Spent a very pleasant Sunday afternoon with Tracy Chevalier (and a sold-out Corn Exchange full of others) in Dorchester. She was talking about her latest book as a sort-of finale to the Literary Festival (the actual finale is an hour with Carol Ann Duffy in November). Chevalier lives locally. I’m not sure if she still lives in the Piddle Valley*, but certainly that was her first home in Dorset. And she has been a supporter of DLT since its inception.
She gave a really interesting, illustrated, talk about ‘A Single Thread’, her story about the volunteer broderers who, in the early 1930s, embroidered an enormous number of hassocks and seat cushions for the comfort of the bottoms of those attending services in, and the general beautification of, Winchester Cathedral. It quite made me want to whip out a tapesty needle and get stuck in!
Which, happily, is what I was able to do today, when I tootled over to Thorncombe Wood for a morning of Dorset button making.
*Those up to date with my writing endeavours will know with what special affection I currently regard the Piddle Valley … 
Judi Moore 