Thursday 29 August 2013

'Thread and Thrift'

One of the great things about going to shows like The Festival of Quilts is discovering new textile artists whose work you can admire. I 'found' Mandy Pattullo at this year's Festival and I'm so glad I did...her work is so inspiring. Mandy is a textile artist and teacher who bases her work on collage techniques and uses all sorts of vintage loveliness in the pieces she creates.

I loved every piece in Mandy's 'Thread and Thrift' exhibition at this year's Festival of Quilts. Here's a look at some of my favourites...




Mandy uses a lot of vintage quilt pieces in her work, which really appeals to me. There's such a lovely quality to a piece of well-worn and much-loved quilt.

Patch Work 2

Applique, buttons, an old Harris Tweed label...there's so much to look at.

Thinking About the Flowers

Detaching Hexagons

I'd never thought of sewing pieced patchwork on to something so the back is on show (what a great idea). I think it gives it a real sense of how it was made and makes me wonder about the person who created it in the first place. I bet they never thought it would be used in a piece of textile art!


My Deer

I love how Mandy has made a collaged background for her perfectly stitched deer to peep out from.


Mandy's work is so evocative of a time gone by. According to The Festival of Quilts show guide Mandy's work 'relates to the thrift and 'make-do-and-mend' culture of past times, in particular utility patchworks and quilts made by women in domestic settings'.






 

So much to be inspired by. I'll certainly be keeping my eyes open for more of Mandy's work (she's got a blog too so I can pop in and see what she's working on as well).

[With huge thanks to Mandy for allowing me to write about her and use the photos of her work that I took at The Festival of Quilts] 

Saturday 17 August 2013

Festival Fun


I had a fabulous day at the Festival of Quilts (at the NEC in Birmingham) last weekend. It's always a great show to go and this year was no exception...hundreds of amazing quilts to admire and lots of stalls selling tempting offerings (I had to ration myself or I'd have come home with a lorry load of fabrics and trimmings!)


One of the highlights of my day was meeting the very lovely Stuart from 'The Great British Sewing Bee'. We chatted about quilting and when I asked him how he was finding things since being on TV, he said he loved being able to talk to so many people about sewing. I think it's great that the the programme has inspired so many people to get stitching.

With so many wonderful quilts and quilt art on display, it was a job picking out which ones to share with you here...so here's a small selection of the pieces I loved the most...

Apple Tree Book
Sandra Fowler




Just to Make You Smile
Gillian Travis

The Mouse and the Cuckoo Clock
Sally Snushall



Quarter
Lucie Summers and Jenny Spencer

My Family
Stephanie Kirby

Gardener's Journal
Sue Whitby

Tracy's Reel Medallion
Tracy Aplin

Little Stars
Jean Ball

Book at Bedtime (detail)
Kate Crossley

Sorry - Not the Chelsea Flower Show!
Herti Estl

Three Spoons a Day (detail)
Maria Thomas

The Orchard
Jill Pargeter

Once Upon a Spoon (detail)
Sue Bibby

Transported - Full Circle
Terry Donaldson