threads that bind

when i was living in a little cottage in sussex in england with two friends i taught myself to sew paper pieced patchwork using recycled fabric..looking back i think i was inspired to start one because of all the second hand clothing we were given by members of the school community where one of my friends taught..

i ended up piecing a single bed sized quilt top which subsequently travelled with me to athens greece when i moved there where it became my bed cover..when my husband and i moved to the north of greece i used it to cover a camp stretcher that served as seating in our 'studio' and, before we left greece for australia, i gave it to a greek friend who loved it..

i tried piecing the american way many years ago but it didn't resonate with me at all so i went back to the slower english paper pieced method..yes..it's time consuming and certainly not for everyone but i find the processes soothing and very satisfying..nowadays i use both recycled and new fabric to make my quilts but recycled material has a special place in my heart..

in the last few years i've been really lucky to have had two friends and one of my daughters interested in learning how to make quilts using the paper pieced method..one friend, robyn, and i spent a day a week together for about a year while she made a quilt inspired by a trip to provence and i continue to have irregular sewing days with my other friend chloe (my son's ex girlfriend) and my daughter katerina..yesterday chloe came over and we worked on our quilts until quite late in the evening..we chatted as we worked by the cosy open fire drinking cups of tea and eating toasted sandwiches and freshly baked biscuits..my daughter sometimes comes to my place to sew but recently i went to her new house to sew and bask in the sunshine in her dining room..the connections made during these times are special and i treasure each and every moment..

 chloe quilting

it's close to being finished

katerina piecing

kat is still in the process of piecing her large hexagon quilt using fabric
collected by her grandmother