A Substack newsletter reposted here.

Pumpkin Time.

Halloween is the one night of the year when pumpkins get their moment of fame, hollowed out vegetables all lit up courtesy of tea lights, and with questionable dental work with the odd wonky grin. Dressed up children roam the streets doling out suspiciously enthusiastic “trick or treat!” demands, while adults pretend they definitely didn’t buy the good chocolates (Hotel Chocolate, Harrods?) just for themselves. And somewhere between the carved chaos and the “sugar negotiations”, everyone agrees it’s all perfectly normal to dress as an inflatable dinosaur with a bucket of chewy things; I have to say it usually passes grumpy-old-me by. Someone did buy me a packet of sparklers this year, and I did run round the garden in the dark trying to make rude shapes from the trails left by the fizzing metal. Here’s what family came up with though! Little pumpkins living in little houses.

Are you a patchwork fan?

Yesterday I visited one of the best places in my life, Compton Verney, to see a new exhibition The Shelter of Stories, “ways of telling, ways of dwelling”. It’s all about telling stories and why and how we share them. As it’s what motivates me, and I’ve just finished number 9 in the Windrush series, Maude, I felt a connection and was excited to see it. I started my sewing life with patchwork; just helping my small children to piece together simple squares for dolly blankets. I’ve used those skills in my own way, and was delighted to see that someone else does too!

Call Sign by Hew Locke 2019. A patched, weather beaten and ragged sail after violent seas. Exploring the significance of voyages as symbols of power and transporters of people, ideas and stories.

Windrush 9, Maude Ellington. Maude’s full story is here.

In the studio.

Qian Zephaniah, Me and one of Benjamin’s quilts.

In other news, I’ve been having an exhibition with 5 other artists at Warwickshire University - which is ENORMOUS btw and I got lost - We had the usual Prosecco fueled Private View, but also an extra night celebrating and hearing about Windrush. The wonderful Qian Zephaniah gave a talk, as did the very stirring Monica Brown who talked about the history of Windrush and what it was like to come to the country and be faced with cold, rain, racism, and lack of accomodation, to name a few difficulties. It was a lovely evening and finished with a gospel choir. It was a short exhibition but was beautiful. Here I am with Qian, and a lovely lady from the MAC in Birmingham. I think the quilts will be going there in a year or so but it’s early days. I better crack on with the others in the series though!

My very good friend Monica, who gave such a moving speech, also had a cake made for me featuring sunflowers and paint palettes. I was really touched by her kindness and generosity. I’ve popped it into the freezer for the next time the family come down as no one can eat that much cake on their own - can they? Maybe you’d give it a good go!!

I’ve also been adding to the piece I’m making called Hobbled. I’ve been stitching barbed wire and more butterflies.

Quilters Guild Purchase

The Quilters Guild which has a museum in York has very wonderfully purchased one of the remaining Life Story quilts for their collection. I had a lovely visit to York to deliver it and chatted to Katy and Heather about it. I’ve agreed to make a handling sample for those who have a visual impairment. The quilt they chose is quite complex so it may take some time to sample it!

You can read all about the story and see more photos here.

Right, that’s quite enough gallivanting for one newsletter. If you need me, I’ll be in the studio, unpicking something I definitely shouldn’t have stitched in the first place. Until next time, mind the brambles, enjoy any remaining pumpkins in a stew or something, and may all your sparklers behave themselves. I hope your life doesn’t involve barbed wire nor unexpectedly enormous university campuses!

Thanks so much for reading!

Newsletter November 2025

Just a little note