The Compass.

Love Entwined, ('a fine marriage coverlet')

It has 32 points.

Cardinal Points: N., E., S., N.
Half cardinal points: NE., SE., SW., NW.
Three letter points: NNE., ENE., etc.
By-points; N. BY E., NE. BY N., etc.
(Ref: The Readers Digest Great Encyclopaedic Dictionary Volume One, A-L, page189, published1974).

The original quilt, used 32 dots on the circle of the  Mariner's quilt block.  This is very interesting, as most Mariner's quilt blocks do not have this feature.  This quilt block was first used in England in 1726. 

The maker of this quilt was definitely not uneducated.  She could read, write, draw, had a grasp of geometry, maybe, just maybe,  even nautical astromony?  She may even have had a few male family members who was into sailing? With all the Wars,  England was involved in, it is a possibility.

She had access to Linen and other materials, as we can see from the original grainy photograph in Averil Colby's  Patchwork book.  It give us another clue, she was not destitute, but from a family who had the means to buy the materials to make this quilt.  She had time, this is the most crucial of all the clues.  This is a labour intensive quilt.  Women had very few ways to express them in 1790, she could do this with her creativity.  She had others who could do the chores, household servants, which was common enough then, in big Manor Houses.

She shows her sense of adventure, with the choice of her center for this quilt. A Compass, with all those points, exactly thirty two dots on the circle frame of the Mariner's Compass quilt block.
Her inquiring mind, her level of intellectual ability, expressing  herself, in the only way she knew how, which would not cause offence. Well mannered, young Lady.

This was a romantic era, she paid tribute to that with the hearts and flowers on her quilt.  Jane Austen was only fifteen years old.  Did she read any of Jane Austen's books.  Did she keep a diary,  in which she wrote down her day to day experiences?

Making Love Entwined is a discovery, it forces one to think.  How did they do, what we do today?.  It is throwing up more questions than answers. Averil Colby is an Author and a Historian.  Why did she give so little information about this quilt in her book?...

Here is my progress so far.

 First attempt at the frame.

 

This is my second attempt with the frame, this will be the one I will use.

The first one did not  work as I had folded over the edges before stitching down the dots/berries.
The second one I stitch the dots down first, now the circle  have a nicer look.

Wedding Quilt.

A friend asked me to make a purple wedding quilt for a very special friend of her family, who was getting married.  It had to be light weight, as it was to be sent overseas.  She wanted it traditional, with a geometric design.  I showed her some patterns, she wanted an Irish chain. She chose purple for the quilt from some of fabrics I had in my stash.

I added magenta, to give the quilt some sparkle.  The quilting is in the ditch with wreaths and feathers done in the hoop of my embroidery machine.  The pattern came from: The Simple Joys of Quilting by Joan Hanson and Mary Hickey (ISBN1-56477-383-3).

Months after the quilt went to it's forever new home, I received a photograph of the happy couple.  Not only did the purple match the ribbon in the brides bouquet, the groom wore a magenta tie.  Without knowing this, I made a quilt to match.  It gives me goosebumps to this day.

 This is a sample of the magenta fabric.  I also made a pillowcase for the quilt, with the leftover fabrics.

As purple is a colour I do not use very often, this helped me to embrace the colour a bit more.  Since then I have made a puple logcabin quilt as well.  We all have favourite colours which we enjoy working with, it is what is we are comfortable with. 

Love Entwined, the adventure has begun.

 

My Love Entwined journey is of to a great start.  This is love at first sight.

Who the maker of this quilt is, is a mystery.  The original exist and the owner has asked to be left in peace  and their wishes, to be respected.  It is good to know,  it has a home and is being well loved by someone in the world.  We all need a special quilt in our lives. It is up to them, to share it, if they want to!

Love Entwined is an amazing applique quilt.  You can read all about it here, on Esther Aliu's blog.  Thanks to Esther, who recreated a pattern, from a grainy photograph, which appeared in Averil Colby, Patchwork book in 1956.  It was simply called " a fine marriage coverlet".

All I can say, it has caught my eye, it compelled me to make one.  Off to the quiltshop, armed with my printed instructions.  The fabric requirements in hand, the search to explore the fabrics, finding the right ones for this quilt.  At the begining I shopped my own stash first, pulled some fabrics I wanted to use, others I was not sure about.  It would be on a white background. 

Coral?  Not a colour I had on my list, it turned out to be a major choice.  This is the backing, which I found while on quilt retreat last year.  Some other fabrics which I found at the same time (below).

A sense of peace and serenity follow this quilt, it is difficult to explain.  Start one for yourself and see if you have a similar experience.

I am on a fabric diet.

It sounds rather corny, I know, but I am trying to work my way through my fabric stash.  Instead of buying fabric for one day, I only buy what I need to complete a project.  Shopping my stash first.
It is a challenge, as temptation lurks in full view when I go to the quiltshop.  Most of the time I am really good, other times, ... I have no self control.  We are all human,  after all.  If I go with a list, it keeps me focused. Coming home with what I need.

About September 2013, I had to do a search for a piece a of fabric which I needed to finish a block.  The end result was interesting, I found the piece of fabric.  As I was unpacking my cupboard, I sorted fabrics which I had bought for specific quilts into piles, then I came across the patterns for these.  So I added them to the fabrics.  Neat, now everything was together.

Why had I never done this before?  The rest of my house is super organized.  I have everything in clear boxes, so it is easy to find. So I was a bit mystified by this.  Do I need my creative muse,  to have everything disorganized all over my sewing room?

Off I went to the local craft store, bought project organizers and the rest is history.  If I need to go to my quilting group, I  take my box and I don't have to run around looking for anything.  It is all in the box, the pattern, fabric, thread, needles, scissors and my thimble.  The result is staggering.  I am finishing more projects and have become more productive.  I have surprised even myself.

Last week I finished this quilt (Hearts-All-A-Flutter).   My reward, I can now start a new project!

Love Entwined here I come.

A Fun Project

Baby Quilts

Recently, my local quilt shop got in this panel (Shadow Box Playmats By Elizabeth's Studio).  I love to practise my freemotion  machine quilting on them.  Turning them into playmat quilts, for babies and toddlers, to be used and washed.  They need to be robust to withstand, the rigours of everyday life,  as part of our normal modern day living.

This panel is an I-Spy top.  What makes it unusual, the background: It is black, not a colour one would think of for young children.  Yet it makes the images, pop!
                                                                

Around the border, clues are printed in white.  Now the fun can begin, finding the 22 black ants....

It is like a treasure hunt.  Who can find it first.  How many can you find?

It is like playing boardgames, when we were kids. 

The binding is pink, because this I-Spy quilt is for a little girl, normally the boys get the I-spy quilts. Traditional I-Spy quilts, are made with squares cut out of novelty fabrics, with sashings sewn around each square. 

Most parents need a blanket to put baby on, when they go visiting, playmat quilts serve this purpose.

Keeping baby comfortable and surrounded by something familiar, no matter where they go.