An Obsession with Kantha!!

 Another thing that I've been working on whilst I've been gone are these embroidered designs.  I have been totally obsessed with the traditional Indian embroidery technique of 'kantha', which is made up of lots of running stitches to add in block colour.  It's simple, easy and utterly effective, even if it does take an age to do!

I'm particularly in love with these embroidered tattoo designs that I've done, and am now in the process of turning these in to a fully kantha stitched quilted jacket, featuring traditional tattoo designs.  I've been working on the jacket now for a year (although not constant, as I'm swamped at and with work the majority of the time, so I have to grab short chances to sew it when and where I can).  I'll add pics when I've got a bit further with it.

The kantha technique is also an obsession that I've extended to my fashion and textile students, and they have taken to it
really well, often emplying it in their own work.  It's great to see the young learners adopting these traditional world techniques, and hopefully keeping them alive.

Whilst I was away....

During my time away from the blog and after completing my MA, I continued to illustrate and print my own fabrics.  These are just some of the cute quirky products I made using those unique hand-illustrated fabrics. 

Doodle Jack Quilt

So I've been absent from my blog for a good long time due to getting locked out. So here's my final quilt from my uni quilt series that I made back in april 2011. It was based on a photoshop illustration I made inspired by the union jack, in advance of the queen's jubilee in 2012. 

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.