It’s the merry month of May and the Morris Dancers were up at the crack of dawn to celebrate May Day. Many years ago, when I was working at a school in Leicestershire, one of the staff members was a very keen Morris Dancer. By some miraculous means he persuaded all the male staff members to learn a couple of dances and to join him in celebrating May Day. The rehearsals were a joy to behold, as some were new to any sort of dancing and had very little sense of rhythm or musicality but, credit to all of them, they were up on Borough Hill at dawn, complete with bells around their ankles, taking part in this very English tradition. On their return, ready to start a day in the classroom, we rewarded them with bacon sandwiches and, whenever May Day dawns this little happening brings a very happy smile to my face. Aside from that, I really love this time of year and feel there is so much to celebrate: – the gardens are bursting with colour, the trees and hedgerows are such a fresh and vibrant green, and everything is gearing up for summer.
Of course, all this means that there is so much to do and so much to keep us busy. That is very much the case in the world of creative and artistic pursuits as so many groups are putting on exhibitions or opening their studios to share their creativity, so here is a roundup of what there is to do and see in the weeks ahead –
Open now until 4 October 2026 – ‘Field to Fashion’ at the Museum of Making, the Silk Mill, Derby, exploring the journey of raw British fleece into fibre, including the history of local knitwear company, John Smedley and ground breaking work by students at de Monfort University, Leicester. More details and opening times – www.derbymuseums.org
Still running at the Harborough Museum, Market Harborough ‘Strait laced and Stitched Up’ by the Second Turning Textile Group, celebrating the corset making tradition of the Symington company, in collaboration with Leicestershire museums. Until May 30th
Also, at the Harborough Museum, ‘The Natural World’ an exhibition of work by Drawn2stitch, inspired by David Attenborough’s wildlife programmes, to celebrate his 100th birthday this month. From April 28th to July 11th.
Https://www.harboroughmuseum.org.uk
‘Trash to Treasure’ by the Second Turning Textile Group at the Framework Knitters Museum, Ruddington shines a spotlight on re-use, repair and recycling – May 8th to May 28th.
https://frameworkknittersmuseum.org.uk/
Please phone ahead to check opening times as the gallery area is also used by local groups.
Canalside at Beeston is another local heritage museum and Living Threads Textile Group currently has a Pop-up exhibition – ‘In the Wild’, in the Weir Room, open now until the end of May.
East Midlands Contemporary Textiles present ‘Storytelling’ from Tuesday May 5th to Sunday 10th May at the Nottingham Society for Artists Gallery, 71-73 Friar, Lane Nottingham, NG1 6 DH.
Free admission daily from 10am to 4pm.
May is Notts Open Studios time when 80 talented artists and makers open their studios and work spaces across the city and county to show their work and meet and greet you. There are numerous dates throughout the month and you can check these out on www.osnotts.co.uk
Living Threads Textile Group are participating in NottsOpen Studios at the Beeston Canalside Heritage Centre and the following members will be there to share their work on the following dates – Saturday and Sunday May 9th and 10th – Denise Coupland, Hazel Green, Sarah Cooke and Karen Attwood.
On Saturday May 16th and Sunday 17th come and meet Jane Marrows, Janet Humphrey and Chrissie Weeds. They will be joined by Sally Marsh on Saturday and Karen Attwood on Sunday.
.. After a brief respite The Living Threads Textile Group will hold their main 2026 exhibition ‘Folded Frayed Found’
at the Nottingham Society for Artists Gallery, 71-73 Friar Lane, Nottingham, NG1 6DH with free admission daily from 10.30 am to 4pm.
On Sunday May 31th we will be hosting a Meet the Artists Afternoon from 1.30pm to 3.30 pm. Do come along, we’d love to welcome you!
Wow! As I said earlier, there is So Much Going On, and I already have notices about exhibitions to promote in the June newsletter, so Watch this Space!! Whatever you choose to do this month, I hope you manage to find time to celebrate the amazing creativity we have in our communities and also to enjoy and embrace your own creative pursuits. Remember – A creative life is an amplified life. It’s a bigger life, a happier life, an expanded life. (Elizabeth Gilbert)
Someone who lived her life in that amplified, bigger and happier way was one of the founder members of the Living Threads Textile Group – Pauline Barke. Many people reading this will have known Pauline and their creative lives will have been shaped and influenced by Pauline’s teaching and her creative knowledge and energy. Pauline passed away at the end of March and her funeral will be held at 1 pm on May 14th at Bramcote Crematorium, NG9 3GL. Pauline will be sadly missed but her influence and legacy will live on.
Carry on stitching, Maggie