Bev Mayo

Is it too early to be thinking of Christmas makes?

Every year I make items for the family for Christmas. To me this is as much about Christmas as the actual day itself. It gives me time to think about the recipient whilst I am making the gift. This last year Christmas was difficult and I couldn’t bring myself to even think about it without Luke, let alone make gifts. But as always I could hear his voice telling me “It is what it is, and we have to move forward and keep going” That gave me the push I needed, although rather too close to the actual date for much to be made.

I bought some sock yarn – Perfect by Arne & Carlos for Regia – which makes a perfect pair of patterned socks with with no worry about the row count. I didn’t read the instructions though, and started from the outside of the ball of yarn. I was quite a long way down the sock and thinking this doesn’t look like the pattern before I read the instructions. Only to find that I should have started with yarn from the centre of the ball. After unravelling the sock and starting again, everything was going great until the heel turn. My usual heel turn – the Strong heel, does not work with this yarn. It has been designed for a German short row heel or a boomerang (Bumerangferse) heel. It took several attempts to make a heel that I was satisfied with, but I still find that I am getting holes. This year I will master it as starting now gives me plenty of time before Christmas. It is one of this years challenges to myself.

First pair boxed and ready for Christmas 2022

As I started late on the Christmas makes, (mid way through November) I only managed to make 5 pairs of socks, I decided to make some simpler items as stocking fillers. One was a Christmas napkin basket. I found a fabric with a robin picture which I placed in the centre of the basket as a surprise when all the napkins have been used. Although a square of Christmas fabric works just as well and is less time consuming.

It is a smaller version of the fabric tray pattern. I have added a free pattern download to my website with the new measurements. Small Napkin Basket

I am now going to make another everyday napkin basket in the hope of being able to have friends to visit for BBQ’s and afternoon tea this summer. I think we all need something to look forward to.

Bev

Back in the Classroom with the Coniston Cutting Mat Bag

It was lovely to be back in the classroom at Tudor Rose Patchwork today after the Christmas break. Everyone was full of enthusiasm either with new projects in mind or a determination to finish projects from last year.

Janet is currently quilting the Coniston Cutting mat bag and Julia decided to get the pattern. Looking around the room I saw that everyone had their cutting mat bags with them. It seems to have become the class bag.

And a gallery of bags from Barbara, Janet, Jenny and Sarah

I love seeing how the pattern is adapted and looks in different colours It is one of the most rewarding things about teaching. I can’t wait to see what fabrics Julia chooses for her bag.

Happy Quilting

Bev

The Derwent Quilt

Today I have been preparing for lessons this week. As we are revisiting colour theory I started looking through my sketchbooks. One of them has the original designs and ideas behind the Derwent Quilt. It started as a design exercise for patchwork templates for my City & Guilds students. I was so taken with it I developed it further into the final Derwent quilt.

Growing up on the shore of Lake Derwentwater it was inevitable that one of my designs would be named after it.

Lake Derwentwater is one of the main lakes in the English Lake District. Growing up in Portinscale, a village on the edge of the lake, we spent most summers swimming (before wild swimming became a thing) and sailing on the Lake. We would regularly swim from Hawse End to a small island, which we called lone tree island, and occasionally to St Herbert’s Island. We also would cycle and walk around the lake. We have such fabulous memories of a “Swallows and Amazon’s” childhood.

The Derwent Quilt is a bold design, fitting for a place which holds such wonderful childhood memories. Below are some pictures I took from the launch landings at Keswick and one from the hill side above Hawse End.

This pattern has been available as templates for several years, and I have now updated it for 2022 as a foundation paper piecing pattern. It will be available on my website soon.

Happy Quilting

Bev

The Dunmail Quilt

Do your quilts tell you their names?

As I am making a quilt, sometimes they tell me their names. Other quilts hide their names and I have to work hard to discover it.

This quilt was a project I undertook during that Twixmas period. I had hoped that it would be finished before New Year, but deciding at the last minute to make another border from the orphan blocks left over from the flying geese border, delayed completion of the quilt top.

As I was adding border after border to the quilt I could hear my father asking if we had our passports as we crossed Dunmail Raise crossing between Cumberland and Westmorland ( before they merged to form Cumbria. And so this quilt told me its name – Dunmail.

Now it is a New Year and it is a time to look forward, but also to remember the past and those who have gone before us with a smile and a happy memory.

Happy New Year.

Bev

Thank you

It has been difficult coming back into the studio, but I now feel ready to start preparing to get back to work. It is most strange, knowing that Luke will not pop in, sit next to me and fiddle with anything that may be on the table whilst we chat. It doesn’t feel as if he has truly gone, just popped out for a moment. He was always one to keep moving forward, facing any new challenges that came his way and finding a solution to any problems. My first thank you of this post is to thank him for always being so positive, he will always inspire me to keep moving forward.

We have been blessed with our family and friends, who continue to support us in these early weeks. I can’t thank each and everyone enough.

One of Lukes friends, Matt Nalton, wrote a beautiful piece of music for him. He called it Gentle (after our gentle giant) and it is available to listen to on Apple Music and Spotify. This piece was used for the time of reflection and it is so beautiful. It has meant so much to us that Matt took the time to write this piece for him. Thank you Matt.

Apple Music:https://music.apple.com/gb/album/gentle/1577399495…

Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/track/5kJdwotrMrFs66HjTLE4fD…

The daughter of one of my close friends is a florist who makes the most beautiful natural arrangements. We asked Jess to use edible flowers and herbs in the spray in tribute to Lukes career as a chef and chocolatier. She suggested a cottage garden theme and created a stunning arrangement which was perfect. The scent from the spray was amazing too.

