I was born in Leeds and though I have travelled a lot in the past, my home is now in Ilkley, on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales. My friends would say that I have a fairly strong Northern accent and I see myself very much as a Yorkshire lass: I am pretty hardy in cold weather, I love a brisk walk on the wild moors just like the Brontë sisters many moons ago, and I drink a lot of tea.
A lot of my recent quilt art has been directly inspired by the landscape that surrounds my home.
First up are the very famous Cow and Calf rocks on Ilkley Moor. These huge formations are made of millstone grit and are so named because one is large, with the smaller one sitting close to it, like a cow and calf. According to local legend, the Calf was split from the Cow when the giant Rombald was fleeing an enemy, and stamped on the rock as he leapt across the valley. Hundreds of people come here to climb and explore the moors with fantastic views across the valley.
The first picture I made is a literal interpretation of them. I used foundation paper piecing to make the iconic shapes of the landscape and a mixture of Liberty prints and silk for the grass. I then machine quilted the swirls in the sky and textures of the fauna. The border fabric features bicycles and was designed for Liberty of London by Grayson Perry, it is a print named Philippa after his wife. I thought this was very appropriate as Ilkley has the largest cycling club in the country with over 1000 members (though I am not one of them!)
I was very fortunate on the eveining I went to have a go at photographing this print in situ to bump into local professional photographer Chris North, who was flying his drone to get some shots of the rocks at sunset. He very kindly helped me out and sent across some beautiful images.
Next up came the idea to create a picture featuring the Cow and Calf as animals, and there is no shortage of livestock in the surrounding fields here to observe.
I used wool spun down the road at Marton Mill in Otley, which is beautifully soft, for the Cow and Calf. The quilt design was inspired by The Heart and Crosses coverlet dating from 1875, which I have admired many times on visits to The National Quilt Museum in York. I used dark grey in the centre to echo the rock formations and surrounded them with colours I associate with the local moorland which is rich with heather, bracken, elderflowers and bilberries. The quilting was all stitched by hand on the original artwork. I am really pleased that this image is now making its way into the nurseries and bedrooms of local children.
Then we have The Yorkshire Rose.
Once again this is made with fabrics from Liberty of London including Grayson Perry's bicycles in two colourways. It is machine quilted with metallic silver thread. I stitched it during the build up to the Tour de France in 2014 when the race passed through Ilkley, an amazing event that I will never forget.
It is quite funny because the majority of my immediate family, including my parents, grandparents and two older sisters were all born across the border in Lancashire. My brother and I were born in Yorkshire. Historically there is rivalry between the two counties (the Wars of the Roses) and it manifests itself in daily life, for example my dad supports Burnley Football club and my children support Leeds United. So when my dad saw this piece he did politely ask if I might be making a red Lancashire rose any time soon, but I haven't quite got around to it yet!
What I have been sewing in the last few weeks is another picture with the Cow and Calf, soon to be printed as a christmas card. I pictured them snuggled up on the sofa under a quilted blanket in their christmas jumpers and party hats, at the end of a busy day of celebrating. The bikes are in there again too, this time as wallpaper! The picture here is unedited and ready to go off and be transformed into cards which hopefully some of you will want to buy!
All other products mentioned in this post are available as cards and prints in my online shop. Thanks for stopping by.
It is really important to have a trustworthy hacker. I just had the idea to post this here in order to assist others who might require this kind of assistance! They literally saved my life; at the very least, I owe them advertising and notoriety. I recommend Wizard James Recovery, a hacking company that I trust for personal and private hacking, because every project I handed them turned out well. My credit card debts and personal credit loans were erased since I was unable to stick to the debt repayment schedule that the scammers had put me in, and Wizard James Recovery hacking service assisted me in recovering my lost money and Bitcoin from scammers. Contact them now at, WIZARDJAMESRECOVERY@USA.COM WhatsApp: + 4 4 7 4 1 8 3 6 7 2 0 4
When I lost my BTC wallet access after a failed software update, I was crushed. That Bitcoin was meant for my daughter’s college fund. The thought of losing it gave me sleepless nights. A friend in the crypto community told me to contact Speed Expert. I sent a desperate email to Speedexpertcrytocurrencyrecover@mail.com, hoping for a miracle. They replied quickly, asked detailed questions, and explained every step clearly. No tech jargon or false hope. Within a few days, they successfully recovered my wallet. I can’t overstate what this means to me and my family. Their service is worth every second. If you’re considering them don’t hesitate. contact them via Speedexpertcrytocurrencyrecover@mail.com, Whatsapp +12083405828 They gave me back peace of mind
Potential investors are hesitant to seize this profitable investment opportunity due to the depressing rise in internet theft that targets digital assets. I myself lost $123,850 after falling for a scam from an online Pocket Options Broker. They lured me in by promising me large profits on my money, but I was turned away when I attempted to visit the investing website later. I tried to get in touch with their support staff, but I quickly discovered that I had been scammed.
I was desperate to get my money back, so I looked online for answers and found Wizard James Recovery. I was drawn to his stellar reputation for offering top-notch recovery services. I took a chance and contacted him, and to my surprise, he was able to assist me get back all of the money I had lost within 72 hours. My gratitude for his exceptional service is beyond words.
For unparalleled recovery support, I highly suggest contacting James at ( wizardjamesrecovery@usa.com ) if you find yourself in a similar circumstance.
I sincerely appreciate the help provided by WIZARD JAMES RECOVERY in recovering my cryptocurrency. I had lost all of my life’s savings after falling victim to a fraudulent investment organization. I was distraught and didn’t know what to do. I discovered WIZARD JAMES RECOVERY after doing some internet research. They have an excellent reputation and have helped many customers recover their stolen bitcoin. I am glad I tried them out. The personnel at WIZARD JAMES RECOVERY was very knowledgeable and helpful. Throughout their journey, they kept me updated and provided me with a detailed explanation of the recovery process. All of my bitcoin accounts were recovered using the WIZARD JAMES RECOVERY. With deep appreciation, I thank the Wizard James Recovery.
You can get in touch with them at email : wizardjamesrecovery@usa.com OR WHATSAPP: +44 7418 367 204 if you’ve also misplaced your cryptocurrency wallet, forgotten your password, or had your phone compromised.
EASY STEP TO RECOVER YOUR STOLEN CRYPTOS
A few months ago, I lost over $150,000 in Bitcoin to a fake investor I found online. It was devastating, especially since a coworker of mine faced the same scam. Just when I thought all hope was lost, a friend introduced me to JETWEBHACKERS. I reached out to them, and they worked their magic, recovering my stolen assets swiftly. Their expertise and dedication were truly impressive! If you’re in a similar situation, don’t hesitate to contact them. They really know what they’re doing and helped me get my life back on track!
Reach out to them today and turn your situation around!
WEBSITE: jetwebhackers. com
EMAIL: jetwebhackers@gmail.com
Telegram: @jetwebhackers
WhatsApp: +1 (325) 721-3656
You won’t regret it!
Leave a comment