Stuff is a lovely word and one of its meanings is fabric. I went to a fantastic exhibition this weekend at Raven Row in Spitalfields. ‘The Stuff That Matters’ features the collection of Seth Siegelaub, which includes early silks, linens and embroidered pieces, alongside textiles made of palm bark and fabulous headdresses. If you ever wondered where Picasso, Brancusi and Dali got their sources of inspiration, look no further. Apologies for the softness of the pictures, taken on my iPhone in low light.

Also at the gallery was an ingenious way of stopping people from sitting on the antique stamped velvet upholstery. Thistles…I liked that!