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Tuesday 12 August 2014

Greetings from France!

   Hello, and thank you for asking me to join you. I only hope I can produce work as good as that I have seen on the site, though don't expect too much of me on the first challenge, though I'll try my best! I'm originally from the north-west of England, but have been living in France now for 20 years.I live in a small town in the southern Paris suburbs, just 25 minutes by train from Notre-Dame. Hilary asked me to say how long I'd been quilting, but I'm not quite sure how to answer that. Do I  count the 'quilt' I made when I was 17? Probably not  as it was made of paper pieced squares which did not fit together because I had no idea that  accuracy was important. I'm not sure that using a broderie anglaise fabric that I found in my scrapbag was a good idea either. Twenty years later it was an american friend here in France who introduced me to the american method of patchwork, and I was hooked, learning  to do the quilting at ' Le Rouvray', patchwork shop in Paris. I made a few traditional quilts, but I have always been interested in textiles, having tried my hand at knitting, crochet, bobbin lacemaking and embroidery, and even though I like traditional quilts I quickly became interested in more contemporary work. I'm looking forward to the challenges and hoping to make more progress.

9 comments:

  1. Welcome, Jinnie. I look forward to getting to know more about you and seeing some of your work. So exciting to have someone from France joining our merry band!

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  2. Hi Jinnie, I look forward to sharing during the challenges and in any other interests that you have the time to post along the way. It is a lot of fun to learn from such a diverse group and to hear about the process of the other artists as they work. Welcome to the dozen!

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  3. Welcome Jinnie. You sound as if you have had a journey similar to mine testing out numerous crafts and techniques before settling mostly on quilting. I had to smile about the quilt you made when you were 17, my first quilt still isn't quilted because I didn't know you had to quilt it! Do you still have your first quilt?

    We spent 2 years in Paris in the 17th Arrondissement and I loved it. I know Le Rouvray well.

    My breakthrough came when we were posted to Frankfurt (Germany) and I found that the rotary cutter had been invented in the gap between that first quilt and now you could sew with your sewing machine!!!

    I love the way the boundaries are blurring and there is so much overlapping of media, materials and skills.

    HIlary


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  4. Yes, I still have my very wonky quilt in the cupboard, and I never thought about quilting it either. I've kept it as the fabrics hold memories for me (bits of my old brownie and guide uniforms, dresses etc from my scrapbag.) even though it isn't much to look at.


    Jinnie

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  5. Hi Jinnie
    Welcome aboard! I hope you enjoy the group as much as I do. It's been a great way to get me to be more creative and more productive and everyone gives such positive feedback.

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  6. Welcome Jinnie. I'm looking forward to seeing your work, and getting to know you through the blog! As a 'half' French person (we have had a Madison secondaire in France for the last 24 years) I am delighted we now have a French member in the group.

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  7. Welcome to the group Jinnie! I look forward to seeing your work and getting to know you.

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  8. Welcome Jinnie! Back to school time is approaching and we are all looking forward to the new girl in the class.

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  9. Welcome Jinnie from a not so sunny South Africa at the moment. Looking forward to sharing and chatting.

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