A difficult patch

At its most basic, patchwork is simply sewing together pieces of fabric to make a larger design. The earliest examples of this type of work have been found in Egyptian tombs and ancient China with items dating back 5,000 years.

America has also long had a love affair with quilting and patchwork, particularly during the Great Depression when people were able to recycle worn clothing into warm quilts. The passion for patchwork has grown exponentially in the last few years, with an art form that was becoming confined to specialist circles, starting to rear its head throughout the interiors world.

Cushions are an obvious area to make your first tentative step into the world of patchwork, as Dan Goode, chief seeker at Seek and Adore (a website specialising in items produced by designer makers) has found. In the last few months they have seen the demand for patchwork products soar. A particular favourite is the beautiful silk cushions made by AO Textiles using fabrics sourced from the Gainsborough Silk Weaving Company.

Dan says: “In times when money is tight, focus shifts to longevity and buying items which are made with love and that will last for years to come.”

AO Textile cushions, from £60, www.seekandadore.com – 0845 519 6276.

It is the element of craft, care and love that have to go into any patchwork piece that leads to this incredible appeal – not just the element of thrift that may also manifest at times of economic downturn.

Kelly Swallow has a business firmly dedicated to patchwork and recognises the additional draw that these hand-crafted pieces hold (www.kellyswallow.co.uk – 01992 310280).

She says: “Patchwork can be colourful and vibrant or subtle and interesting – and will always make you smile.” However, she also sees patchwork as an important piece of art history as it can have a sense of memory, depth and meaning – especially when she is working on a commissioned piece that allows her to pull together the strands of a client’s life in colours, features, patterns and textures.

Kelly shares the view that when times are tough, people are drawn to things with more substance and durability. Clearly, patchwork embodies this as it utilises traditional skills and can mix vintage and modern fabrics to make heirlooms.

If you love the quirkiness of patchwork and are looking for a real statement piece then London-based Squint Limited are an absolute find. The company is the creation of British designer Lisa Whatmough who has used patchwork to develop a range of richly decorative home wares, which she describes as “a fusion of fashion and the decorative Arts”.

The firm largely produce made-to-order items, but their website has an array of wonderfully imaginative furniture and accessory options which go beyond stunning sofas and armchairs extending to mirrors and even chests and tallboys. These pieces are certainly not “make do and mend”, rather a reflection of incredible British craftsmanship that embodies our sense of fun and bravado (www.squintlimited.com – 020 7739 9275).

Much of the patchwork product seen on the high street harks back to a style called Crazy Quilting which came to prominence during the Victorian Era. Rather than strong kaleidoscope inspired geometric patterns, often associated with patchwork, a crazy quilt style is made up of random shapes of opulent fabrics such as velvets, silks and brocades. The patchwork pieces are stitched together forming non-repeat, asymmetric designs.

One of the delights of patchwork is it is something everyone can attempt. Indeed, part of the joy is looking through a finished piece and identifying the sources of the various scraps involved – invoking happy memories. The other attraction of patchwork is the sensory thrill of experiencing a mixture of textures and colours all contained within one piece.

Some people may be put off attempting patchwork as they think it too intricate or time consuming. However, nothing could be further from the truth says Valerie Nesbitt. Valerie is one of the creative team behind www.justhands-on.tv, a website devoted to teaching people textile crafts. She says: “Far from being a lifetime project, patchwork and quilting can be something that is completed in an evening – you just need to know some of the modern techniques to help you achieve quicker results.”

She and business partner Jennie Rayment set up their website three years ago when they realised people wanted to acquire the hand-craft skills that were common only two generations ago to allow them to recycle and upcycle.

The site is the first of its kind in the UK and features easy to follow videos that allow viewers to develop skills in patchwork, quilting and textile art. One of the key advantages to the site is that videos are available on-demand so the younger generation can access them easily, at home, when convenient for them (which is frequently late in the evening), rather than having to travel to a local college for a class at a time that does not suit.

Valerie sums up the impetus behind this renewed passion for personal patchwork “everyone likes to be creative” she says, “you may not be able to paint, but patchwork means that you can still use colour interestingly and artistically.”

Jamie Hempsall, BIID, is a multi-award winning interior designer. Visit him at www.jamiehempsall.com or call 0800 032 1180.