'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]