Meet Patricia McLaughlin

Selsey, West Sussex, England

All photos courtesy of Michael McLaughlin.

I am delighted to share Patricia’s interview with you.  She is delightful and energetic…PLUS her quilts are stunning!!  Enjoy!

 

Patricia, when did you start quilting? 

I started quilting in 1992 as an absolute beginner.

 

Why did you start quilting?

I had to retire from Nursing after sustaining a back injury, which subsequently required spinal surgery.  A friend tried to cheer me up by taking me, almost forcibly, to a local Quilting Group. However having once seen the wonderful work these ladies produced I just had to go home and have a go at it myself.

 

Who taught you how to quilt?

I am self taught. I bought a book called ‘The Complete Book of Patchwork & Quilting’ and read it over and over. I learned all my skills from this book and with hours of practice.

 
I then took many workshops from various teachers in order to broaden my skills. Even now I try to do the same as I always learn something new on every workshop.

In 1991-1992 I took a 2 year course 'City & Guild' part 1, Creative studies, and discovered my love of 'design'. The tutor of this course encouraged me to go back to college and do my training to become a qualified teacher. It was the best advice I could have had as this had made such a difference to my approach to students in the learning environment and that is when I truly learned my craft. Doing it is one thing, teaching it is another!!

 

Tell me about your family.  What do they think about your quilting?

I am blessed to still have my parents.  My father still embroiders at the age of 89.

I have 4 children myself and they are so encouraging and always interested in the work that I do. All of them have already chosen the quilt which will eventually be left to them. Two of my grandsons have also decided on the quilts they would like to inherit and are always enquiring about the next piece of work.

 
I think I was born with a needle in my hand!  I am blessed to have a very creative family.  My Mother taught me to sew on an old 'Treadle Sewing Machine' & I learned to make my own clothes from the age of 10. My Grandfather was a military policeman with hands like hams, but he taught me how to embroider, whilst my Grandmother passed on her knitting skills to me.  Both of my sons can draw beautifully and the youngest is also a musician.  Both daughters embroider. It must be in the genes.

 
My husband Michael is my right hand man. Without his help and continued support, I could not do the work I do--teaching all over United Kingdom and internationally, as well as producing design books for students, and most importantly making my own quilts.

 

Where do you live?  Are there other quilters there?

I am fortunate enough to live in the very south of England actually on the coast in a small fishing town called Selsey Bill. Ten miles across the sea is The Isle of Wight and even further on is France.

There are 3 groups of Quilters in the town and I am connected with 2 of them.

The last of the 3 groups was formed as a result of the quilting classes that I taught in the local college.

What other hobbies do you have besides quilting?  How do these interests affect your quilting?

I enjoy walking, swimming, drawing and traveling. Drawing is essential to my design work and traveling allows me to enjoy teaching abroad even more.

 

Do you have any training in art?

I have had no art training at all, although I have always loved to draw. I have never had the skill to pluck many pictures from my head and prefer to make a study of things. I did not excel in art at school. I remember that our final art examination was to draw a 'Treadle Sewing Machine' of all things. (must be a hidden message in there somewhere!) It was very difficult and I obviously did not impress my examiners as I made a low grade. However, this did not disillusion me and I continued to doodle.

The drawings for my work are mostly developed from the photographs that my husband takes for me, which I then enlarge and re-create in order to work them in fabric. A notepad and pencil travel with me always.  I will make sketches of flowers etc. even whilst on the move.

 

What kind of sewing machine do you use? 

I have a 1030 Bernina sewing machine. It is not a ‘Singing & Dancing’ machine but an absolute work horse. My husband bought it for me 10 years ago and it sews beautifully. I also have an old Bernina 830 that I use for teaching purposes as it is happy to travel anywhere.

 

What is your favorite part of the quilting process?

My passion is Hand Appliqué and I love to mould and stitch the fabric into shapes that eventually make up my Pictorial Quilts.

 

What inspires you creatively? 

Born and bred in the country I am always inspired by nature itself. I never fail to be amazed at the beauty of this earth of ours.  Surrounded by the 'South Downs'--a wonderful gently rolling set of hills with it's many Nature Conservation areas--as well as living right on the ocean, I am continually inspired. So many ideas and not enough time!

