heads of the hellebores and primroses. The glorious splash of sunshine provided by the yellow Witch Hazel is over now but the fat buds of the white camellias are ready to burst open and the fragrance of the Daphne and the Winter Box certainly lift the spirits on a grey day. Actually, as I write this the sunshine is pouring through the window and my cat has found a sunny patch on the carpet to stretch out and enjoy the warmth. Spring has to be around the corner.
One of our Living Threads members is also looking forward to springtime, so let me introduce Kate Follows who has written the following piece for our newsletter :
I am writing this counting down to spring when I can stitch in bright daylight and not wonder if my colour choice is right. I work as an illustrator for product placement…greetings cards, fabrics etc with very loose briefs but always with other clients in mind for turnover. I have a degree in Fashion and worked as a clothing designer.
I love the range and versatility of textiles and use ready dyed fabrics which I piece mainly by hand, with hand stitched embellishment.
Some of my designs are a bit quirky and I tend to use similar imagery in my designs and it’s amazing how many permutations are possible.
I have a special liking for palm trees and exotic settings. Maybe because it always creates a feeling of warmth and is possibly why I love Moroccan design.
I use the same acrylic paints on fabric as on paper and overstitch by hand, using mostly a single thread. Sometimes I pop a few tiny beads on.
I have been very lucky to make a living doing something I enjoy.
Kate 🌷
PS…..32 days to spring.
Thank you, Kate, for sharing this with us, some of you will have met Kate on of our workshops where she is always happy to share her enthusiasm and creativity. Kate was also a major contributor to the Guru Nanak project described last year. Not only is she an amazing textile artist but she is an absolute dab hand at DIY projects, including levelling out her back garden, digging in tons of sharp sand and then laying a lawn!
Quick note – ten minutes ago the sun was shining and now the rain is battering down the window pane! Those 32 days can’t pass soon enough.
Things to do and see in the coming months, never mind the weather!
Strait Laced and Stitched Up by the Second Turning Textile Group at the Symington Gallery, Market Harborough.
This exciting collaboration connects historic items from the Leicestershire Museum collection with the contemporary artworks they have inspired. Housed in the actual building where the original corsets were manufactured, The Symington building offers not only the opportunity to visit this exhibition but also has a coffee bar and museum galleries.
Well worth a visit and it’s free (well, not the coffee and cake!). Ample parking nearby.
Adam and Eve Street, Market Harborough LE16 7LT
Open now until 30th May, Tuesday to Friday 10am -6pm, Saturday 10am-4pm
‘Growth’ by Design Nation at the Sock Gallery, Loughborough
This is a collaborative project by Design Nation Notts, a collective of designer /makers who, for over a year, have each explored what Growth has meant, through a new body of work, culminating in exhibitions at the Sock Gallery, Loughborough, followed by The Arts Centre in Stamford. The dates for your diary are:
Loughborough March 5th – April 18th and Stamford May 11th -May 23rd 2026
Please check opening hours with the venues.
Town Hall, Market Place, Loughborough LE11 3EB www.loughboroughtownhall.co.uk
Stamford Arts Centre ,27 St Marys St. PE9 2DL www.stamfordartscentre.com
Creative Craft Show, including The Fashion and Embroidery Show and Sewing for Pleasure is at the NEC from March 12th to 15th. Tickets and details from www. creativecraftshow.co.uk/birmingham-march-2026
Further afield
Now open Zandra Rhodes – ‘A life in Print’ at the Holbourne Museum, Bath, showcasing a spectacular array of Dame Zandra Rhodes vibrant screen-printed garments from the 60’s, 70’s and 8o’s displayed on vintage mannequins. Closes 10th May 2026.
Vivienne Westwood: Rebel- Storyteller -Visionary, at The Bowes Museum, Barnard Castle, County Durham
26th March to 6th September 2026, a multi-gallery exhibition honouring one of fashion’s most provocative British designers, the show charts Westwood’s extraordinary journey from the rebellious energy of punk to her reinvention of historical dress and couture in the 80s and 90s. The Bowes Museum, built in the style of a French chateau is set within landscaped parkland, and houses world class collections. www.thebowesmusem.co.uk
Advance notice – tickets for The Bayeux Tapestry at the British Museum, will go on sale on July 1st with further ticket release in September and January. Visitors are advised to sign up to the British Museum newsletter to receive ticket updates.
I started this on a grey damp day and I’m finishing it on another grey damp day – but it’s warmer, so spring must be just around the corner. Whatever the weather, whatever you do, stay creative, stay stitching!
Maggie
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