It Changed My Life!

Crafty is what I have always been called amongst my close friends and ‘Linda will be able to use it or make it’ is an all too familiar phrase. To a certain extent this is true, I do see a use in most things fabric, and I will have a go, although not always successfully, at making anything. The problem is that once you start making things, and in particular quilts, you are always on a quest for something different, and these ‘lightbulb’ moments can happen at the most unexpected moment of an ordinary day.

The most recent inspiration happened when my son and daughter in law moved into their new house. We went to see it, before any furniture had been installed, and yes the architraves and light fittings were beautiful, the fireplaces were ‘period’ and the staircase was fantastic. However, the thing that jumped up and shook me was the floor. You might have guessed it wasn’t wooden, lino, cushion flooring, and no it wasn’t carpet. It was an original Edwardian Mosaic Floor. I could see stars, squares, triangles and rectangles – a perfect quilt block! I have bought the fabrics and intend to make either door stops or cushion covers (or both!).

I am not a person who very often sits in front of the tv to watch a film. If I do I am always sewing or knitting or crocheting to keep busy. Westerns have been a pet hate of mine for as long as I can remember. Not anymore!!! My war cry is ‘QUILT ALERT’, and with sketch book at hand I draw out the block from a 5 second flash that appeared on a bed in a log cabin in a 1950’s film (colour if I am lucky). My family now help me spot quilts in films. Mary Poppins and Nanny McFee I think have both got examples, but Downton Abbey, Larkrise to Candleford, Upstairs Downstairs have all – I am pretty sure – display fine examples.

I think the strangest time I noticed this happening around me – not to me this time – was in a restaurant in Birmingham. My friend and I had been staying at a hotel while visiting the NEC Festival of Quilts. We had spent two days looking at beautiful quilts, spending copious amounts of money on goodies from the hundreds of traders, buying books with new patterns and generally being overwhelmed by the designs, craftsmanship and variety of quilts. We were eating breakfast. I noticed a group of ladies sit down at the table behind us. They got comfortable and started talking as you would expect. Then it happened. They all got their cameras out and started pointing. Trying not to stare I followed the direction of their stares. It was the floor – again! This time it was the carpet! Circles, lines, oblongs, triangles squares, different colours. We all photographed the carpet with the full intention of making a quilt with the pattern. So quilting and patchwork has changed my life, I now watch westerns – much to family’s amusement – and wonder now if you will too. I also walk looking the floor far too often for my own safety!

If you find yourself shouting ‘QUILT ALERT’ think of me x

Mrs Goose x