The yarn continues

It weaves a strange spell, does The Fabric of Myth, telling the tale of textiles from ancient times to now and the warp and weft of strange stories spun by the doings of gods and heroes and how they've impacted on the life of mortals.

The handiwork of Mary Queen of Scots and her minder, Bess of Hardwick, is on display not far from an extraordinary Emin-prefiguring bed by a Brazilian madman. A giant Henry Moore tapestry rubs shoulders with a red miniature spider by Louise Bourgeoise, tiny works by a convicted American drug addict using thread from old socks are juxtaposed with a suit by Joseph Beuys.

I was amused and fascinated by a sewn picture by Tilleke Schwartz using this ancient form to tackle the culture of the information age (my sort of area, really) and my grandchildren had the same reaction to the very dark take on fairy tales and folk magic impinging on life today in a mixed media 'room' by Delaine Le Bas, an artist from a Romany background.

They still play with dolls dressed in crochet garments by my mother. I was reminded of her so strongly as I watched a TV film of artist Leonid Tishkov's mother making a suit from the fabric of old family garments - a Urals tradition, apparently. In Suffolk my mother used the same techniques for making rugs.

Tishkov has also taken family photographs and made them into intriguing 'balloons' with long fabric 'strings' hanging from a wall - a technique my daughter vowed to steal for use with her new class at her village primary school next month.

So, a marvellously thought-provoking exhibition, with wonderfully helpful and informative attendants - and then we got a chance to have a go ourselves in the terrific Summerscape feature.

One of the galleries has been kitted out with art supplies and expert-operated Macs and printers. Helpers are on hand, too, and pictures of some of the exhibits which you can trace to make your own artwork or add bits to the work by Shane Waltener already all around you.

Mum and nan did a bit of knitting with some of the lovely yarn and wool (thanks, Coats), granddad did a rather spiffing map of our route to Compton Verney and finished Becky's weaving while drama queen Jess posed for photographs and we assembled the whole thing into a brilliant scrapbook record of our visit. This will itself become a bit of family history, carrying on in its own little way one of the underlying themes of the show and weaving its way into the fabric of our life.

A fabulous outing, however you define the word.