A Change of Season

Ramsgate Beach, photo by Amanda Jane Ogden

Hello! I am writing this on Monday 31st August, which is a Bank Holiday in England. I began the day by taking my usual walk: setting out from home and heading up the hill to the East Cliff in Ramsgate then walking along the promenade at the top of the cliff and enjoying the view of the beach and the sea before returning home through the town. Passing a blue commemorative plaque in the small park in Albion Square which celebrates the visit of Jane Austen to Ramsgate to visit her brother in 1803 is a helpful reminder that this town has a historic past which is evidenced in many of its beautiful older buildings. It is an interesting place and I love being able to see the sea every day. The extremely hot weather we have experienced this summer is subsiding and we are at last getting some rain which is very welcome (never thought I would say that!)

The number 12 written on a small whiteboard, photo by Amanda Jane Ogden

Tomorrow, on 1 September 2026, my small business Amanda Jane Textiles will 12 years old. I am delighted to have been able to keep going through twelve years even during a pandemic and a relocation to the opposite end of the country. I have continued to write patterns for magazines and for sale in my Etsy shop, I have taught many people how to quilt for the first time – either in person on in my online course – and I have written a blog-post every single Monday (except over Christmas) during that whole period. The posts have offered reports of quilt shows and art exhibitions, they have included sewing, quilting, embroidery and craft tutorials, multi-part quilt patterns and much more.

The number twelve is often seen as representing ‘completion’ and I feel that my blog is now complete. I would like to thank each of you who have subscribed to the blog. I always imagine writing to you directly when I type and insert photos each week. As many of you know, I also write a monthly newsletter. I plan to continue with this for the moment and I invite you to subscribe to newsletter below if you would like to continue to hear from me. The link is below.

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As you will know, if you are a regular reader of the blog, I completed a City & Guilds Diploma in Patchwork and Quilting (taught by Gillian Cooper) at the end of 2025 and exhibited my work along with several members of my cohort in Balfron, Scotland, in May this year. Below is my ‘Lapwings at Pegwell Bay’ quilt (which was also displayed at the Festival of Quilts), my three-dimensional item (a felted, quilted and embellished jacket) and my sketchbooks. My theme for the two years was ‘Coastal’.

City & Guilds Diploma work on display in Balfron, Scotland, May 2026

My original intention when I embarked on this demanding two-year course was to move more in the direction of designing and making Art Quilts for the wall, as opposed to designing patterns for quilts for the bed. Over the years I have made a number of commissions for clients and this is something I want to do more often. Since finishing the course, I have completed a large commission for a wall-hanging that is now displayed in the client’s home in Texas, I have made two pieces for the Contemporary Textiles London exhibition at Morden Hall Park (look at the post here for details) and am currently producing Art Textiles to be included in the SAQA (Studio Art Quilts Associates) ‘Telling Threads’ exhibition to be shown in various locations in Europe in 2027. I want to allow more time for this work, so I am making the necessary changes.

I will still continue to do some teaching. There are a limited number of dates available until the end of this year. All the courses I offer can be seen on the ‘Classes’ page here. I have in fact just introduced a new half-day course: ‘An introduction to Machine Quilting’. Click here for details.