'A hymn to the sensory wonder and connectivity of the homemade'OBSERVER'Packed with fascinating detail . . . a celebration of the overlooked artistry in crafts practised across the world'THE TIMESAs children, we made things: snowmen, paper boats, elaborate costumes. But as adults it is hard to find the space for such creativity, and to remember its importance.Exploring craft traditions...

**'A brilliant achievement'SCOTSMAN'A charmed feat of imagination and learning'HILARY MANTELIn sixteenth-century Europe women's voices were suppressed and silenced., and despite her royal position Mary, Queen of Scots was no exception. But, in an age when textiles expressed power, Mary exploited them to emphasise her female agency. From her lavishly embroidered gowns as the prospecti...

****THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER****'An astonishing feat'Christina Patterson, Sunday Times'An inspiring and moving sideways look at history'Eithne Farry, Sunday Express**An eloquent blend of history and memoir, Threads of Life is an evocative and moving book about the need we all have to tell our story.From political propaganda in medieval France to secret treason in Tudor England, from the m...

'A celebration of the overlooked artistry in crafts practised across the world'THE TIMES'Clare Hunter is out to reclaim the joy of making for the masses... no act of creativity is too humble, too ephemeral, for this hymn to the sensory wonder and connectivity of the homemade'OBSERVER***'***Making Matters is an open door to the power of craft. Now inspired, I'...

An alternative biography of Mary, Queen of Scots through the textiles of her life from the author of Sunday Times bestseller Threads of Life.I felt that Mary was there, pulling at my sleeve, willing me to appreciate the artistry, wanting me to understand the dazzle of the material world that shaped her.At her execution Mary, Queen of Scots wore red. Widely known as the colour of strength and passion, it was in fact worn by Mary as...

The Hare with Amber Eyes meets A History of the World in 100 Objects, Threads of Life is a history of sewing and embroidery, told through the stories of the men and women, over centuries and across continents, who have used the language of sewing to make their voices heard, even in the most desperate of circumstances.A history of sewing and embroidery, told through the stories of the men and women, over centuries and across continents, wh...