You are never too old to produce beautiful embroidery work with a needle and thread, believes ninety-year-old Betty Cottle, from Westfield.

Along with other embroiderers, lace-makers, weavers and experts in all kinds of textile work, from the Bath, Mendip and Norton-Radstock area, Betty will be exhibiting her craft in the 'Stitches in Time' exhibition, which opens at Radstock Museum on Tuesday, 17th September.

Betty has decades of experience in embroidery behind her – and she has not been alone in her enthusiasm. Her husband, Eric, 94, also loves to pick up a needle and yarn and is accomplished in tapestry work.

Eric will not be exhibiting, but Betty will be showing hard hanger, gold-work and drawn thread work at the Radstock Museum show. She said: "I started being really interested when Eric was working at the Clarks factory in Westfield years ago. They put on a flower show and he got me to put in a tablecloth and dress a doll to exhibit. A lady who took lessons at the local college looked at my cloth and told Eric to get me to come down to the college. This was when pensioners paid just £1 for a whole session there."

Eric, a former Chairman, President and Life Member of his local Royal British Legion, was later to work with Betty on one of the panels for a magnificent Legion Tapestry presented to the Queen.

The Cottles are just two of the enthusiasts for textile work who have inspired the exhibition. Nick Hall, the organiser, said: "There is a rich strain of embroidery and lacemaking locally and Radstock Museum has some examples. We wanted to bring together parts of the museum collection with work by local embroiderers and embroidery groups. We also want to publicise the expertise that is available locally."

Among the showpieces to look forward to is a kimono made by Frome weavers for Channel 4's 'Grand Designs' presenter, Kevin McCloud, and cushions stitched by World War II German prisoners of war.

Millennium tapestries made by Coleford embroiderers, showing local history, 3D embroidery, samplers and vintage and contemporary lace will also be among the exhibits. There are also hopes to include workshops and demonstrations on lacemaking, weaving and cardmaking.

Among groups exhibiting are the Frome and District Embroidery Guild, Avalon Embroidery Guild, from Mendip, and Bath Embroidery Group. Craftspeople from Chewton Mendip, Tunley and Bradford-on-Avon are also included.

The exhibition runs until November 30th. It is open Tuesday to Friday and Sunday, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more details about Radstock Museum events, see the website: http://www.radstockmuseum.co.uk">www.radstockmuseum.co.uk

Wendy Walker