The year has been a difficult one on a personal level.  Much of the time was taken up  with looking after our 90 year old mother, who defied medical facts right up until just before Christmas when she finally submitted to the inevitable.  Thanks to Winchester Hospice who looked after her in her final two days with such care. 

There wasn't much time for textiles, sadly or indeed the famous alotment, which came to resemble a shanty town in a desert region of the Southern Hemisphere during the hot summer.  There was work but most of this year's tasks were on-line not in person.  

I enjoyed the African Fashion exhibition very much at the V&A, where the exhibits are still buzzing around my head now.  That's quite an achievement when my knowledge before my visit was precisely Zero.  The fact that the exhibts are still in my head is a sign that the show was excellent. 

I liked learning more about Althea McNish through various exhibitions and hope to visit the Manchester exhibition in April.

I'm still working on the publications of the Textile Society.  The Society kept me in touch with textiles over lock down, covid and last year, so I recommend joining asap.  We continue to fund bursaries and awards for textile-related students, researchers and museums.  It is an excellent cause when funding is so tight.  https://www.textilesociety.org.uk/awards.

Come to the Manchester Textile Society fair at the Armitage centre on Sunday, 23rd April followed by the Conference and a series of actual in-person events.  

I look forward to seeing you again in 2023.   Happy New Year!