I’ve always loved the cross-pollination of ideas; how creativity can spark and grow in unexpected directions.
But, never did I imagine that one of my patchwork gel prints would inspire a garden at Gardeners' World Live!

Sharing ideas with Lucie at Mimosa Garden Designs sparked something magical — and just like that, this beautiful garden design was born!

Here is the original patchwork gel print...

And here are Lucie’s initial loose sketches, filled with colour, patchwork shapes and a charred larch hut by Hutsmith that had been her initial spark point for the whole garden…

Ideas quickly escalated, and a Pinterest board was created. It soon became apparent that many of my ideas were inspired by my love of a stately home garden. Of course, everything in an artist’s world has a connection to their work, but I suddenly saw it so clearly…

Gel print created for my Gel Printing on and with Textiles online course

Paper explorations, created during our Paper prompt in No Rules textile Society membership

Meanwhile Lucie was drawing up the garden plans and the hard landscaping was patchwork inspired and all about upcycling waste materials…

Inspiration flowed back and forth as I created samples and selected work from my archive to display. Grids, petal lace, plaster experiments and patchworks were curated along with furniture from my studio…

I taped samples to the wall. Packed my desk, shelves and sewing machine in the car, and crucially left my laptop at home!

I was inspired from the moment I set up my studio. Sandwiching sunflower petals between water-soluble fabric to make a piece that looked stunning backed by the charred larch door of the Hutsmith cabin.

The interior of the cabin was judged along with the garden, and I chatted to the judges about the patchwork story and my beliefs about how good for the soul a creative practice is. I would even go as far as to say that it is akin to meditation.

Improv patchwork cushion in various wool tweeds, inspired by the garden…

Our garden was awarded Gold, a colour that perfectly matched the petal lace!

If the idea of creative cross-pollination inspires, you will love No Rules Textile Society. Membership and online courses for textile rebels…

And if No Rules Patchwork intrigues you, click here