Grosvenor Shows 2015 Journal Quilt Challenge

I entered these two quilts to the 2015 Journal Quilt Challenge (the theme was “Picture This”) and to my delight I won third place. There had to be two quilts, each just A4 size, so it was a real challenge, but great fun to do.

True Thomas and Michael Scott

The Story of Michael Scott.

Michael Scott, who lived during the thirteenth century, was known far and near as a great scholar, and it is told that he had dealings with the fairies and other spirits. When he wanted to erect a house or a bridge he called the “wee folk” to his aid, and they did the work for him in a single night. He also had great skill as a healer of wounds and curer of diseases, and the people called him a magician.

Michael Scott and the fairies

The story of True Thomas.

True Thomas lay on Huntlie bank;
A ferlie he spied wi’ his e’e;
And there he saw a lady bright
Come riding down by the Eildon Tree.

Her skirt was o’ the grass-green silk,
Her mantle o’ the velvet fine;
At ilka tett of her horse’s mane
Hung fifty sil’er bells and nine.

True Thomas he pulled off his cap
And louted low down to his knee:
All hail, thou mighty Queen of Heaven!
For thy peer on earth I never did see.

O no, O no, Thomas, she said,
That name does not belang to me;
I am but the Queen of fair Elfland,
That am hither come to visit thee.

Harp and carp, Thomas, she said,
Harp and carp along wi’ me;
And if ye dare to kiss my lips,
Sure of your body I will be.

Betide me weal, betide me woe,
That weird shall never daunten me.
Syne he has kissed her rosy lips,
All underneath the Eildon Tree.

True Thomas

I have long admired Lizzie Mcdougall, a highland story teller and artist and thought I would take inspiration from her work. You may remember that we worked together last year on this quilt.