Sewing – Embroidery – Me?

Not really – but – last weekend I visited “Textiles East” which claims to be “a dynamic active platform for textile artists to exhibit and for retailers to showcase their beautiful products.” After last Saturday, I wouldn’t dispute that.

When I was five my mum had me threading bits of wool through a bobbin in order to create a pom-pom. That was fun but somehow the skill evaded me and I never really progressed to anything more complicated – such a shame.

But just look at some of these creations. I know some of my fellow photographers will tut and moan about me photographing other people’s art but some of the displays were so vibrant and attractive that a photographer with a camera or even a mobile phone couldn’t just walk past the creative artistry that was going on in fabrics and threads.

The other nice thing about my visit was the way in which I was tolerated and possibly even appreciated as a photographer rather than a male seamstress, weaver, sewer, knitter or whatever else I could have been. The ladies and the gents took time to explain how they managed and created some of the gorgeous fabrics that were on display.

For the critical and the sharp eyed among my readers, you may notice an element of horseracing on some of the pictures this week. That’s because the event was being held at the racecourse at Newmarket. A great location with plenty of space for the stallholders and an abundance of car parking slots.

A good day out – appreciated by my wife and lots of stimulation for an inventive if not very imaginative photographer – if only I could produce patterns like some of those with the camera!

Have a good weekend.