I had already got plans in mind for the main feature of this April newsletter – I was going to focus on reporting on a much-anticipated visit to Bath for the Zandra Rhodes exhibition, A life in Colour. Tickets were booked and date in the diary – then life threw me a curveball and instead of Bath, I found myself admitted to the Leicester Royal Infirmary. Fortunately, it was only a short stay and I’m now back home and recovering well.
So, in a complete re-think I am going to focus on Repair and Renewal and, inspired by work one of my granddaughters is currently engaged in, I am going to focus in on Textile Conservation, and in particular, the work of one particular Textile Conservation Studio – Zenzie Tinker, based in Brighton.
The professional team at the Zenzie Tinker Conservation Studio investigate, preserve and beautifully present modern, historic and contemporary textiles, tapestries and costumes and all things fibre, to the very highest standards. This is the hidden story behind many of the beautiful heirloom textiles we see in collections, museums and exhibitions up and down the country. Over time these beautiful artifacts show wear and tear, or may be damaged by light, insects, dust, water or simply become more fragile with age and need to be conserved.
I became aware, and subsequently fascinated by this work, when my granddaughter joined the team at Zenzie Tinker on a student placement from Lincoln University where she is studying for a BA in Conservation. During her placement she has cleaned, minimally repaired and lined a beautiful Miriam Sacks tapestry, conserved and prepared a ceremonial garter for mounting on a fabric covered board, made a mount for a Christian Dior hat and worked on site at the Royal Courts of Justice, vacuum cleaning exhibits in their display cases. Currently she is conserving a beautiful Welsh baby quilt which needs some patches replacing.
Following on with this theme of repair and renewal, the next exhibition by The Second Turning Textile Group highlights the creative potential of re-use, repair and recycling. Trash to Treasure celebrates the beauty and possibilities inherent in materials that might otherwise be discarded. Materials used range from cleaning cloths used in print making, sweet wrappers, fabric scraps and old jeans. Quite literally stuff rescued from the bin is transformed, revealing the creative possibilities when limitations become opportunities.
Trash to Treasure – May 8th to May 28th, Framework Knitters Museum,
Chapel Street, Ruddington NG11 6HE.
It is advisable to phone ahead of your visit 0115 9846914 as the Gallery area is also used, at times, by local community groups, there is an excellent café on site.
Continuing on the re-cycling theme, Gedling Play Forum is having a one-day Spring Sale on Saturday, April 11th, 10am – 3pm. All welcome. Gedling Play Forum is a scrap-store, craft outlet that promotes recycling items donated by local businesses and individuals, which would otherwise be sent to landfill. There is a well stocked fabric room, plus yarns, threads, other haberdashery as well as many craft resources.
Gedling Play Forum, Wollaton Avenue, Gedling NG4 4HX www.gedlingplayforum.org
The Second Turning group also have Strait-laced and Stitched up at the Symington Gallery, Market Harborough.
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 is at the Sock Gallery, Loughborough. Having visited, I can thoroughly recommend this collaborative project by Design Nation Notts, a collective of designer /makers who, for over a year, have each explored what Growth has meant.
It is currently at the Sock Gallery, Loughborough, followed by The Arts Centre in Stamford.
The dates for your diary are – Loughborough until 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
When I was visiting the Symington Museum in Market Harborough, I bumped into Tessa Thompson of Visualise, who are based in Welford in Northamptonshire and Tessa has sent me details of their next exhibition, Visualise – an Exhibition of Contemporary Stitched Art Textiles, at Sulgrave Manor Nr Banbury.
May 3rd to 5th July, Manor Rd Sulgrave , BanburyOX 17 2SD Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, 10.30am – 4pm.
Artworks, accessories, gifts and cards to inspire and buy.
Jo Beattie has a solo exhibition, Memories in Time and Place, an exhibition exploring cherished memories that shape our sense of self, the works on display are intimate moments where pattern and imagery evoke personal and collective pasts.
At the Broad Works Gallery, 56b Old Broad Street, London EC2M 1RX, from April 7th until April 15th. The gallery is a two-minute walk from Liverpool Street Station.
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.
And Last, but by no means Least –
Folded Frayed Found
The Living Threads Textile Group 2026 exhibition will open at The Nottingham Society of Artists Gallery, opening on Tuesday May 26th until Saturday June 6th.
The Theme of this exhibition reflects some of the myriad approaches used by textile artists in their work – think fabric manipulation, tucking, pleating and gathering, think shibori, patchwork and applique, think fabric distressing and the use of found objects, from nature from charity shops or just from a rummage through that familiar friend – the Stash. In the hands of a textile artist there are no bounds, the only limitation is imagination.
Everyday objects are transformed, re-imagined, re-loved and emerge as covetable and desirable works of Art
Remember, creative people don’t have a mess, they just have ideas lying around everywhere!
On that positive note I am going to my room full of ideas to do some stitching! Have good month everyone and don’t forget to get in touch to share your news, event or exhibitions
Happy Stitching,
Maggie