How did it start? In Willesden Green, during the British Sari Story exhibition. Had a coffee with Matt Stringer, Wandsworth Council's Senior Arts Officer. We'd been creating patterns for the sari in the British Sari Story - why not think about Islamic patterns on traditional clothing? Matt suggested. Particularly the hijab. Why? To work with Muslim and non-Muslim women to increase understanding of different traditions of Islam through a common interest - embroidery.
The next step - as always - was the quest for funding. But such had been the interest in the British Sari Story, that we were sure that the idea of looking further at pattern, place and heritage would strike chords somewhere.
Above - Rahiet Ashfaq of Fife with her Sari for Scotland, reflecting the traditional damask patterns of her native town, given a contemporary twist in her sari.
