MiLady

Thank you Alice

Log Cabin

I have bought this log cabin patchwork for my Christmas present to myself. It is only a top and showing signs of wear and tear but I will probably cut it up and embroider in to it.

Textile Jewellery

I have at last finished the brooches that I started on the Julie Arkell workshop in Stroud. Here they are. 

Christmas wrapping

Christmas is only a week away and these beautiful and thriftily wrapped presents have been left under our allotment grown Christmas tree...... and they are for me!

The Queen

On Friday I was in Barnard Castle with time to kill so had a good look round the antique shops. I found this lovely coronation commemorative handkerchief for £1.

I collect royal memorabilia, particularly from the 50s ( the Queen, Queen Mother and Princess Margaret) and am particularly fond of Cecil Beaton's royal portraits.

Anyway, here are some pictures of the ways I use it in my collages. Its a bit tongue in cheek.

My studio

After school today I went to my studio to set it up for our Art fair event at the weekend ( www.thehearth.co.uk). I hope these images will make you want to come. There is a glimpse of my friend Kim's studio through the door. She has done some gorgeous letter press printed cards, gift tags and lino cut flowers and there are beautiful limited edition artists' books. Downstairs Carol was putting up the Christmas tree ( or rather plugging it in) and Ruth was removing many fleeces from her space to give the public a chance to step in and make Christmas woven hearts. Phillippa Hodkinson who takes care of the Gertrude Jekyll garden at Holy Island will be selling Christmas wreaths and greenery in the Hall. 9 studios will be open so come and see us.

Flower

I have finished making the flower brooch I started at the Julie Arkell workshop. It looks very good on my winter coat and I love the long stem which can be twirled and fiddled about. It was very time consuming to make as I turned the seams under for each petal and hand stitched round. Dipping the whole thing in to tea at the end has given it a bit of a vintage feel. 

Open Studios

I have been making more things to sell at our Open Studios event at The Hearth. My studio will be open 11am - 4pm  on Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th November. There will be lots to see. As well as all the other artists there will be a sale of handmade Christmas wreaths and greenery in the hall and a display of Advent cribs collected together from local churches.

If you haven't been before then the sticky toffee pudding in our cafe is not to be missed.

If you don't know how to get there look at the web site for information  www.thehearth.co.uk

Button earrings

Keepsake bags made from old patchwork quilts. These could be used  to store really precious and personal possessions such as jewellery, love letters and photographs. If you buy one you get a few bits and pieces from me to start you off.

Julie Arkell Workshop in Stroud

I have been away for the weekend on a Julie Arkell workshop in Stroud. It was organised as part of the Stroud Textile Festival (www.stroudwatertextiles.org.uk) which continues to host events through out the year. Julie runs few courses and lots of people want to work with her so I was very lucky to get a place. It was so nice to just sit and hand sew for 2 days, using old bits and pieces to create brooches, little rabbits and other quirky creatures. The old fabrics,  pretty haberdashery bits and pieces that everyone brought were just as inspiring. The work I am showing here is all by the students taking part in the course.

Rag Dolls

I have been making rag dolls. At the moment they haven't got noses but they are coming along. The next stage is to name them. I am reluctant to let them go because they have taken me so long to make and are made of many of my most precious pieces of "rags".

I

Mandy Pattullo

This is my favourite. Most people who come into my studio prefer long hair on the dolls but I think this little top knot gives her a bit more attitude.

Mandy Pattullo

 This one has a bodice made of fabric designed by my friend Jayne Bone. Her hair was borrowed from a Wensleydale sheep.

Mandy Pattullo

This yellow skirt is from a quilt top which I unpicked. It is very fragile and threadbare.

Mandy Pattullo

Blue and white antique patchwork skirt. 

Mandy Pattullo

I'm not sure about the hair on this one and may change it. The skirt is made from a piece of unpicked quilt and the legs are genuine Harris Tweed - it was a nightmare to turn inside out.

Red, white and blue

Here are some patriotic little collages I made yesterday to sell ( hopefully) at the Christmas Open Studios event at The Hearth 28/29 November ( www.thehearth.co.uk).

Bags of bits

I love seeing my dear friend Jayne Emma Bone ( now Mrs Ashley Turner) as she always brings bags of " bits" for me. They are just the scraps left after she has cut out her designs but they are always delightful to me as someone else's fabrics are always more inspiring than one's own!

Thrift Tips

Use the library instead of buying books

Have a shower instead of having a bath

Keep a thermos flask near the kettle

Exercise the old fashioned way

Make do and mend

Slow down while driving

Have a bath with a loved one

Hang dry laundry

Turn the thermostat down and put an extra layer on

Grow your own vegetables

I cut up old quilts in order to make a lot of my work. Most of them are in a really bad condition and aren't useable so I don't feel too guilty. I always save some sections in order to make  little cloth books. The theme of this one is Thrift Tips. We are apparently still deep in recession so you may want to take some of these on board.

Mona Lisa

I found this piece of Mona Lisa needlepoint at Tynemouth flea market. At the moment I think it looks pretty good  sitting under my embroidered jacket.

Toys

On Saturday 28th November and Sunday 29th I will be opening my studio for the whole weekend ( www.thehearth.co.uk). I've been trying to make lots of things for under £30 and in the spirit of thread and thrift I've been using up scraps of fabric I've already got rather than buying more. Here are some things I've recently made. I have many more who are waiting to have their tummys stuffed and their eyes sewn on. 

Turkey Red

There is currently a very good quilt exhibition called 'Seeing Red; the influence of Turkey Red Dye on Quiltmaking' at the Quilt Museum , York until 23rd December. ( www.quiltmuseum.org.uk)

I made these pieces about a year ago for a Designed and Made Show called " Inspired Flaws" and they feature parts of a Turkey red strippy quilt which was well past its sell by date.

As the quilt had become more worn with use it had revealed hidden layers of fabrics which had been covered  and patched up. Every piece of fabric suggested the story of relationships as I found pieces of men’s shirting, of blankets, of indian printed dress fabrics. It was constructed in a  culture of “make do and mend” to which we will surely have to return in these straightened times. I  had to make a real connection to this textile piece in unpicking another woman’s stitches, darning and patching in order to  refashion the quilt into contemporary garment shapes in homage to the scraps  and dressmaking leftovers which were used to make the original quilt.