Hello, my name is Hilary. I am an instagram addict, an erratic blogger and a mixed media artist. I have two adult children (both have arts degrees) and an adorable rescue dog. I have a full on day job in the built environment and am a company director.
I was born in Hampshire, England but we moved frequently when I was a child so did not really grow up in any one place.
When I was at school I was not good at art or needlework. Looking back, I think both subjects were just very badly taught and treated by my schools very much as fillers rather serious subjects in their own right. Instead, I followed an academic path, took a business related degree and eventually qualified as a Chartered Surveyor.
But somewhere along the way I did learn to sew. I taught myself to read a dress making pattern and then how to adapt it and in my twenties made a lot of bridesmaid dresses for friends getting married. I even dabbled in patchwork. The only things I have that dates from this early time of my sewing life are two crewel work cushion covers and a couple of silk dresses that no longer fit me.
Fast forward a few years and we eventually moved to Gosport, Hampshire, a small town on the south coast of England. Gosport is on Portsmouth Harbour and is right opposite the Isle of Wight. When we first moved there Gosport had a patchwork and quilting shop. I did a few classes and my eyes were opened.
Meanwhile, my career, which has been far from conventional, eventually took me to Milton Keynes (120 miles north of Gosport in north Buckinghamshire) and I discovered The Bramble Patch, about half an hour by car from MK.
The Bramble Patch always offers a selection of workshops in their beautiful studio accommodation behind the shop and I took the opportunity presented by this fantastic business. Over the years I have taken several classes, but the ones that I credit with really setting me on my creative path were delivered by The Kemshalls (Linda and Laura), Angie Hughes, Brenda Boardman and Steph Redfern.
Now I spend most of my time in Milton Keynes where I have a little studio. I do very little traditional patchwork and no dress making. Instead I use a range of materials, often over printed or painted and decorated with machine embroidery. I am encouraged and supported in my artistic life by my good friends Rob and Andy of Rob Turner China.
I started this blog in 2011, principally to record my artistic journey and my work life balance, hence the name of the blog.
