simple flower stem

Commissioned Wall Hanging

Inis Aoibhinn is a respite home situated in the grounds of Galway Hospital. Patients stay there whilst undergoing treatment for Cancer.

The central motif is a stylised image of a spray of Hawthorn and is the logo of the Inis Aoibhinn home.

Pictured (left) is the centre of the hanging, showing the extra padding. I attempted to make it look soft, and therefore portraying "Comfort".

Below is the finished hanging, measuring 29 inches x 28.5 inches.

Shopping bag /Tote

On the right is a Foundation Pieced bag I made as a result of attending a one day workshop by Michelle Clark from the UK.


I also made the bag below in the week following the workshop. Michelle had been telling us that there was a rush to buy Chinese made bags with the wording "I am not a plastic bag " on them. Inspired by Michelle's half completed bag, I made one for myself, but added the "made by me" on the reverse, for a bit of fun, as I didn't want anyone to think that I had bought a Chinese version.

The "Front" of my non plastic shopoping bag.

Positively Pink Lap Quilt

I greatly admired the quilt below, as featured in the magazine, McCall's Quilting. It was called English Garden, designed by Nancy Mahoney, and machine quilted by Dawn Kelly. I wanted to make one of my own, but Nancy's quilt was rather too large for what I wanted, so I reduced the size of blocks from twelve inches to nine inches. I was also inspired by Dawn's quilting, but didn't want to copy exactly all her designs, though I have used some of them. Since treating myself to a new, top of the range Bernina sewing machine last year, I wanted a project that would encourage me to make use of some of the great features this machine has, and I enjoyed every minute of the quilting. My thanks to Nancy and Dawn for their inspiration.

One of the pieced blocks, shoeing the free machine quilting, and, next to it, it is possible to see the McTavish style quilting that surrounds the flower buds and leaves.

Detail of quilting in the corner, with more heart shapes, as opposed to the original feather shapes. The applique square, below right, I adapted the original, changing circles into flower buds. The buds and leaves have had two extra layers added behind them (Trapunto) to make them stand out in relief. (As pioneered by Karen McTavish, with her style of quilting surrounding them)

The square below shows a detail of the free hand machine quilting.

I thoroughly enjoyed this process, having got over the initial nerves.

As I wanted a really warm lap quilt, I backed the top (after adding the trapunto layers) with one layer of batting, and did all the decorative quilting with just these two layers, using the Bernina Stitch Regulator. When this was completed, I added another layer of batting, and the fine fleece backing, then stitched in the ditch around the blocks, using a walking foot. This would provide large pockets to trap more air for warmth.

The back of the quilt, showing the second lot of quilting, just quilting in the ditch through all the layers. The backing is actually a fine fleece for extra cosiness.

The finished product (photographed pinned to my garden shed wall).

One Day Quilting Workshop

This is the result of our latest one day workshop with the quilting group. Some did an easier tree design, others a more complicated fan type design with twelve pieces in each quarter. Another had already made the owl block, so used this for her bag.

It's surprising how different the finished blocks looked, depending on the placement of light/dark fabrics.

This is my finished bag, all ready for the shopping. I put in side gussets, as I like a bag that will stand up on it's own. I also added some support in the form of Pelmet stiffening, to the front, back and base. April 2007.

Spring Wallhanging

My latest Wallhanging - named "Well it's spring again" (I'll bring again, Tulips from Amsterdam).

Stacy (my youngest granddaughter) named the left hand rabbit "Fluffy Tail".

She named this right hand rabbit "Big Ears"

The tulips were quilted in the ditch, the rabibits were trapunto'd and outline quilted. The border was echo quilted.

The quilt measures 52" x 32" and was designed using EQ6, completed April 2007

1860's Ladies Crinoline Dress

This is an 1860's outfit made by myself and my work colleague, Ita. I made the corset and chemise,

Ita made the crinoline hoops

Ita made the skirt, and the bodice, I then made the sleeves, and boned and lined the bodice, adding the hand covered buttons and buttonholes.

Detail of one of the sleeves, with fine linen undersleeve, worn by tying above the elbow. The complete dress, March 2007.

McTavish style of Quilting

This is my first attempt at this style of quilting, popularised by a lady named Karen McTavish.
I bought her two books just after Christmas, and made this little quilt (destined for Project Linus) as a practice piece.

A closer view of a corner, plus a detail which shows the Trapunto design (one of my own) with mini stippling in the cartouche.

These pictures are of work in progress.

I completed this little quilt in February 2007.

Completed Wall Hangings!

The completed wall hangings, entitled:

Achonry Diptych. The smaller one is 'Moyrush'

and the larger 'Lisnagore'

I tried to take a detailed picture showing some

of the quilting, but the clarity isn't great. (It

looked better in my photo file, so I don't know

what went wrong, sorry.)

Christmas 2006

Wishing you all a very Happy Christmas, and a Peaceful New Year. Love from Lesley

Circa 1770 Polonaise

These are pictures of the latest outfit I completed recently.
This is the underwear, comprising a linen shift, boned corset, 'bum roll' and linen petticoat.

The underskirt is silk.



The back and front views of the finished article. The top is of sprigged cream cotton, trimmed with hand hemmed brown silk to match the underskirt. It is also boned, at the front, back and sides. I don't think those women were ever meant to bend!

New 'Baby'

This is Dad's and my new baby, though his 'half' is bigger than mine. After fourteen years, the old Honda went to the great scrap heap in the sky. I still miss it, but I'm finding this one much easier to get Dad around in. There is a hoist fitted to one side of the boot, that swings out. A cord can be let down at the touch of a button, and hooked around anything heavy. In this case it's the wheelchair, but it could just as easily be a sack of potatoes. I just press the 'up' button, then swing in the chair and hey presto. Heaven.

The gantry can be put down on the floor if it's in the way, but I don't seem to do that often. I am finding that Dad is willing to come out with me more, now that he can see that it isn't so much of an effort.



The wheel chair gets stowed away with plenty of room besides for any shopping we might want to put in it. they have even put mini 'aircraft' styhle overhead lockers in it. You can just see the ends of them in this phot, one on either side. The overhead door is also a great help, as it is good for keeping some of the rain off whilst I am organising the hoisting.

This is the bit that might make you giggle - how many people are there that get a brand new car with two odd wing mirrors.......

What is more, how long do you think it took me before I noticed? I'm ashamed to say that it was two and a half weeks - during the second wash. By that time eight people had been in it, and lots more had seen it. I'm still waiting for a replacement, but I'm told it's on its way.

Edwardian Walking Outfit

The outfit consisted of Linen Chemise, Linen Corset, Bum roll, and Silk Petticoat. The petticoat has a facing in Grey to avoid the silk showing where the top fastens. It also has a grey facing to the hem so that it is this grey that shows when the wearer walks and the splits in the hem move.

The skirt and top were made of fine grey wool, and the top has shaping in the front in the form of four radiating darts coming up from the centre waist.

The top fastened on the left shoulder with five self covered buttons, and down the left side seam with eleven more self covered buttons. When the front was folded back, then the lining was fastened with numerous hooks and eyes to stabilise the two sides. The high standing collar was stiffened with buckram, fastened with more hooks and eyes, and trimmed with hand made cording.

The top was longer in the front, with just a single split centre front, and the back of the top was split into several sections to accommodate the bum roll and give a smooth shape.

The splits on the skirt were treated the same way as on the top, all stiffened with buckram and weighted in each corner, then trimmed with hand made cording.

The completed outfit. It was commissioned and

has gone to Springhill, a National Trust

Property in Northern Ireland. They will be using it

as part of their handling collection - this is available

to school children as part of their education

programme.