Every quilt tells a story. Here are some of the stories we have already told.
The Jordans of Buckhill
While I was helping Frankie with some family history research, we discovered that the boundaries of the family farm on which she grew up were largely unchanged since the arrival of her great-grandfather to the neighbourhood in the late 1850s. She was very struck by the continuity of this landscape, clearly seen in the comparison between the map of 1857 and the latest satellite views.
Those images became the inspiration for this wall-hanging, which celebrates the unique colours and field patterns of the Irish landscape. For one family in particular, it embodies a sense of tradition, of place, of home.
Part of what we are
Clodagh commissioned this series of wall hangings for the long high wall of her staircase. As the quilts would form a backdrop to the transitions between public and private spaces in the home, we discussed ways to make the hangings personal to each family member. It was also vital that they make an engaging visual statement to those who would not be privy to the family narrative they contain.
Now hanging proudly in their rightful place, the hangings speak with warmth and colour, to both family and guests.
Wherever I Lay My Hat (There’s A Cat)
Charis had collected a lot of fabric while travelling around the world, both for work and for pleasure. When she bought her lovely (but compact) house, she had no space to store her textile treasures. She wanted to give her globetrotting days pride of place in her new home. The Butler Did It created this unique centrepiece wall hanging for Charis, using her international fabric stash. The featured cats come from a linen book Charis received as a gift while in Japan. They have been given the paw of approval by her own resident feline.
Memory quilt
Tom is 90 years old. When he moved into residential care for support with dementia, his family wanted him to feel secure. They told us stories from Tom’s past that he found easier to recall than day-to-day information, and gave us photographs to go along with these. We even incorporated some of Tom’s stylish shirts into the work to make use of their familiarity and their soft flannel texture.
Tom’s quilt has many roles to play. It is a reminder for him of familiar times and faces. It prompts conversation with his visitors, and it represents him in a more rounded way to the staff where he resides.
Tom’s daughter told us “The quilt you made speaks to Dad and for him.”
Mood Indigo
Our customer had seen a small baby quilt of ours in a simple block pattern, and commissioned a king-size version for her own bed. The colour palette was dictated by the existing scheme of blues and soft whites in the room, and together we came up with the idea of making the quilt double-sided, to allow for a change of mood.
To create a timeless quality, and a subtle play of shading to compliment the simple, repeated motif, we made the quilt with vintage and second-hand cotton fabric, sourced from charity shops, mixed with pre-washed artisan prints, and even some much-loved items from the customer’s wardrobe. The “summer” side blends creams, ivorys and soft whites with small flashes of blue.
“WINTER” SIDE 
“SUMMER” SIDE 
DOUBLE-SIDED QUILT
All In The Family
This quilt was made as a gift for a 40th birthday. The recipient’s taste for the traditional dictated the use of original 19th- and early 20th-century quilting “block” patterns. Each block represents a family member – parents, grandparents, siblings, children, even the family dog!
The names of the traditional blocks illustrate an aspect of each character – “Schoolhouse” block for a teacher grandma; “Big Brother/Little Brother” for a middle child; “Califoria Girl” for an emigrée sister, etc.
The vivid palette adds a contemporary twist to this traditional sampler style.
Between The Canals
Elizabeth is a psychotherapist with a long-established practice in a Victorian street. When planning a move of office out to the suburbs, she commissioned this quilt to embody the character of the original location.
The design is based on the varied brick frontage of the terrace, the vibrant green of the venerable lime trees in spring, and the busy traffic in the urban street outside.
By installing the quilt as a wall hanging in the new premises, Elizabeth was able to provide a sense of continuity for the practice and its clients, and to soften the edges of the more contemporary office space.