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20th January 2002 10th February 2002 3rd March 2002 24th March 2002 14th April 2002 5th May 2002 26th May 2002 16th June 2002 7th July 2002 28th July 2002 8th August 2002 8th September 2002 29th September 2002 20th October 2002 10th November 2002 1st December 2002 12th January 2003 2nd February 2003 23rd February 2003 | Lesley Lesley asked each member of the group to make her own favourite block, using crisp blues and white (like Willow Pattern china). She also asked that no one mention on list precisely what block she'd be making, so that it would be a surprise when she opened them. About her blocks, Lesley says: My final collection of blocks was fantastic � I could not have selected a better representation of techniques for a sampler quilt if I had tried. Blocks included traditional piecing, paper piecing, appliqu�, hand and machine work, embroidered accents and even a block designed especially for me. About herself, Lesley says: I am Lesley Brankin and I live in Malvern, Worcestershire with my husband Richard and children Alice (8) and Peter (10). We are privileged to live in such a beautiful part of the country and enjoy walking on the Hills whenever our hectic lives permit. Being the daughter of an Army officer, I spent most of my early life travelling around from place to place, I have been in Malvern for just over 6 years and it is the longest I have ever spent in one house! Our house is late Victorian and we are slowly (very slowly) updating and decorating it � the latest project is to see about the possibility of converting our sub-basement into living accommodation. I have a life long interest in art and crafts of all sorts having dabbled with various techniques, styles and projects over the years. During school, University and 15 years of working in the computer industry I did little more than knit the odd jumper. In the early 1990�s I got the �urge� to be creative and signed up to do a City and Guild in Design and Embroidery � our final exhibition being staged the weekend before I got married! After the birth of Peter I decided not to return to full time employment and fortuitously I was offered the chance to do some cross stitch design work for DMC as a result of their seeing an entry I had sent in for a competition sponsored by them. The rest they say is history � I am now lucky enough to earn an income as a free-lance needlecraft designer, having worked for many of the top UK needlecraft magazines and fabric/thread manufacturers over the years. In March 2002 I joined UK Patchwork & Quilting magazine as an Assistant Editor, a job I love and which now takes much of my time, although I do still manage some work for other clients as well. By joining in with the PicknMix group (and other swaps), I make sure I make time to do some patchwork for me with the added benefit of making lots of great e-friends � it can be quite �isolating� working from home. As a designer (my preferred �label�) I have turned my hand to most types of patchwork and quilting and don�t profess to be an expert in the technique of any of them. I enjoy �playing� with colour and shapes, have a passion for fabric and thread and a desire to help others share my enjoyment � especially children. Of all the patchwork techniques I have tried my favourite has to be Japanese Folded Patchwork, which allows me to �quilt as you go� and which offers tremendous design potential working as you do with both sides of the quilt at the same time. It is also very relaxing to just sit and sew at the end of a busy day� Lesley with her finished quilt at Hever, Sept 2003 |
