Story Donated By Jenny Hall

I collect antique textiles. I love table cloths, doylies, cushions and clothes but the one thing I have never found in a charity shop or flea market is a handmade quilt. One day I was browsing through the 20p basket in my Samaritans charity shop when I overheard the volunteers discussing an antique quilt that had been donated and sold that very morning, mere minutes before I had come in! I was heartbroken to discover that my dream charity shop buy had just passed me by.
Jenny Hall

Story Donated By Wendy Young

In the summer of 2007 whilst on holiday Canada my cousin and I visited an ‘Antique Barn’at Niagra-On-The Lake in Ontario. There was so much to look at but as soon as we went upstairs my eyes latched onto a large 1930’s-40’s quilt entirely made of Suffolk Puffs (in the US they call them Yo-Yos). As if this wasn’t enough excitement there was a 40% off sale on all textiles!

My intention was to take it apart and re-use the vintage puffs in other design work but the more I looked at it the more I grew to love and appreciate the love and history that had been involved in putting it together and as a result I couldn’t bear to dismantle it.

This year I decided to make my own version and, as an artist working primarily in denim, I themed my design around the influence of denim in society from its humble origins to its current designer status. My new quilt is made from over 300 puffs embellished with reclaimed buttons collected from charity shops.
Wendy Young