Margaret now lives in Warwickshire but was born in the lace city of Nottingham. However she avoided contact with the fabric until she moved to Surrey in 1971. A fellow dog-walker took her to a lace class. 'You'll like it' she said and was correct.

 

At that time there were shortages of equipment, books and, above all, usable patterns. Parchment and card prickings were so tatty that pinholes were a matter of guesswork.

 

After only a year of instruction Margaret moved to Cheshire where she began trueing, re-drafting and designing edgings and insertions which she sent to Surrey and also sold by post and at lace days.

 

At one such she met Susanne Thompson who was making exquisite Honiton. She was asked to teach a lace class. Protests were over-ruled. 'I know that you haven't made lace for long but there isn't anyone else'.

 

Having survived this immersion Margaret joined the Lace Guild, was voted onto the Committee and then chaired the sub-committee that set up the first City and Guilds examination. Afterwards it was decided that such a gathering of like-minded lace-makers should not be allowed to dissipate so a one-off meeting was held at Westhope College to discuss a possible future. The attendees voted to meet annually and hold exhibitions.

 

Margaret has experimented with most forms of lace-making but favours Point Ground and Honiton. Her weaknesses are being unable to resist the challenge if told that something cannot be done and taking on projects that fail to be completed!