We’re living in deeply worrying and uncertain times. Coronavirus has put most of the world into a form of stasis, while health workers and scientists do battle on our behalf. There is little most of us can do to help them except follow the rules, stay home where possible, practise social distancing and try to protect ourselves and the lives of others.

Where does this leave the fabric and textiles industry, and how does it impact us, the buyers and sellers?

Animals and bird fabric prints have a long history but when I fell across a photo of the Homestead and Forest Cot Quilt designed by May Morris the daughter of William Morris, founder of the Arts and Crafts Movement, it prompted me to dig a bit deeper into the history of nature in quilting and patchwork. 

OEKO-TEX certification of fabric gives buyers some comfort but it's never going to be the whole solution. The textiles industry is huge, and growing. That means we need to make smart, informed choices, do the maths and research and never ignore fabrics without an OEKO-TEX label.      

In the UK, we’re regularly told that sewing with jersey fabrics and stretch viscose fabrics is hard; that you need new techniques or equipment; that the results are unpredictable unless you're an expert with a big, white self-contained sewing room. This is just not true, and it's a shame because it puts beginners off even trying to sew with stretch fabrics. 

Simple Life Fabrics opens its online doors for the very first time this week, and I'm excited! It's a big leap into the unknown but fabric is soft and hopefully the landing will not be too hard! Whatever happens, like many people, I needed to change direction; shake things up and do something I really love.