keeping a secret...

so, i've totally been keeping something to myself (actually that's not entirely true, because i've got a big gob & can't keep anything to myself for 5 minutes, so remember that if you ever feel compelled to tell me a REALLY massive secret, 'kay?)

i wrote a book. a BOOK. an actual book with my name on the cover and everything. i'm aware that these days everyone and their mother is writing some kind of quilting book or another, but SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! and i wrote it myself, too. actual words and sentences & there might also be some paragraphs, capital letters and the occasional full stop. i couldn't get the hang of apostrophes so i let my editor handle the hard stuff. i also considered having a ghost writer but realised i just had to let my own voice be heard, to let it out to the world, what i had to say was too important to be muffled by another's words. *snigger*

so, it's about improv quilting and it's called 'quilt improv'. it's already up for pre-sale on amazon. (on amazon!!!) it was a lot of fun to write and i spent that miserable (weather wise) summer last year frantically making the quilts...i'm very scared it's going to be slated (i actually woke up in the night worrying about it) but if nothing else, the photos in it, taken by the uber brilliant mark scott, are A.M.A.Z.I.N.G.

in the book, i've taken photographs of ordinary things, like drain covers, air vents, holes in fences, kid's toys and used them as inspiration for the quilts. although there are instructions to make quilts like mine, the emphasis is finding your own way to create your own pieces without too many rules and regulations & getting hung up on measurements and 'the right way to do things'. hopefully there's something for all quilters in it, from the beginner to the more experienced who feel braver to try out all the different improv techniques in the book. gosh, that almost sounded sensible, didn't it?

'quilt improv' is  published by F&W media international and will be out in september, priced around £14.99.

 i'll leave you with some fun shots taken from the photo shoot at the farm...

mark hard at work whilst wonderful sarah the designer looks on

isn't this glam? you'll be pleased to know the b-b-q & crappy
chair cushions didn't feature in the shot

in the orchard (translation: by the apple tree)

lovely mini quilts on the green barn door

quilts flapping madly in the breeze (this was hilarious, sarah & i
had to leap in between shots to save the quilts. the final shot is stunning)