SEW COLOURFUL ON BELLEVUE STREET

The rather modest exterior of 4 Bellevue Street doesn’t scream ‘Look at me!’, but it’s certainly worth a visit. Inside is a remarkably light and airy space filled with radiant colour. 

Since 20 August, this has been the home of Edinburgh Patchwork, a new business specialising in all things quilting.

It stocks printed cotton fabrics (including Moda, Kaffee Fassett, Dashwood, Batiks, Blend, Free Spirit and Stoff, to name but a few of the many products Spurtle did not realise existed until today) haberdashery (tools, threads, wadding), Jelly Rolls (we forgot to ask and have no idea), pre-cuts and ‘an exciting collection of rulers’.

It’s all the brainchild of Alison Buckle, who has been quilting for 20 years and graduated from Edinburgh Art College in May with assistant Alima Askew where they had both specialised in sculpture in fabric.

The business aims to thrive as part of the sewing and quilting revival which has partly flourished in Austerity Britain but also received a huge boost from programmes like BBC Two's The Great British Sewing Bee.

This is the only such shop in Edinburgh so exclusively focused, and its nearest competitor is situated on the other side of the planet in Linlithgow.

As well as selling all the bits and bobbins you need, Edinburgh Patchwork provides guest tutors and runs its own classes for all abilities in everything from purses and placemats to wallhangings, giant bed quilts, Batik printing, and ‘Japanese Circles and Squares’. This customer certainly seemed to be enjoying the experience this afternoon.

‘It’s also the kind of place where you’re welcome to pop in for a cup of tea and a chat,’ says Alima, little realising what a talkative lot the good folk of Bellevue can be and how thirsty given half a chance.

For more information, visit www.edinburghpatchwork.com or Tel. 538 5030