What is your favorite season? 

I love spring. Our garden becomes alive with the nesting birds and the spring flowers in our surrounding woodland areas are so beautiful.  The trees are bursting forth and the air seems cool and clean.

 

Whose quilts inspire you? 

Margaret Docherty of England is my biggest inspiration as her quilts are not only hand worked but are technically perfect.

How many quilt projects do you have in progress right now? 

Three

 

How many UFO’s (unfinished objects) do you have?  Have you ever abandoned a UFO? 

I really do not have any UFO’s and I never let a quilt get the better of me. I aim to finish it no matter what. I might not be pleased with it, but as I am always saying to my students ‘Finished is better than perfect’.

 

Please tell me a funny story about your quilting.

I was demonstrating my own personal Hand Appliqué technique at a local exhibition. The appliqué piece was a clown who was holding a watering can in front of his trousers.  Of course as always, one has to layer from the back to the front of the design. In doing so the feet and trousers of the clown had been worked and next in order came the spout of the watering can.  I was actually stitching the spout which was I now realize, strategically placed in the ‘fly’ position of the clown’s trousers.

Suddenly from behind me came a gasp and this little lady turned to her friend and said ‘Cor blimey Mavis, is that what I think it is?!’  There were hoots of laughter from all the other spectators and then the word got around to the other visiting quilters. Before I could count to 20 I had flocks of ladies all trying to get a better look. I assured them that it was the spout of the watering can and not a piece of the clown’s anatomy!

It was the best bit of PR work anyone could have done! 

 

Has quilting taught you any lessons of life?  Please share.

Quilting has taught me that it is never to late to learn--having come to quilting only 14 years ago.  It has also taught me how important it is that the skills we learn along the way are passed on to others in order that this wonderful craft will continue.  Quilters are international and their needles and threads break down all the language difficulties. A demonstration can pass on an idea without a spoken word.  The friendships made along the way give us all such invaluable love and support.

 

Has quilting ever helped you through a time of struggle or heartache?  Can you share about that?

In 1999 I was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer. My ensuing treatment which lasted 10 months was very debilitating. However, I was still able to sew on a good day. In fact I was working on a commission at the time of diagnoses. I decided to go ahead with the work but let my client know that I might not get it completed at the arranged time. That piece of work was a tremendous focus--something to aim for.  It was completed only 2 days before the deadline. That has always been a very special quilt not only for me but also for my client.

I meet many other 'Breast Cancer' survivors during my travel and lectures.  I always share my story as we are inclined only to hear of the dark side of the disease.

 

Please list your favorite quote or motto.

‘Every experience deeply felt, needs to be passed along.

Whether it be through the words of music,

Chiseled in stone, painted with a brush or sewn with a needle.

It is a way of reaching for immortality.’

(Thomas Jefferson)

 

Tell me about the quilting groups that you belong to.  What are the advantages and disadvantages of being part of these groups?

I belong to the Quilters Guild of the British Isles of which there are thousands of members. The advantage is that we get to meet other quilters from all over the UK. I am an honoree member of the Scottish Guild and belong to 2 local quilt groups. There are no real disadvantages except maybe getting too overloaded with work as a result of so many requests for lectures and workshops.  The advantages are simply from belonging!

 

Have you ever quilted in another country? 

I have quilted in Spain, France, Germany, and America. All have been on teaching trips. 

In April 2006, I will be teaching in Virginia at The Quilt Patch Fairfax, as well as teaching the Annapolis and Milltown Quilters in Maryland in May 2006.  The Annapolis Quilters are also taking me to Paducah!!   Who else but Quilters would make such an offer!

 

What is your favorite color?

I love yellow because it is warm and glowing.

What’s your favorite color scheme in a quilt?

The colors of nature are what I love to work in best of all. I try to really look and see the colors that are truly in front of my eyes. I realize that before I made quilts I used to look, but not always see.

 

Do you plan out your whole quilt before you begin or do you start with an idea and let it develop on its own? 

