Born of a shared love of washing lines and poetry, the subject of this anthology is laundry and washing, reflecting many human emotions to do with family, relationships and memory.

It is a collection of over 50 poems ranging from folk songs such as 'Dashing away with the smoothing iron' to contemporary poems by renowned poets including Seamus Heaney, Gillian Clarke, Tess Gallagher and Pablo Neruda. There are also over a dozen beautiful wood engravings by artists as diverse as Clare Leighton and Clifford Harper.

Alexander Lee (who has written the Afterword) has suggested that we are tapping into something far more exciting than a simple love of washing lines – the current environmental and economic issues. He started Project Laundry List to campaign in America for the 'right to dry' when he realised that 6-10% of US domestic electricity is consumed by tumble driers.

So whether it is the joy of washing blowing on the line, the smell of clean linen or the rhythmic dance of two people folding sheets together, this collection is a celebration.

We hope this book will appeal not only to poetry lovers but also to everyone who responds to the idea of laundry and the emotions which it seems to inspire.

Janie Hextall and Barbara McNaught