This is a work in progress...............I have now stitched the circles on so they are circular,which should help. The pale portraits are of women who used to work in the Steam engine factory in Nineteenth century, printed onto fabric.

The circles are hand made lace curtains from...........various times, when women made lace collars at home, rather than stitched them in strange looking positions at variance to the makers intentions.

The collars were donated by friends [I think most people with trunks in attics or cellars will find a few] and the quilt is an old worn one from the Retired Person's great aunt, either Ethel or Elizabeth, as it is signed with stitched initials in the corner.

We found it in an outhouse when we moved into this house, wrapped round an old musical box of similar vintage to the collars.

The quilt has been patched thru the years with increasing lack of sensitivity as to colour. I would guess the RP's grand dad did the last patching, he learned to sew and knit at Village Board School in the late 1800s. His patches were secure, but rather random. In a way they expressed the quilt history. or her-story and his-story but I couldn't bring myself to leave the navy blue with spots on.

Obviously they covered worn areas and holes which are also evocative, so i have sort of mini darned them with running stitch, without totally obliterating the holes.

Stitching colleagues suggested using the lace collars as picture frames and the whole thing is coming together.

I am still not sure if the end result will live up to the concept.................hazy recognition of the continuum of women who sew, ...........maybe.