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Melanie

@mel_function_ing

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I capture everything for myself! #notjustcraftlife #lifelife #cats #feminism #politics #absolutelyagnostic #greatwilbrahamsummerschool Cambridge, UK x

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It’s not an act of love if you make her.

This is a quilt I made, hanging here at Festival of Quilts 2026, to communicate some alarming statistics :(

In the UK, this past year, it is estimated that 85% of those who experienced Se*ual A$$ault or R_ape did not report it to the Police. Of the 15% that did report, just 0.87% led to a prosecution or conviction x

There can be so so many reasons why a choice is made NOT to report - lack of faith that they will be believed, the common place victim blaming, fear of reprisals, being embarrassed - to name just a few…. I hand tied a knot behind every half square triangle that represents every one of the 85% that must feel so bound up in reasoning, leading them to come to the decision not to seek formal justice x We’re programmed to do whatever will ensure our survival, and sometimes that’s nothing x

The words on the quilt come from the song ‘Labour’ by Paris Paloma @parispaloma - I’ve been listening to this song over and over x to me it represents the work, predominantly women, must face in order to be heard and believed and the inequality women still must fight against x

I used a smattering of my fave @giucy_giuce Spectrastatic fabrics - LOVE! I scaled up my own handwriting for this piece (with thanks to Jade @lovelyjubblyfabrics for being my super helpful right hand with this task at retreat!) x I then used a black bias tape to immortalise the song lyrics on top of this Jigsaw traditional quilt top x this pattern was the first I ever attempted as a bebe patchworker, so many years ago now x it was great to revisit it with knowledge of ‘how not to fuck up your points so badly’, oh and the benefits of a quarter inch machine foot! ;) x

It might be a small quilt, easily looked over and not understood at a glance, but it’s a communication I wanted to get out x I hope it’s seen and heard amongst the amazing art all around x I care not for judges comments but I do care for commentary from those that take some time to look at this piece and understand where it has come from x

#festivalofquilts2026 #ididathing #themessagecounts
OM FUDGIN GAWWWD! I got Judge’s Choice!!!! Eeeek x by @mel_function_ing

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3 months ago

Oh haiiiii! She published again! Hanging super straight! So proud x Really happy to have wobbled as quickly as I could, over to the Modern section at @festivalofquilts #festivalofquilts2025 to have a squizz at my version of the Inner Cube Quilt x wonderful pattern by @itssewjodi x two years in the making and a super pleasure to document it’s progress in so many places x I’m feeling mega proud x Hope I can finish something cool for next year! Oooof x loving bumping into my people left right and centre! Will do a set of posts soon but now time to crash out x #innercubequilt x #shepublished x taken in The Nation's Experience Capital by @mel_function_ing

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a year ago

She’s ‘published’! The #tattooquilt designed by @happysewlucky and stitched by my fair hand with my fabric choices is in the #festivalofquilts2024 exhibition! Pictorial section PT-14! Little bit ruddy excited and sweaty! Hehehehe x so profesh innit! Right now to get some shopping out of my system ;) x by @mel_function_ing

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2 years ago

Protect Nish, at all costs x His existence does literally give me hope x Best show yet! Gives 47 times more than any other funny man there is, I’m always in awe x and I ALWAYS love it when I don’t get a telling off for feeding my addiction to snapping the beaut, on stage lovelies x thank you @mrnishkumar for coming back and bringing the stylee @leiladoesinsta back with you, all the love x with @stanleyanne @katieballan Tom, @nel62 and Jack x #nishkumar #nishkumarangryhumourfromareallyniceguy #angryhumourfromareallyniceguy x by @mel_function_ing

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26 minutes ago

Can’t show even a stitch but this walking foot is action stations today, making me feel better x #secretsewing #modernquiltclubretreat #swappartnergiftsinprogress #defoovercommittedbutmatchymatchy x by @mel_function_ing

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9 hours ago

Soooo, took a second to pull all the NEW Scissors together (just a Summer season’s worth!) before they are officially welcomed to the wider collection! Buying scissors is something I do when I’m feeling stressed, shitty or low… it’s been a time for sure this past summer x things are settling down again and I’m reclaiming headspace x Scissors and sewing, and time spent with friends is a privilege I’m grateful for x @neshhomestaging well need a serious think about how much peg board to purchase and which wall will be chosen for the FULL collection! Hehehehe x by @mel_function_ing

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3 days ago

Not quite seen Brancaster Beach so eerie and virtually empty! The sand so solid it was actually (for me) the easiest Beach walking I’ve ever done despite the blizzard vibes x always great to warm up and fill up at the Owl Tearooms in Holt and hunker down back at Daisy Cottage for some stitching and movie x love spending time with my oldest Besolas @katebrooks1979 and @lauraapb x x by @mel_function_ing

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6 days ago

Early Sunday mornings are for ‘Seal-fies’, back at a choppy Blakeney to get a fix of my fave pups x I already cannot wait to come back before the end of the year to see all the Bebe pups! So many Preggo mamas today! Excited with @katebrooks1979 & @lauraapb x thanks @beanssealtrips x by @mel_function_ing

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6 days ago

A little ‘breathy’ tour of my most recent finishes before I hunker down for the remainder of October for some secret sewing! I really loved making both of these @rosie.taylor.crafts Sew & Tell cases! #sewandtellcase x made extra work for myself to make the exterior quilting a bit poofier and stiffer, but got so very brave cutting up some precious Out of Print @tulapink absolute faves! Oh haiii kittehs, bananas and sqrrrrrls x loved mixing up the collections x just going to admire them a bit longer before filling them up with my labels x I did lose count but I think there are 43 pockets per case! Let’s take a wild guess that I will need a few more of these for all the labels in my stash! I’ll just have to prioritise my faves for now x by @mel_function_ing

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10 days ago

Late night Monday stitching with my Sewing Surgery crew! Thanks Emily @the_makeaway for the time and space to get to the finish line x tomorrow I will count up the pockets and FILL THEM with label goodies! x #sewandtellcase s are destined to be my new label libraries x by @mel_function_ing

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12 days ago

Home from the penultimate sewing retreat of my year! I’ve spent three days with my @cambridgeshiremqg and some of my very favourite stitchers in the world x making progress! Didn’t quite get the finishes I thought was achievable even with all the pre-cutting, that @rosie.taylor.crafts does set me the challenges with the 84 bajillion pocket options across two ‘nearly finished’ #sewandtellcase s x such brilliant involved projects, using some of my precious @tulapink OOP pieces x I will get them finished soonest x really happy to be with my talented table mates cracking jokes and cracking on x thanks for all the tea @crafting_rambler and for my RUN (new PB obvs!), loved cheerleading @r_bronwyn with her curves in beaut tonal colours, awesome to work on stitching with the wonderful @jenepel as always x and brilliant shopping with @juliafionagodwin and @anatidaeatelier x The weekend was a lot of fun with great raffle prizes put together by @a_beautiful_thing_uk x THANK YOU to @sarahannepriestley @colletteramage and @sticksknits for getting us all together x x x by @mel_function_ing

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13 days ago

A bit giddy to see @jonronson again with @sarahdiane2412 and @stanleyanne ! His story telling is such a style! Having taken my opportunity to listen to ‘The Castle’ on audiobook this summer, hearing him in person (recounting parts of his tale and answering intriguing questions) was a great concluding chapter x was very happy to add more paper editions of his books to my library x I’ll favour the audiobooks as his voice is mesmerising but paper for when the apocalypse comes ;) x #itwasLimone-GREAT! by @mel_function_ing

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17 days ago