Quilts UK Exhibition, 05/11

I've just returned from the Quilts UK Exhibition in Malvern where my log-cabin illustrated quilt was featured. I was impressed by the exhibition and am pleased to say that the concept behind the update in my quilt was the only one of its kind there, so it appears that i am actually breaking new boundaries in the realm of patchwork and quilting - by exploring it via illustration and digital print.

New Quilt in Progress

Since finishing my log-cabin illustration quilt, I have since begun work on a new wall quilt, which is smaller in scale, but no less smaller in the amount of sewing it's going to take. The design is based on a contemporary version of Art-Deco design and will be shown at the National Quilt Exhibition at Sandown Park in Surrey during mid-June. Currently I am only on the first stages of sewing the quilt, so best carry on quilting!

Photo Shoot for my jewellery work

This photo shoot features my fashion fabric jewellery. All of my jewellery has been inspired by traditional forms of patchwork and quilting, taken out of their familiar zone and thrown in to the realm of fashion.

Log-Cabin Illustrated Quilt - Finally Finished!!!

I've been working on this quilt since November 2010. It has been a long process - from the initial stages of illustrating the tea-party images, illustrating the patchwork, working on it on the computer, printing the fabric, steaming, drying and then the 180 hours alone of hand-quilting! It has been a major slog in terms of hard work, and yet I loved every single minute of creating this piece. And now I have finally completed it, I feel a bit lost, like I don't know what to do with myself. Work on the next quilt I suppose! This quilt, which I have entitled "Just My Cup of Tea" will be featured in the 'Quilts UK' exhibition in Malvern (Three Counties Showground) during the 19th-22nd May.

Jewellery work at Cow Vintage, Birmingham

My fabric jewellery and accessory work has been featured in a catwalk show at Cow Vintage, Birmingham, alongside several trends styled from the store's stock of vintage and retro fashion. My work is also featured in the shop window displays and are used to accessorize the mannequins.

Fabric Accessories - COW Fashion Show

A few of us students from the MA fashion course at BIAD are teaming up with COW vintage to put on a fashion show in March. I'm in the process of creating a collection of fabric accessories that explore the use of re-cycling and eco-fashion. All of these pieces were made using old clothes, scrap fabrics and various used 'tit-bits' such as ribbons, buttons, beads, etc.

Stitched Portrait Quilt - Yay I've finally finished it!!!

Finally, I have finished my stitched portrait quilt!!! This was first hand-sewn on an A4 sized piece of cotton, scanned in and digitally printed on to cotton at 1 metre in length. I then quilted a few of the black lines to give it definition, and quilted the surrounding area with random stitch work.

Reversible Quilt - one side

I've been working on the stitched portrait wall quilt, and have chosen to make it a double sided / reversible quilt, so that it can be hung either side. I wanted to make this quite quickly due to time restrictions, so chose to machine quilt the majority of this particular side of the quilt. I used some bought floral fabric with a layer of shimmer net over the top, and quilted using linear and random stitching. I hand appliqued three circles on the top and hand quilted around the circles. I'll be working on the actual stitched portrait side very soon and adding it to this quilt.

This image shows the stitched portrait being digitally printed. I chose to print it on to cotton poplin as I find it the best fabric to quilt, plus it prints evenly and well. The piece measures 1 metre in length. At some point soon i'll get round to quilting in to the print, probably using a mix of hand and machine quilting.

Stitched Self Portrait

I have been working on a hand-stitched self portrait using threads and stitch to create sketch / illustration lines. The stitched piece was completed at A4 in size and has been scanned in to the computer. I found it interesting how well the scan picked up the stitches and plan on digitally printing this on to fabric at around 1 metre in length. This will then be quilted. Its a quick way of creating a larger scaled piece - as the large fabric print will have all the qualities of hand-embroidery but without the painstaking time and effort (as an A4 piece only takes a few hours). This idea can be marketed and sold as commissioned piece - not just portraits, but pet portraits and landscapes, even still lives and other illustrations can be done this way.