more time with friends, unimpeded by previous demands and responsibilities. Above all it is seen as a time for reevaluation, a time to take stock and reimagine how to spend the future years. I wanted to find out what other women thought, so devised a short questionnaire, which I distributed on social media. I was stunned by how many responses I got, over 150 in a couple of weeks. These responses will form the basis for a series of textile pieces for the exhibition. Some years ago, I was talking to a plastic surgeon, who told me that no end of women came to him for procedures to make them look younger, but that in his opinion, their hands always gave their age away. I think we should celebrate this, all the fantastic things our hands have done over the years. To this end I set about photographing women’s hands and asked them about the coolest, most amazing things their hands had done. I was lucky enough to be given space (at very short notice, brilliant organizing!) at the Knitting and Stitching Show at Harrogate, where I convinced many women to have their hands photographed. The results, all 150 pairs of hands so far, will be cyanotyped on to fine cotton and form part of my Festival of Quilts gallery. It’s almost Christmas and I seem to spend all my days printing acetates and treating fabric for the cyanotype process, hoping the sun will come out so they will develop quickly! I can’t believe how quickly the time has gone. I have only another seven or eight months to get all this work done, as well as keep up with my other commitments. Whilst I am thoroughly enjoying the opportunity I’ve been given, to
throughourhands.co.uk
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