Quilting inspirations on my travels

 

On Saturday, my mum had her 80th birthday party at the Clairville Hotel, near Yarm.  I had to get a photo of the lovely Victorian tiles in their porch. Tiles arranged like this remind me very much of nineteenth century British medalion quilts. Reg, the hotelier, told me there were also very ornate tiles in the hall, but they have to keep them covered with carpet for health and safety reasons, because they get very slippery when wet.  Shame I couldn't see those as well.

On the drive back to Kettins yesterday, we tried the 'scenic route' along the A68 rather than the A1 - shorter but not as quick.  The stunning border scenery compensated.  As we drove into Jedburgh, the views of the abbey ruins were so impressive we stopped for some photos. I liked the overlapping arches.  I didn't see the abbey the only other time I drove through Jedburgh (in the dark, in February, after the Spring Quilt Festival at Edinburgh) and I didn't know how complete the nave was - apart from the roof, most of the structure is still there.  The south transept was mostly missing, as was the east end of the chancel, but it looked like the north transept was still roofed over, with the end window glazed with leaded lights in plain glass.  It was closed, but I'd like to go back when it is open to see some of the stonework in more detail.

There were a few arches, including the one on the right hand doorway below and the centre arch above, where the original builders seemed to have gone a bit lopsided!

 

For once, planners seemed to have got a bypass right.  Just at the point where the bypass veered away from the old town centre, there was a splendid view up to the abbey, with a convenient roundabout and free car park clearly signposted.  So often, something like this is missed because you only see it after you're on the bypass or you don't see it at all.  There was just enough time to decide to stop.  The first photos were taken from the carpark, looking across the river.  As a result of that chance view, we've decided to try to spend a weekend down there, visiting the other abbey ruins in the area -Melrose, Kelso and Dryburgh.

Quilt design inspirations - not always Japanese...!

Some quilters seem to think that all my work is 'Japanesey', but what do you think? 'Time and Again' (above) is probably as much retro as anything, while 'Spinning Squares' (below) is an abstract block - not even any Japanese fabrics there (although it would look lovely with lots of colourful gold prints).


When I first started quilting, I had just returned from working in Japan and I didn't have many non Japanese fabrics. Quilt shops were thin on the ground (I didn't know of any in the early 1990s that were local to me), so my other alternative was making quilts from my dressmaking scrap bag, mainly 1970s and 80s fabrics, with lots of Laura Ashley and Liberty materials. While I was inspired by the work of Japanese quilters, who were in turn often inspired by traditional American quilts, I don't think my quilts generally are very obviously 'Japanese'. True, I often use the geometric designs traditionally seen in Japanese fabrics, architecture etc. but very little of my overall output features kimono, geisha, koi, dragons or whatever, and much of the vintage Japanese kimono fabric I sell is selected for it's abstract or retro designs - I don't have much with things like Japanese landscapes and I just don't sell 'geisha' fabric at all.

Quite a lot of the following quilts were featured in 'Compendium of Quilting Techniques' ('200 Quilting Tips, Techniques & Trade Secrets'), so you may recognise them from there, but some are more recent.

A lot of my quilts have been inspired by other things, from Celtic design ('Solstice', my triangular quilt) ....

...to traditional British culture & folkore ('Fish & Chips', 'The Fabled Hare', 'Dancing Colours')...


... as well as antique quilts in the British tradition.


The remake of the checkerboard medallion above, in contemporary fabrics.


I like my retro 50s inspirations too!




The retro cot quilt uses blocks from the 'Retro Revival' chapter in '130 Little Quilt Blocks' -


The red and white 'Fanoe' quilt which is appearing in the latest edition of Fabrications magazine was based on cottage doors in Sunderho, Fanoe, Denmark.


'Lulea Blockhus' (Lulea Log Cabin) uses scrap bag fabrics in a random arrangement based on old Swedish utility quilts.


This earlier quilt, 'Roman Perdu', is just a scrap quilt -


My Oriental Log Cabin Sampler looks just as good made in Kona Bay Japanese prints or another colourway - mine is at the top, while Michelle Boyd from Chester Ps & Qs made the second one, begun in my workshop. I think the red and black one is by Eilish Lund, from Wrexham Quilting Circle.


'Masu' uses the Courthouse Steps construction with textured Japanese wool kimono fabrics, but the 'square in a square' result is very abstract (and not a pagoda or geisha in sight!)


Even a lot of the quilts made using my 'Japanese Circles and Squares' workshop design don't look especially Japanese. The blue one was made by Charlotte Coghill at last January's workshop at The Royal Hotel, Bridlington, while the mixed up batik patchwork blocks became my 'instant art quilt' version. The next is inspired by Chinese colours and patterns, while the last uses the same block design and layout for a community arts project.



Super Strips is based on the 'Hearts and Crosses' coverlet in the collection at the Quilt Museum, York. The original is made from C19th prints. This one by Margaret Evans from Gresford Craft Group is made from batiks -


This is my 1930s style print version and the crumb quilt made from the leftovers -


Maybe people only think I made quilts like this? LOL Hope you enjoyed the eye candy anyway.