Nearly 30 members and guests enjoyed hearing Julia Cunningham, from St Boswells, talk about her work, which 'upcycles' new but scrap fabrics from mills in the Borders area.

The tweeds and trims are turned into beautiful items with a Scottish contemporary feel. As well as handbags, Julia makes cushions, hats, purses and jewellery, not to mention her 'frumpy faeries' and 'cannie men'.

Julia's talk was the first in an exciting programme planned for the year featuring a combination of speakers and workshops to inform and inspire.

The bumper all-day session, scheduled after snow put paid to the January meeting, had also included three members – Felicity Hay, Diane Chalmers and Faith Robertson - sharing their expertise in the arts of felt-making, appliqué, chenille and kimekomi, which is the making of Japanese fabric balls.

After lunch, Theresa Wilkinson unveiled the group's 2010 challenge in which members are asked to create a work of textile art inspired by an object selected from a 'lucky dip'.

Each finished piece is to be six inches square and it is hoped that they will eventually be joined together to showcase members' wide range of skills, from traditional to contemporary. All will be revealed at the Christmas lunch "show and tell" session!

Next month's meeting will be a workshop with award-winning local textile artist Vicki Mitchell from Paxton.

Vicki will be showing members how to create hand-made paper from dyed silk fibres. Silk paper leaves, colourful covers for tea-light holders and silk paper bowls can all be achieved at the session from 1-4pm at Foulden Village Hall on Saturday, March 13.

The workshop is fully subscribed but for further information about the group in general and other forthcoming meetings please contact Gill Curry on (01289) 381245.