Last autumn, before everything went pear-shape, we answered a telephone call from a lady in southern Ayrshire, who explained they have lived since 1970, but were now leaving: she had a room filled with everything that they didn’t feel able to take with them. It included lace, textiles, China, churns, and a whole range of books, photograph albums etc: just an astonishing array of stuff!
At one point, I opened one of the many cardboard boxes, and in it was what looked like a piece of Paisley pattern – before I could say anything, the lady said ‘oh, I’ve never seen that before, what it is it?‘ and then ‘just have that’! We bundled it in the car, and it was only later, when we were cataloguing the contents, that we realised that this was something slightly bizarre, but nevertheless an astonishingly beautiful silk Paisley!
And today I asked our volunteers to give it a steam so that it could be displayed. It is wonderful! So my thanks to this generous donor. It can now been seen as part of the ‘Silks & Shawls exhibition’.
