You may recall , at the end of July I made a solo bike and bus pass trip up to Northumberland. I used my Dahon Speed TR folding bike and my radical designs trailer. 
It was a lovely trip and it inspired a couple of small quilts , A4 size and I used thread work and coloured pencils to make these pieces.
St Mary’s Lighthouse, Whitley Bay
I used photos I found on the net to make a composition that I hope has a look of an old postcard. This piece was on a blue commercial fabric and the lighthouse and the tiny island was appliqued on.
the Groyne, South Shields
This was an old childhood haunt of mine. I used the same commercial fabric and I used lutrador, a polyester type non-woven fabric , to make the lighthouse using Brusho paint to get the colouring as close as possible. Again, I was trying to get an old postcard feeling.
I have been sick with a bad head cold so haven’t been out cycling much this weekend. Last weekend was very foggy but we have still got a decent few miles in.
You might try posting the pieces on etsy to see if anyone is interested in buying…
By: Jean on October 12, 2015
at 3:12 am
they are not for sale Jean but thank you for the suggestion that they may be good enough to do that
By: brendaintheboro on October 12, 2015
at 6:22 am
They are beautiful, I love them. But how did you get your bike on a bus?
By: ilona on October 12, 2015
at 8:10 am
its a folding bike Ilona – I put it into a bag and the wheels come off the trailer so that looks like a bag too. the bus drivers didn’t have a problem letting me on but the price before 9.30am varies as I found out. it is 30p here on Teesside with the OAP pass but up in Northumberland it is full fare. there is a write up earlier in the blog
By: brendaintheboro on October 12, 2015
at 8:46 am
Thanks for that. I’ve put a link to this post on my blog, your craft work deserves more views.
By: ilona on October 13, 2015
at 11:03 am
thank you Ilona- much appreciated
By: brendaintheboro on October 13, 2015
at 11:06 am
These quilts are lovely – I really like the idea of postcard sized quilts. You’ve inspired me to think about doing something similar from my own bike trips!
By: Lizzie on October 12, 2015
at 5:00 pm
that’s great Lizzie- they don’t take a lot of time and may inspire future larger quilts
By: brendaintheboro on October 12, 2015
at 6:02 pm
Your little quilts are beautiful, Brenda. You certainly are very talented!
By: Christine McEnnerney on October 12, 2015
at 7:08 pm
thank you Chris. we all have talents- just different for each of us.
By: brendaintheboro on October 12, 2015
at 8:28 pm
I do like these! You are so talented ! 🙂 big hugs, and I hope you’re feeling much better? Xx
By: Retrowren on October 15, 2015
at 9:03 am
Thanks RW. much appreciated.
By: brendaintheboro on October 15, 2015
at 12:41 pm
Thank you for visiting me, Brenda, I saw this post very briefly a short while ago and didn’t get the time to reply. I was also curious how you managed to get the trailer on the bus, but read in reply to Ilona’s question, it folded up like a bag. What I did want to know was, you would have had to have it all ready to get on the bus, or was it at a terminus? I’ve been on trains with my folder and even a bus but never with more than a rucksack and front bag.
I meant also to say how wonderful your quilt is of St Mary’s lighthouse, where I’ve visited too. I went with a cycling friend along the coast from South Shields (we went underground so we could sail across on ferry) and cycled up the coast to Seaton Sluice and then across to Seaton Delaval Hall. Across some very muddy fields and a wood and then back to Sandyford by Metro. I loved Whitley Bay too.
By: Anne Marie on November 1, 2015
at 3:49 pm
Hi Anne Marie, the trailer is really great and so easy to take off the wheels quickly – press in the centre and it releases and pulls off. I have a separate wheel bag I can use. I was at a terminus so was ready to go as soon as the bus came in. South Shields is my birthplace so I know exactly where you are talking about. The tunnel has been closed for renovation and they found a lot of asbestos in it so the upgrade is taking longer than expected. They have put on a free bus service but in the interests of time- and nostalgia – I got the ferry.
By: brendaintheboro on November 1, 2015
at 6:18 pm