Fragments

Visiting the Manchester Antique Textile Fair today, it felt strange not to be looking to buy anything. I still remember the first time I went to the fair as an undergraduate student (living just round the corner) and my shock at the way people rummaged through these antique treasures like it was a jumble sale!

Anyhow I made a valiant effort today and still managed to come home with some of my own treasure; buttons and scraps of old French patchwork. On the way home I was thinking about the nature of 'fragments'. What is it about a fragment of something that makes it so desirable and precious?

I was disappointed to find out that I had missed the exhibition 'Threads of Feeling' at the Foundling Museum, but you can still see the poignant textile tokens on the exhibition website .