Sheila Paine, an embroidery expert, journeyed through Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Kurdistan, the Black Sea coast and Bulgaria in search of an ancient embroidery pattern. Travelling alone, in remote and sometimes dangerous country, she had many extraordinary adventures: she was smuggled out of Afghanistan by a group of Mujahadeen, and concealed under a burka, and travelled through Iran in purdah, looking at the embroideries of the Zorastrians and unexpectedly finding the pattern among a primitive tribe, where women wear red masks. Sheila Paine writes about her adventures and especially about the people.