All about the Illustrated Talks
04th August 2022
Why did I choose to do these particular talks?
I never intended to become and teacher. However my mum saw something in me that I never could and so she enrolled me in a teacher training course, paid for it and told me she knew I wouldn't let her down! So unintentionally, I followed in her footsteps.
I completed my adult teacher training and went on to teach photography for the next 23 years.
Whilst doing that I was asked to run some beginner sewing classes for a charity. I love a challenge!
I originally trained as a textiles artist and tailor and have stitched my whole life but never thought of teaching it. I loved it.
When I was asked to teach a patchwork class, I jumped at the opportunity! The classes I teach now include embroidery, quilting, pattern techniques, history, using traditional textiles, up-cycling and re-imagining clothing.
Inspiration often comes from a question, and one of these lead to researching where patchwork block patterns came from. My original love of patchwork stemmed from my Canadian Aunt who showed me how to make a Log Cabin block, very popular in Canada, but why? I started looking into this and it lead me on an amazing journey. I had come across The Underground Railroad - the amazing codes and bravery of the fleeing slaves from Southern America and the quilts that helped them find their way to Canada.
I also came across prison ship quilts in 17/1800’s, leading onto the First and Second World War quilts, originally made to raise funds for the war effort and as gifts for evacuees and bombed families.
The most emotional part of the war research was about the Changi gaol quilts from Simgapore. I realised that, but for a fortunate posting home, my great aunt would have been in that jail. It made the chinese linen I inherited, all the more precious.
These linens, along with their sewing kits, were some of the only possessions that the women were allowed to take into the prison when rounded up and marched 12 miles by Japanese soldiers after they invaded Singapore.
Both of these stories hold such bravery, such ingenuity and such trust and they speak of coded communications that became such an important part freedom for those who survived.
The stories are rarely spoken or written down so the evidence has had to be very carefully researched and corroborated by following generations.
It is a privilege to tell these stories and I do this with illustrated lectures and stitched examples and original linens.
These talks can be booked from the shop on the website and are available for any size group. Suitable for over 16’s in their current format.
CLICK TO BOOK
I never intended to become and teacher. However my mum saw something in me that I never could and so she enrolled me in a teacher training course, paid for it and told me she knew I wouldn't let her down! So unintentionally, I followed in her footsteps.
I completed my adult teacher training and went on to teach photography for the next 23 years.
Whilst doing that I was asked to run some beginner sewing classes for a charity. I love a challenge!
I originally trained as a textiles artist and tailor and have stitched my whole life but never thought of teaching it. I loved it.
When I was asked to teach a patchwork class, I jumped at the opportunity! The classes I teach now include embroidery, quilting, pattern techniques, history, using traditional textiles, up-cycling and re-imagining clothing.
Inspiration often comes from a question, and one of these lead to researching where patchwork block patterns came from. My original love of patchwork stemmed from my Canadian Aunt who showed me how to make a Log Cabin block, very popular in Canada, but why? I started looking into this and it lead me on an amazing journey. I had come across The Underground Railroad - the amazing codes and bravery of the fleeing slaves from Southern America and the quilts that helped them find their way to Canada.
I also came across prison ship quilts in 17/1800’s, leading onto the First and Second World War quilts, originally made to raise funds for the war effort and as gifts for evacuees and bombed families.
The most emotional part of the war research was about the Changi gaol quilts from Simgapore. I realised that, but for a fortunate posting home, my great aunt would have been in that jail. It made the chinese linen I inherited, all the more precious.
These linens, along with their sewing kits, were some of the only possessions that the women were allowed to take into the prison when rounded up and marched 12 miles by Japanese soldiers after they invaded Singapore.
Both of these stories hold such bravery, such ingenuity and such trust and they speak of coded communications that became such an important part freedom for those who survived.
The stories are rarely spoken or written down so the evidence has had to be very carefully researched and corroborated by following generations.
It is a privilege to tell these stories and I do this with illustrated lectures and stitched examples and original linens.
These talks can be booked from the shop on the website and are available for any size group. Suitable for over 16’s in their current format.
CLICK TO BOOK