Grace Darling

I have been up the coast today to deliver this piece to the Grace Darling Museum in Bamburgh. It is 175 years since Grace Darling assisted her lighthouse keeper father to rescue shipwrecked people from rocks near the Longstone Lighthouse. The museum curator has selected some responses from artists to the story for an exhibition in the summer and here is the piece I have made. It is based on traditional sailor's pincushions and the words "Grace had an English Heart" are taken from a Northumberland popular song. 

Just Finished

I have just finished this piece today and put it in a frame. It is a response to a much bigger quilt I have made for an exhibition at Farfield Mill in June. I have made 3 quilts but haven't blogged about them yet because I can't find anywhere to photograph them adequately. I don't have a very minimal home so there are no empty white walls to do it against. I guess once they are up in the show then I can get some good images. This piece is a collage of lots of little bits of fabric and pieces taken from several worn quilts and then stitched  together to merge into a new from. There is quite a lot of tiny little embroidery stitches that extend the sprig motif in one of the old patterned fabrics.

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American patchwork

 I have already sold this  but I would just like to say thank you to the kind person in USA who sent me a bit of old quilt. You can see it has been used effectively here.

My Open Studio

This week I am having to have a massive clear up in my studio ready for this weekend's event at The Hearth. If you are not interested in us artists then at least come for the Vintage Bazaar and update your home for Spring with something retro or find some interesting fashion or accessories.

I have been trying to put on a brighter display to encourage Spring to come back again ( it was here briefly for one day last week). Here is one of several new monotypes and collages that you will see in my studio.

and here is one wall of my studio...

stitching

I usually do everything by hand but here I have got out the machine to add a bit of drawing to the middle area of this collage. I'm not really sure though I do like the red stitching..

Vintage comes to Hexham

Jayne and I are pleased to announce that we are bringing vintage to Hexham. We have opened up the booking for stalls this week so if you are interested then please contact me HERE

Indigo Blue

An old piece of quilt over dyed with indigo and a  bit of appliqué.... I love blue.