I usually start with an idea and then let it develop. This is an exciting way to work as the end can be a complete surprise.  My designs are all original and I work from my own drawings.  This design aspect is very important for me.  As the ideas unfold, the drawings then tell me which direction to take.

 

Do you make quilts to satisfy a creative need or are your quilts always made for a specific purpose or person?

Both!  I do commissions for people and of course have to meet the required criteria.

However my own personal quilts are made simply as a need to satisfy an idea or inspiration. Then I will exhibit them. I seldom make a quilt specifically for an exhibition. Rather I make the quilt and then see if I can show it!

 

Do you enjoy machine quilting?

Very much.  I love the complete freedom of movement and I can fill a space with great ease letting the quilt once again tell me the way forward.

 

Do you hand piece or hand quilt any of your work?  Tell me what you like about this process.

I hand piece and hand appliqué. I love the feel of the fabric in my hands and know that I can make it fit perfectly or turn the edge under perfectly.

It is also more sociable and I like to sit with my husband in the evenings and work by hand.  Also when I meet friends we can sit and stitch and put the world to rights over a cup of tea, with a needle and thread in our hands.

Have you developed any special quilting techniques or products?

I have my own personal method of Hand Appliqué.  As a result this special technique, I am able to continue my appliqué even when I travel--as it is so completely portable. This is demonstrated in both of the 'Source Design' book I have written for my students.

 

Do you work in a series with your quilts?

No, I really like to make different quilts each time.

Do you daydream about quilts while you are doing other things? 

If I am working on a quilt the ‘thinking’ process starts off again at each new stage. It seems to me I far from ‘daydream’…It is usually in the middle of the night that the ideas come to me. Then I wonder why I did not think of it before!

 

Tell me about your favorite fabrics. 

I use personally hand dyed fabrics in all of my work--created with pure cotton cloth I purchase from the old cotton mills here in England. I have tried many times to use commercial prints and sometimes I do manage to include them in my work, however, I am happiest working in plain hand dyed fabrics.  Plus, the heavy machine embroidery and quilting that I add to my work requires the plain fabrics in order to be clearly visible.

 

Please tell me about your favorite quilt shop. 

My favorite quilt shop is called ‘The Cormorant Fabric Shop’ and it is special because it is run by two very good friends of mine and they have an amazing variety of stock to offer.

Are there any tools or gadgets that you just can’t live without?

I cannot live without my pair of 4” scissors that cut to the very tip. Without them I would be lost!  The other most valuable tool I think is my light box.

 

Do you ever teach classes?  What is your favorite class to teach?

I have taught many hundreds of students during my ten years as a teacher.

My favorite class is to instruct the students in design, and for them all to design and work their personal appliqué block. 

However after a 6 year break, I am again teaching 'Beginners' at 'The Cormorant' fabric shop. This has been a new learning curve for me to go back to basics again.  Two classes are already running successfully and another is waiting.

 

Please tell me about your quilting business….is there anything else that you would like to share?

I work at home making my own quilts and putting Source design books together with the help of my husband Michael.  We are currently getting together a ‘Sampler’ book which is the course that I am currently teaching ‘Beginners’ locally.

Do you have any tips or advice for beginners?  What do you wish you would have known when you started quilting?

I would advise a beginner to take a course and to build up their skills gradually so as to make the ultimate step of working their own quilt an easy one.  I have found the whole experience so rewarding that I never stopped to think about ‘If only’.

 

Do you have any suggestions for quilters who are trying to fit more quilting time into their day? 

Don’t do so much housework. A grand sweep once a week is quite enough.

Teach your husband to cook.

My husband always supports my need to work. I am very fortunate.

 


I hope you have enjoyed learning about Patricia’s journey as much as I have.  You can contact Patricia or find out more about her teaching schedule by visiting her website.

 
www.patriciapictorialquilts.btinternet.co.uk

So who do you want for the next Real Women Quilt Featured Quilter?!!  I'm always open to your suggestions.  and let me know.


We are working on loading all the past Featured Quilters into our Featured Quilter Archive....sort of like our own little Hall of Fame!! 

Featured Quilter Achives!!