dusting down

 

My sewing machine has been gathering dust for a while now, and I had to give it a clean before taking it for a day out at the Papered Parlour at the weekend. The PP has a beautifully designed website, great teaching space, excellent tutors, and offers tea and home-made cake on vintage china. It's also in an excellent location; Clapham is where I wanted to live when I was in my twenties (but Simon wasn't and isn't a city boy), and it's still as buzzy as ever.

 

After twelve months away from fabric and my machine, I decided it was time to play with both again. I'd read about the PP here and about Cassandra Ellis here and felt that a workshop was a good way to get back to quilting. Cassandra makes stunning quilts with all sorts of fabrics and has developed a very personal style and approach which I identify with - she's a great tutor who dispenses practical, sensible advice about quilting. She got every single person making lovely blocks - even those who had never handled a rotary cutter or sewing machine before. It was all nicely structured, but also refreshingly freestyle.

 

I took a vintage hand-embroidered tablecloth as my starter/meaningful fabric and put sections of it in the centre of the two blocks I made. It's hard to cut into something like this, but my philosophy is that it's better in a quilt than in a cupboard. And worth dusting down my machine for.

Comments

[Rachael (Tales from the Village)]

I've just taken my sewing machine down from the shelf in the garage. My no4 child is off to school in September, and I've decided I want to learn to quilt. As I took off the cover, I had butterflies. A new stage of life is beginning and it's exciting!

[little pink room]

It looks very beautiful, my sewing machine has been gathering dust too. Clapham is fab, I used to live nearby... sigh. Being a grown up mummy in Edinburgh isn't quite as exciting! A x

[Jane]

Quite agree about cutting vintage-embroidery. Better cut up than another fate - a lot of such things still land up in a skip despite all our efforts. It does, however, incense some people, I know. Love the block - wish I could get back to sewing.

[Cat]

I've been toying with the idea of going to PP and your post has swayed me. Sounds like the perfect way to get into quilting. Thank you!

[Helen in Switzerland]

There is nothing quite like quiltmaking....it's the one thing where I can just lose all sense of time. You were very brave to cut up the tablecloth - and it's terribly effective - just not sure I would have been brave enough myself!!! Keep up the happy quilting!

[Penny]

This is a beautiful use of that embroidered tablecloth! Your fabric choices are inspired. I am feeling embarrassingly covetous.

[Rachel]

What beautiful blocks! I love the tablecloth - it's worth having such beautiful embroidery on view, I quite agree. Actually, you've inspired me now - I wanted to make something with a crinoline lady tablecloth but was scared to cut it up, but now I am just going to go for it!
I am definitely going to be signing up for a course at the Papered Parlour!

[oxslip]

Really pretty fabrics around your the embroidery too, I envy your courage and wish I had some. My guilty secret is Tana Lawn that I can't bear to cut into. Just bought two more pieces in the Liberty sale.

[Hen]

Lovely fabrics and colous, hence very pretty blocks. I will check out the PP as it's not far away, thanks for the tip. I had an "anon" comment left on my blog berating me for cutting up embroidered cloths but my view is similar to yours, though I tend to chop those which are damaged or not particularly spectacular or smaller traycloths. I still have a huge amount I can't bear to cut! They do look fab made into these fresh new creations though.

[Cathy]

So wonderful to see you making your gorgeous quilts again Jane, I adore what you have done here with your vintage table cloth. xo

[j.]

Oh my. I feel the urge to revisit the antique store and rummage through the linens! Thanks for sharing!

[Tora]

How lovely! I have several of my mother-in-laws beautifully embroidered hankies and I would love to do the same - better in a quilt than in a box is absolutely spot on! Follow your blog regularly and love it - thanks for the inspiration...

[Rosie Girl]

Oh, I love the mix of prints and embroidery. Such inspiring and alive colors!

[Cassandra]

Dear Jane - Thank you - what lovely and unexpected words. I had to go home and have a stiff drink after 'teaching' you. It was a real pleasure to meet you and I'm very flattered that you came in the first place.

Thanks so much.

Cassandra

[Charlotte]

Clapham! I grew up in the Old Town not far from PP and my first, very tiny, flat was off Landor road, right by Clapham North. Funny how the heart leaps a little when a particular place is mentioned unexpectedly. Did you know that the London Transport Museum used be on Clapham high street - where Sainsbury's now sits? And now that I've got that out of my system.... your quilt is stunning, I couldn't agree more with you, and others, on the fate of the vintage table cloth.

[Heather L.]

that is an amazing idea. I have a cupboard full of such things which I could put into a quilt!

[Merilyn]

I have great trouble cutting through the embroidery but have used doilies whole that stains wont come out of. I had a pretty patchwork fabric with little girls having tea-parties and never used it because I couldn't bring myself to chop of their heads!I like your tablecloth idea.

[Annette]

Thank you Jane for introducing me to Cassandra! I love her definition of haven. That is what I am trying to create in my own home. Also, that vintage tablecloth is beautiful. I'm not sure I would have had the courage to cut into it. But yes it is much better to have in a quilt then stashed away in a cupboard for no one to appreciate.

[Annette]

PS. I just picked up your book The Gentle Art of Quiltmaking at the bookstore today and can't wait to sit down with a cup of tea and be inspired!

[cathleen]

Using your vintage tablecloth for a centerpiece in a quilt block is pure creative genius. The fabrics and embroidery are a perfectly beautiful match. Once again, Jane, you have just blown me away with awe and inspiration.

[trash]

Oh I used to live just around the corner from there! I agree with Charlotte, it does give a little thrill. I shall endeavour to get to such a fabulous venue one day.

[Pom Pom]

That is so, so, so, so pretty!

[SockPixie]

I love, love, love the use of the vintage embroidered tablecloth!

[Rebecca]

Jane, strange question but I love the print on the top you are wearing in the photo on the PP site, just wondered where it is from? (If you dont mind sharing such info!)

[karen B]

You are very brave. I talk myself out of several projects because I just can't cut into something vintage. But, then again, I really like your philosophy. I'll have to adopt that myself. Your blocks are beautiful.

[Becky]

gorgeous. i have a bunch of pillowcases and such embroidered by my grandmother.. i've been thinking about making pillows out of them. this would be a beautiful way to embellish...

[Sarah]

I'm a textile historian and I'm definitely divided about reusing vintage textiles. I really mourn the cutting up of old textiles - to my mind it's the equivalent of the Victorians cutting up medieval manuscripts to make firescreens - we lose so much information about an article when its turned into something else. I understand that it's not worth keeping everything, and I really love some of the repurposings that I'm seeing - I own a lovely bag made by tinyhappy in New Zealand which reused the embroidery from an old tablecloth. But I'm much happier when only stained or damaged textiles are reused in this way and intact ones are left for another generation.

[Quiltchick1]

Glad you started sewing again, and that is a great idea. BTW, I picked up you quilt book today, it's just Lovely! I had to get it in the big city (Indianapolis, IN)but it was a prize!