I recently taught a course inspired by Boro textiles. It is important not to copy exactly their techniques or aesthetic but i think OK to take inspiration from this textile story which emerged out of poverty. I twist it and make it my own by not using indigo but using pieces of very worn quilts ( which I have unpicked to reveal their raggy layers)  sourced in the north east of England in conjunction with other blue scraps. I patchwork these together and then stitch into them decoratively. Unlike the original boro textiles they are not designed to be useful so the stitching is not there to ..read more

Coronavirus has really squashed me creatively and I feel unable to do much as my thoughts are with my loved ones and friends and I feel anxious and fearful for them and me. I however have been doing a sort of textile diary since lock down. Marking time I guess. Each day I sew on one little scrap, turning over each day so the marks of the previous day are in evidence. Just for me, contemplative and slow stitching to start the day ..read more

I recently taught a course inspired by Boro textiles. It is important not to copy exactly their techniques or aesthetic but i think OK to take inspiration from this textile story which emerged out of poverty. I twist it and make it my own by not using indigo but using pieces of very worn quilts ( which I have unpicked to reveal their raggy layers)  sourced in the north east of England in conjunction with other blue scraps. I patchwork these together and then stitch into them decoratively. Unlike the original boro textiles they are not designed to be useful so the stitching is not there to hold ..read more

This week I have been to see the  "We Will Walk" exhibition at Turner Contemporary in Margate. A long way to go from the north east of England but worth it to see the quilts which haven't been here before and probably will not come again. Loved the way Polly Bennett ( 1922 - 2002) described hers as "get togethers". I am going to start using that phrase for my collages. For those of you who can't get there here are pictures of some of the quilts. The rest of the exhibits are also deeply moving and thought provoking ..read more

I have been working on some new samples for a course I am teaching later on this year. Rather pleased with this cod and it was fin to work with metallics and spangles again. All hand stitched as usual ..read more

At the weekend we had a night on Holy Island and I managed to photograph these wonderful pieces of cloth blowing in the severe gales.before they blew away. They are covering an upturned boat. There are several old boats on Lindisfarne like this.In one of the pictures you can see how they echo the castle on its mound. A very special place ..read more

I have been doing portraits of birds that are on the British red alert list. This means they are in serious decline in terms of numbers. Here is a Lapwing. They are exotic looking in our bleak Northumberland landscape. Hope I have captured their beauty effectively ..read more

I have been drawing today but feel I just can't capture the beauty of these pressed flowers and grasses. They are from a portfolio collected by Birgitta Theodorsen, I think from Sweden, and were given to us as a gift from my daughter Alice. I think what I really like is the sellotape and how some things are just crumpled ..read more

I would just like to alert you to some new courses I am running at The Hearth, Horsley, Northumberland in 2020.  All of my work and workshops are about using old things and recycling but here are three new courses with a bit of a  green agenda. . Check out my website https://www.mandypattullo.co.uk to find out the availability and for full course description. So my usual bird collage course is given a new twist as I encourage students to choose a British bird off the red or amber "Birds of Conservation Concern ( UK)" lists. On the red list now are starling, lapwing, house sparrow, curlew, kit ..read more

By the far the best book around at the moment is "Making a Life" by Melanie Falick. I met Melanie several years ago when she was assisting me at Chateau Dumas and she told me how she hoped to leave her job as an editor in New York and concentrate on writing her own book about using our hands. Years later, after travelling across the world with talented photographer Rinne Allen in tow she has achieved that dream. This is THE book to put on your Christmas present lists. Melanie and Rinne even made it all the way up to Northumberland to visit me in my studio on a rainy dark day and I felt sure th ..read more