CTArts | Quilts

Quilts

When we took Matt on his first holiday, to Devon, there on the bed was a gaudy quilt made up of squares of scraps of material. It was the beginning of a marathon of making quilts for most of the family, single ones first and then double as they grew up and even memory ones with a difference.

I do not pretend my quilts are of a high standard compared to the ones often on show these days. I just do them to a certain standard that satisfies me. They are sometimes done in blocks of traditional patterns. Sometimes I used applique when adding a border. They are then sewn onto thickish polyester wadding and backed onto an old sheet, quilted by hand to anchor together to create a warm, 4.5 tog weight, extra layer, and given with love to my family and god-daughters.

Vicky's Arrival This was the first quilt I did, for Vicky, and I used applique pieces of my own design with full, traditional line quilting to welcome her to the family.		Rebecca's First Again, just for her first bed, using up bits. She still wraps herself up in it in Hong Kong. That is what it is all about.

Rosie's First I started simple block quilting at first, using up pieces in the box as traditionally that's was why they developed. This one was for Rosie's first bed.		Tongues of Fire Quilt This was one of the first tries at pattened blocks, called snail trail or sometimes Tongues of Fire for Ascension Day. It is one of my favourite patterns. It is now at Rosalie's, gracing her put up bed in summer which I use.

Jenni's First Bed For Jenni in her first bed.		Sophie's First Bed For Sophie, lots of triangles.

Vicky's First Bed This is the snail pattern, a favourite for use in school Maths lessons too, as it grows from triangles spaced in a special way, echoing the trail round the garden of a snail.		Sarah's Going off to university was a good excuse to see if they wanted one in the freezing attics of some student accommodation. Sarah wanted blue.

Clare's A red one wanted by Clare. This used up many of the little pieces still left in my bag that just wouldn't be thrown away. A real hotch potch of loved patterns.		The Taylor Memory Quilt This was a huge project that I enjoyed exploring the various traditional block patterns from England and America. It sat in the loft at Castle Hill, no double bed available to use it. That made me sad. But now at St John's Terrace it graces the king size bed in winter again and gives me so much pleasure.

Catalogue on the Taylor Memory Quilt Every piece of material is shown in a long catalogue on the reverse of the quilt, celebrating all those sewing jobs over the years.		Leftover's Quilt This had to be done. I had large pieces of Laura Ashley favourite swatches still around, all evoking some treasured dress or house item and I couldn't throw them away. It went to make up a small centrepiece of bits and then the very last of them made up the surrounds. The edge was an experiment too, much loved. It is still here with us, with another on the back so treasured.

The Taylor Story It is traditional in Caribbean cultures for the women to make family story banners out of applique and quilting with each generation supposed to add to the roll as it develops. I have done one of the Taylor Story but I doubt anyone will add to it so it has been put on the back of the Leftovers Quilt to preserve that one too. Down the sides I have sewn births and deaths against explanation of what each block portrays.		Rosie's Double Bed Quilt Big girl, bigger bed, bigger quilt needed. She chose the material with me which I made up without much cutting up of the striking trees.

Matt's Double First Matt even wanted one doing, but in lines of striking golds and greens and turquoise to match his bedroom colours.		Tangram Quilt Playing with different patterns, I found this one which I used in teaching the ancient Chinese use of pattern to make up pictures. I put the dark green with the the remnants of the duck egg and apricot Laura Ashley curtaining which I had re-cut to fit the spare room. However, on the move to Settle, it had no place. I gave it to Age UK in the end.

Headboard Quilt This was just a little doodle of a thing to do in front of the tv on a winter's night in applique. It went with the tangram duvet in the spare room at Heathfield Rise but has been put to rest now, somewhere, can't remember what I did with it.		Reused Curtains Quilt Over the years, the edges of the dining room curtains at Heathfield Rise became sun bleached and we moved onto more modern decor from Habitat but the material was kept. I cut them down to make curtains for the spare room and then for the cottage in Settle. Choosing plain decor again, I cut them right down to use in this tangram patterned panel for a top quilt. I still love the colours after all these years.

Laura Ashley Duvet Quilt This had been Rosie's duvet for a long time. When she grew out of the pattern, I couldn't just give it away so it became a throw quilt now for visitors in Settle. Jenni found the pattern in the archives at Laura Ashley when she worked there! But one day, after the Syrian debacle hit the news, I raided my blankets and quilts and this one went to the Manchester call for help for the poor refugees in Aleppo. With love.		Sophie's Graduation Quilt Sophie managed to aquire a stack of T shirts from all the voluntary work and escapages she had done while at Sheffield University. She asked if I could make her a banner out of them. It ended up single quilt size.

Life at Heathfield One whole school day of activity, I elected to organise the building up of a quilt entitled Life at Heathfield. Children chose to draw an aspect of the school that they loved and sign it. I then sewed every square into a quilt. I made a booklet to sit in the pocket of a girl's uniform dress explaining the project and itemising every child's part. It still hangs on the staircase up to the Assembly Hall for those children and me to still be part of the school.		Babs and Trevor's Memory Quilt On packing up to go to New Zealand, Babs discovered her box full of bits of Laura Ashley leftovers and I said I would do her a Memory Quilt of them too to take with her. All the patterns chosen are significant for someone leaving for another life far away. Hurray, it is now on their spare bed at Meadow Barn near Kirkby Stephen with them, returned.

Babs' Memory Cushion Cover Babs first asked just for a cushion cover done out of some of her remnants before she set off for NZ. I chose the pattern called Jacob's Ladder. It signifies Jacob's children having God with them in all their travels and so became significant for settlers who had to build new homes far away from families and friends. And this one is back in England too, at Meadow Barn.		The last of Laura Ashley The last leftovers of my favourite Laura Ashley curtains material could not stay sitting in the box. And my favourite patchwork pattern, Snail Trail, allowed me to use it all. A final salute.

Ella's Horse Quilt After discovering national quilting exhibitions, I was inspired to tackle something really pictorial. I chose to copy one, forgive me, for Ella which spoke to us all through the MeToo and Gay/Lesbian movements which have inspired women to stand up and be counted. This was the result of a smaller version of a stunning quilt I studied and learned much from.