Latest of my 'primitive' paintings - finished this evening - old Silecroft railway station in Cumbria.

The Finished Love Quilt - Juki - and Patsy Thompson!

Well, it's finally finished!  I put the last stitch on the binding last night. Just the label to put on and box up the quilt to go to it's new owner. Though I'm not happy about the centre of the quilt (won't make that mistake again) I do like the finished effect of the quilt as a whole and have learned a lot during it's construction and quilting.

Many thanks must go to Patsy Thompson for her wonderful 'Fast & Free' Volume 3 (two disc set) DVD which I watched continuously during breaks from quilting - especially the 'rotating axis family' on disc one - which I reproduced in the quilt.
Patsy is inspirational and I urge any would-be free motion machine quilters to have a look at her DVD's.
Also - could not have completed five UFO's without the aid of my wonderful Juki sewing machine. (Have another five quilt tops waiting in the wings - so watch this space folks!)
It's hard to believe I wanted to throw it out of the window - or try to sell it - a few weeks after I bought the  machine. It's not called 'The Beast' for nothing. Had my old Bernina not broken down I would have definitely got rid of the Juki.  BUT - thanks to help and advice from lasses like Angie (see her site on the right) I persevered and 'My Juki' is now a beloved machine which I wouldn't part with for all the tea in China!

Star of Bethlehem I and II

Christmas is Coming . . .

Christmas is approaching. Here is something to think about whilst you await the final picture of the finished Love Quilt. This is a quilt made for grand-daughter Polly when she was 5. She is in the second row and little brother Patrick is shown on the bottom row. I really enjoyed making this quilt. Not much quilting - but it's nice and soft and brought out every Christmas Eve to sit on her bed. Polly is now 24!!

Primitive paintings . . a change is as good as a rest?

Inspiration to quilt the remainder of the 'Love Much' quilt is a bit slow in coming so I have turned to painting which I have taken up again recently.
I first started painting in 1971 whilst on a college holiday in Cornwall with my husband who was studying art. I was in the drama department. I became restless and bored sitting around so, not having a spare pencil, he gave me a black felt tip pen and told me to draw something/anything to keep me quiet - so I did. I drew rude pebbles, followed by a drawing of the churchyard in St Ives where Alfred Wallis -  famous primitive painter  -  was buried. Ben Nicholson and many other artists of that era were much influenced by Alfred Wallis' work.

 1971

 1971

 2012

I received some positive feedback from the art tutor - Edmond Holmes - who said I should continue, so I did a rude painting of Newlyn Harbour 'cos that's how I felt at the time (look closely and you'll see what I mean.) That brought to an end my artistic endeavours until weekly Cancercare meetings following Stephen's death two years ago where I slowly began to take a renewed interest in life, and painting, thanks mainly to the encouragement of two art tutors, Kath and Karen.
It's no use pretending I can do pretty or realistic pictures, but am told I have a 'style' which I should stick to.   The latter picture, of the boat beside the river, was finished this morning. I have others paintings in mind, but no rude ones folks . . . have entered calmer waters!
Hope to resume work on the quilt tomorrow.