You can see more of her wonderful creations on her Instagram account Fern & Forest

Rosemary split the arrangement into smaller pieces after the funeral. This was such a thoughtful gesture. We had beautiful arrangements around the house for the following week. I also was able give my friends small bouquets to enjoy.

Thank you Jess and Rosemary.

Thank you to everyone who has donated to the Burnt Chef project in Lukes name, via the donation page Luke Mayo. We think Luke would have been very supportive of this project. From his experience as a chef he understood the pressures they are under to produce great food and to make sure that customers have a lovely experience. He was all about the hospitality of the industry. Again thank you for your generosity to this project.

I would also like to thank all my students who have been so kind and patient with me over the last few weeks. I will be back in the classroom from next week and am looking forward to seeing you all again.

Finally thank you all for taking the time to read my blog and visiting my website.

Now, as Rosemary reminded me this morning, Luke would probably say

“Come on Mum – get on with it”

It is time to get back into the studio

Take Care

Bev

Luke

A week ago today, our wonderful son passed away, after a 2year battle with bladder cancer. He was always so optimistic and faced everything that was thrown at him bravely. He had a wicked sense of humour and thought it great fun to creep into my studio and stand quietly behind me until I realised he was there, making me jump on many occasion.

It was shortly after he had launched his chocolate business that he was diagnosed. He kept going as long as he could producing some of the most delicious chocolates and truffles I have ever tasted. He was always thinking of the next recipe.

I never thought that he was interested in having a quilt until out of the blue, shortly before going to London as a chef, he asked when was I going to make one for him. Each block of the scrappy log cabin quilt made for him, was stitched with love to keep him warm whilst he was away from home.

He was the best son I could have had. A gentle giant with a huge heart. I will hold him in my heart forever.

I will be taking a break from my teaching for a little while, but will still be available for questions and advice by email.

Bev

An Everyday Tote Bag

Earlier in the year, I was asked by ClassBento , if I would design some patchwork projects for beginners. I am always up for a new challenge, and I love helping beginners, so this project was irresistible. After a bit of thought and head scratching the first of the kits and video series is now live.

I am so pleased to be able to show everyone the Everyday Tote Bag as it seems to have been under wraps for a little while.

It is a contemporary looking Tote in bold stripes. All the fabric in the kit is precut and comes with fully illustrated instructions which compliment the video series.

You can find out more about the kits on the website – Kits. I am looking forward to sharing the next project and will update the blog when it is ready.

Happy Quilting

Bev

Two hands and a duck

Is 1 too early to start a sketchbook?

I don’t think so.

At the weekend I gave Bobbi her first sketchbook and some large block crayons. She helped me draw round my hand and her own. She did a bit of free expression drawing and then grandad drew a Duck.

(Her first word is duck)

Is she inspired by Jackson Pollock?

We will have to see how her creative journey unfolds. I think that I will invest in a painting apron for her so that we can have a go at printing and painting.

Keep sketching

Bev

The Dawn Fisherman

Looking round my studio there are many pieces which I have created over the years.

One of my favourites is a textured 3D silk panel of a heron, The Dawn Fisherman

The panel was inspired by all the herons we see on our walks in the park behind our house. Pin tucks, smocking, shirring, pleats and quilting have all been used to create the picture.

The rock pool panel, shown above, uses many of these techniques along with prairie point Limpets. Starfish and shells complete the rock pool. It was great fun creating and teaching this workshop. Looking back through the textiles I have made over, I was going to say the last 30 to 40 years, but then realised that it is over my lifetime, has made me realise how my work has changed. From designing knitting, cross stitch and blackwork patterns, Stitched paintings to teaching hand and machine embroidery and patchwork & quilting. I feel that my love of textiles has only become stronger over the years.

Happy Quilting

Bev

Technology is great – When its working.

Yesterday I had a moment when my sewing machine stopped working, mid seam. Slight panic ensued as I went round the house trying to find out which fuse had blown – Nothing. Back to the machine, still not working. Was it time to get the replacement I had been thinking about for a year? Unfortunately – No. When setting up the studio for teaching on Thursday, I had moved the machine slightly and the power cable had become loose. Such a simple fix and I was back in action. I wish all fixes were so simple.

As we have not been able to meet in person this year, I have been teaching via zoom. It has been a whole new world of technology to get to grips with. It has been an eye opener to how we can all remain connected even when distance and a pandemic keep us apart. I have been working on a new version of the Ambleside Quilt alongside my students, demonstrating sections using screen mirroring. This lets me zoom in on sections and show close up sections of quilting and piecing. However, I upgraded my equipment and am now experiencing lag between them. I have spent quite a long time at the computer trying to find a solution but the explanations seem to be written in a foreign language. I am sure though with a bit more research I will find an answer.

Sometimes we need to let a problem percolate in our minds to come up with a solution, and this has been the case with the blocks for the Ambleside quilt. It is a large quilt and so I have decided to divide it into sections and quilt as I go. I debated, with myself, whether to have a coloured backing so that the quilting would not be obvious on the back of the quilt, but finally decided that I would embrace the quilting patterns that appear. I could have used a white thread on the spool and the coloured thread on the bobbin, but this may have given pin pricks of either colour on each side.

These are some of the blocks I have been quilting this week. Usually when I have finished piecing a quilt my mind moves on to the next project, almost forgetting that there is as much work to be done to quilt it. Quilting as I go, completes the quilt in sections and my mind won’t wander onto the next project – I hope.

Now to join the sections together and add the borders. Much more fun than trying to sort out computing problems.

Happy Quilting

Bev