Jeanette Orr at Flowerpatch

It was exactly 5 years to the very day since Jeanette Orr came to Flowerpatch Quilters to talk about her life of sewing and patchwork, and we were absolutely delighted to welcome her back as in those 5 years she has achieved so much with her needlecraft skills.

Having been born in Bude and gone to Plymouth College to study sewing and design, the bright lights of London were an attraction where she made dresses for, among others, debutantes and TV performers. She brought along some of the clothes that she had made for herself at that time, for special events that she attended. They were all lovely and it was delightful to be taken back to the fashion of swinging London. Even then patchwork crept into her designs.

After moving to Australia and working for Janome, machine embroidery, patchwork and quilting really came to the fore and on returning to England her interest in both has not waned a jot. She can do sewing with her Bernina and Janome that you wouldn't have thought possible. This is just a taste of some of her work:
So many precise points

Wonderful stitched feathers

Little Kimonos

Ribbons - with all the ribbon shading beautifully stitched

"Dance as if no one were watching......."

And I think this is probably my favourite of all

Jeanette enters most of her quilts into exhibitions and has been awarded many rosettes. As she herself says - although it's very nice to win, the point is that if we don't enter our quilts into the exhibitions there will be none to go and see to excite and inspire us, and I wholeheartedly agree. You can see more quilts on Jeanette's blog

Thank you, Jeanette, for a wonderful evening yet again. - I can't wait to see what your next quilt will be.

Next time 14th July, we have a bit of a preview show and tell of the quilts, etc. in this year's exhibition which starts on 2nd August. Not long now and we're all sewing feverishly! - Anita x

The Charles Causley Festival

This past weekend in Launceston, Cornwall, has been packed full of events for the Charles Causley Festival. A celebration, in music, art, poetry and fun, of the poet who was born and lived all his life in the town.

Flowerpatch Quilters played a small part in the proceedings by making an "artwork" of quilts which hung in the library for the run up to the Festival, and then in St Mary's church over the weekend. 

We chose the poem "I am the Song" with nine members each choosing a line to interpret in their own individual style.

From left to right we have the poem printed on fabric, and then:

• .. the song that sings the bird
• .. the leaf that grows the land
• .. the tide that moves the moon
• .. the stream that halts the sand
• .. the cloud that drives the storm
• .. the earth that lights the sun
• .. the fire that strikes the stone
• .. the clay that shapes the hand
• .. the word that speaks the man

We called our work "I am the thread that sews the needle" and each small quilt is approximately A4 size. They were made by Christine, Ellen, Dawn, Joy, Annie, Sue M, Monica B, Anita and Dy.

How amazingly diverse they are and yet they still look brilliant together.

Whatever will be next!!???
Anita x