Wild Threads

QUILT ARTISTS INSPIRED BY NATURE

As we move through the seasons it's only natural that we start thinking about putting an extra or thicker cover on our beds. Often, they're there for functionality but how often do we think of their colours, hues and textures and their effects on our senses as we hope for a serene and uplifting night of sleep?

A group of contemporary textile artists, continually inspired by the beauty of the natural world around where they live, have been translating their surrounding wonders into stitch. From the reflections of sunlight on water to patterns made in sand, the range of colours in a peacock feather to the internal structure of a plant cell, some of their work has been curated for The Quilters' Guild Quilt Collection and will be on display in the Textile Galleries at the 'Knit + Stitch' event at Alexandra Palace in London between 9th - 12th October 2025.

According to The Quilters' Guild:

'Suffolk Marshes, by textile artist Jo Budd, belongs to a series of works created by the artist in response to the landscape immediately surrounding her studio, and more specifically to the water meadow at the bottom of her garden, which regularly floods each year. Water and its effects - ripple, reflection, and transparency - are themes that fascinate the artist and feature in many of her works.

Wind, Sea and Sand, by Sheena Norquay, was inspired by the movement of wind and sea, and the resulting lines and patterns left on the sand, which have amazed the artist for years. The quilting patterns were created by tracing photographs of sand patterns onto acetate, and the curved seam represents where the water meets the sand on a beach in Orkney, the artist's local landscape.

Works by quilt artist Pauline Burbidge are often inspired by the landscape around her home in the Scottish Borders, and Honesty Skyline is no exception. Made using cyanotype printing and fabric rubbings, the imagery features Honesty (Lunaria annua), a plant best known for its translucent circular seed pods, and red hot poker leaves.

Channels of Life II, by Anne-Marie Stewart, examines nature from a very detailed perspective and was inspired by microscopic drawings made by the artist of the Phloem cell transporting sugars through a tree.'

If you'd like to find out more about knitting, stitching, patchwork, quilting, applique or see more 'Natural Inspirations' from the Quilt Collection in the Textile Gallery at the show, you can book tickets HERE.

Images: The Quilters Guild, Knit + Stitch