The process of selecting twenty five pictures was one of the most difficult parts of the project and involved trawling through hundreds of albums.
The photographic process was hectic but fun and included finding me in my old nursery school and in the ball pit at little Marcos.
The original images were scanned and printed so that everything was in the same format. I then made line drawings from each – simple, clear and beautiful representations of my own everyday life. These drawings were digitised, reversed and printed onto the back of white fabric in preparation for embroidery.
I used recycled fabric where possible. Old blanket and clothing fabric have a sense of history which appeals to me and their softness makes them ideal to embroider onto. Embroidering each image took several weeks to complete. There was a certain delight in leafing through them individually, much like a book.
I used recycled fabric where possible. Old blanket and clothing fabric have a sense of history which appeals to me and their softness makes them ideal to embroider onto. Embroidering each image took several weeks to complete. There was a certain delight in leafing through them individually, much like a book.
The quilt assembly took a number of days and involved basting together by hand a calico backing, a quilting batt and the black material. Once stabilised as a single sheet, the drawings were laid out in order, with precise gaps between each, then they too were basted onto the sheet.
It was a difficult task to pass the quilt under the arm of the sewing machine and it had to be rolled tightly round a batten for the bulk to be passed back and forth – a two-man job. It felt incredibly satisfying after the edges were stitched to be able to lay the quilt out in its finished state.
It was a difficult task to pass the quilt under the arm of the sewing machine and it had to be rolled tightly round a batten for the bulk to be passed back and forth – a two-man job. It felt incredibly satisfying after the edges were stitched to be able to lay the quilt out in its finished state.
With the piece completed, I am satisfied that what I have created is a true reflection of my own life and at least a part representation of many of my peers in Edinburgh. The quilt stands up as a study of a life in progression.
The project as a whole was awarded the Morton Fraser award at the annual Visual Arts Scotland exhibition.
