Love Entwined is launched!

 

Love Entwined is already shaping out to be a marvellous adventure; the energy and enthusiasm this quilt has generated prior to launching is breathtaking. I haven't been this excited about a quilt in years. I know a lot of you feel the same. Together, we're going to have a wonderful adventure making this heirloom. Today we've made a start and I'm looking forward to the finish line when we call look back and say, we did it!

 

Does it feel like I've been discussing this quilt for weeks? Well, I must admit I have. So let's get straight down to business and take a good  look at the centre square as this is where the quilt really begins and where our BOM starts it's journey.

 

 

Now, neither of these mock up sketches do the pattern or my colour options any justice, but I think it gives you enough idea of where this pattern is headed. In Part 1 which just launched over in the group, we start with an introduction to the quilt, it's fabric requirements and the centre compass. Don't be fooled, it may not sound like much, but it's plenty to be going on with and next month (July 15th) we really step up a notch in terms of getting the centre square together. Due to my late launch, you have just enough time to think about your colour ways and select your favourite applique method.

 

I have posted the centre square (instead of just the compass this month) for good reason: a lot of beginners have contacted me. You want to make the quilt, you want to join in, but the idea of making the whole quilt is just too daunting. I suggest that you make the centre square only. This centre square (with, say, a 2 inch added border to finish) would be a stunning wall hanging on it's own. It's a real option for those of you who aren't experienced in applique or don't have the time to invest in the entire quilt.

 

You already know what this means,

there's something in this quilt for everyone!

 

You'll notice that I am between a rock and a hard place, colour wise. Should I stick with the faded linen or brighten up with the white background? Red and pink vases? Or blue and yellow? I can't decide! I keep going back and forth. I have tried to be Georgian True but there is so much conflicting advice about British Georgian colour schemes, and then; do the cool, sophisticated interiors of subtle tones and striking hues work in quilts? Is the original really created in 'Georgian' colours? I don't know. I've never seen it. After all my intense scrutiny, I don't want to make a call either way. The more I look at the original the more I think that it's actually a scrappy quilt. Will we ever know?

oh 'a fine marriage coverlet' where are you?

I've had a lot to say about the original 'fine marriage coverlet' in the past weeks. You all know that Love Entwined 1790 Marriage Coverlet is my ode to ‘a fine marriage coverlet’. I have created this quilt pattern as a historic interpretation of this important quilt and it is my hope that the popularity of this BOM will renew interest in the original quilt.

Now the focus shifts to the actual making of a new heirloom and I find that I don't have anything more to add about the original because there's no more information to go on. So, lastly, before we move ahead, I want to make one last statement about the coverlet:

It is my hope that it will be found and afforded its place in both British and quilting history as a fine example of women's work and as a legacy of workmanship respectively. It’s my opinion that this can only happen if it is found and preserved in a Museum for future generations to come. This quilt is an ode to the legacy of quilting and to women, known and unknown, who have contributed to our rich and combined quilting heritage; for whilst this is a British quilt, quilting belongs to the entire quilting community and does in that respect, inspire and ask us to maintain its preservation, regardless of our geographic location.

So, who's ready to start this BOM ? 

‘Love Entwined 1790 Marriage Coverlet’ is a Free 18 Month Historic BOM.

Each ‘block’ of the month is released monthly, on the 15^th of each month. All ‘blocks’ are available for free during the month of their release. Any missed ‘blocks’ may be purchased.

All ‘blocks’ are available for download via my Yahoo BOM Group only.
 

Ready? This Free BOM Starts Tomorrow

Are you ready for Love Entwined?

‘The earliest surviving coverlet dates from the end of the eighteenth century and the patterns are full of the life and colour found in the best tradition of applique. It seems at first only to have been done in the well-to-do houses.’

‘The earliest example which has come to light so far is also one of the best’

‘The patterns in early wood-block prints were sewn originally to the fine unbleached linen with loop stitch with thin brown wool, but during many repairs (some as late as 1835), coloured silk and cotton thread have been added. The majority of the original “dark and shady” cotton prints of red, madder brown, purple and rusty black are lightened by twigged and sprigged patterns in rose, coral, indigo, and pale blue, but many later prints are among them’

‘Other patterns show carnation and various daisy heads among sprays of leaves and flowers—eight slightly different plant-pots and four flower arrangements in two kinds of vase patterns: the centre square is lavishly adorned with hearts, denoting a marriage coverlet, but nothing is known of its history'

These quotes are from 'Patchwork' by Averil Colby (if you dont already own this book, it's a quilting staple, I urge you to seek it out) and are discussing a very special and historic quilt, known only as 'a fine marriage coverlet'. The whereabouts of this coverlet is not currently known, nor has it been seen or exhibited publicly (to the best of my knowledge) since being featured in this 1956 publication. 

This BOM Starts Tomorrow!

This quilt is a historic quilt and of great importance to both women's work and quilting history. It is my hope that this BOM will revive interest in this quilt to the extent that its whereabouts will be discovered so that it may be preserved and archived and acknowledged for future generations as the piece of history it undoubtedly is; this quilt is a legacy.

Making the BOM? Grab the button!

<div class="Esther’s-BOM-GROUP " style="width: 180px; margin: 0 auto;"> <a href="http://groups.yahoo.com/group/estheraliubom/" rel="nofollow"> <img src="http://i1121.photobucket.com/albums/l501/estheraliu/482fd947-51c5-4094-bfa2-88097ba35ab4.jpg" alt="Esther’s BOM Group" width="180" height="223" /> </a> </div>

WOW: Ready For An Adventure?

WOW = WIPs On Wednesdays

 

I have finally put down my pen, decided on some fabrics (for the time being anyway) and am ready to start the Love Entwined adventure. It feels like it's been such a long time coming...and in many ways, I could certainly keep working on this quilt for the equal measure of time all over again. But the thing with making the Love Entwined pattern is this: you don't so much 'finish' it as reach a point where you can't go on any further alone.

I've spoken in previous posts about how Love Entwined is not a 're-manufactured' quilt pattern, and it simply couldn't be - I don't have the original quilt, nor have I ever seen it in person. There's been much I can only ponder and guess whilst going forward in my own style.

Yet having said that, it is a historic quilt and this means I have reigned myself in and stayed as true as I could to the design.

And now it's finished. And I'm as ready as I will ever be. What I need now is to get on with making this quilt and sharing the journey with my Yahoo Bom Group. I'm already looking forward to exchanging thoughts and ideas about each block and seeing how you all interpret the blocks in your own special way (like you always do). My Yahoo Bom Group has come to mean so much to me - it's not just the place I share my patterns, it's where I continually grow as a designer and as a quilter. Especially now. For Love Entwined is a very special quilt. It was once special to a specific woman in her own time and place in history, and it is now special for several different reasons: for it's marking of time and place in Georgian history, women's history and quilting history. Very special indeed.

 

And this makes sharing it with you all so much more important to me, for this, unlike other quilts, is not a sole journey to be undertaken alone. It is a personal satisfaction, but one to be shared.  It's a journey I am looking forward to undertaking with others and hopefully we'll create this beautiful fragment of history - all in our own special ways- and revive it's legacy through different cultures, different countries, guilds, groups, and in our own unique space, one quilt at a time.

 

Love Entwined 1790 Marriage Coverlet is a free historic 18 month BOM which launches on friday

Blocks are released monthly, for free during the month of release

Join my Yahoo BOM Group to take part

 



What's Your WOW?

 

 

WOW: Say Chintz!

WOW = WIPs On Wednesdays

 

I feel like I've been in a Georgian whirlwind this past week! Usually I like to quilt for 3-4 hours a day during the week with weekends reserved for family time, but these last few days I've been onto this subject and pattern with all day intensity.

 

I came across a clearer image of the 'love coverlet' and decided to make some changes to my pattern. Whilst this BOM is not a re-manufacture of the original, I don't want unnecessary elements outside the style theme in there! I thought I saw birds, there weren't birds, they had to go. It's all for the benefit of the quilt and worth the extra waiting time. I do apologise for those of you on the edge of your seat, waiting for the first block, I understand! I felt exactly the same when I started the pattern, it gets under your skin.

I've finally decided to use chintz throughout this quilt

I'm still debating whether to go with a light or dark background (leaning towards light) but it will depend on the tone match I can find when I buy my chintz range. I will post details once I have decided where to purchase. In the last few days I was lucky enough to come into some Chintz a friend was willing to part with and can see some good colour ways here - for fussy cutting and graduations, like flower petals.

I haven't made a chintz quilt before and look forward to it being another first in my quilting adventure! I love this glossy look, I can only hope the entire quilt has this gleam, but I do wonder if it will be harder to turn edge? I'll find out soon enough...

The Yahoo BOM Group has had 250 new members join in this last week and I know we're all excited to make a start, I'm sorry to keep you all waiting, but with my new image 'updates' I felt I had no choice.

The energy around this quilt already feels so wonderful, some quilts just have that 'something' about them which makes creating them extra special and I already know that this 'one' is one of those and we haven't even started yet.

Are you as excited as I am ??  Stay tuned...

 

What's Your WOW ?
 

Picking over the pattern...

I am beginning to think to myself, what have I started here with Love Entwined?

The energy around this quilt is so enthusiastic and keen, I love it, but I also can't ignore how much I completely underestimated everything about this quilt: the time it would take to create the pattern, the time it would take to break down into a BOM, the interest it would arouse, and (most frustratingly of all), the time it would take to select fabric for this quilt.

Both editions, mine is the bright orange one on the right

 

You see, a friend showed me her Patchwork edition of 1958 (I'm amazed how many quilters have this book in their library, isn't it great?) and the image is much clearer than my own, in the 1956 edition.



Can't believe the clarity difference!

Much clearer. So of course I've been nit picking as much as I can over the finer details

....it's addictive!

 

Already I've scrapped 2 birds I was sure 'were there' but in the clearer image have proven not to be.



My sketchbook of images to use in this quilt, I've tinkering away at these for months

the previous working sketch, I've already updated it!

A lot of you are asking if I can put up the fabric requirements for the BOM so that you can go ahead and purchase your chosen range. All the fabric requirments and break downs will be provided in full in Part 1 of the BOM. I will not be adding snippets of info on fabric requirments anywhere else first as I have learnt from previous BOMs that this only leads to confusion.

 I know we're all impatient to start and will be updating this blog as soon as I am ready to launch!



WOW: Georgian Style

WOW = WIPs On Wednesdays

 

The idea of a Georgian quilt has quite gripped me. Of course, I'll select whichever fabrics and colours I love best, but that hasnt stopped me developing a keen interest in the Georgians. And it's true, if I can find a Georgian 'theme' that I really love, that's what I will be going with.  

This Georgian style board is from Anita Brown's blog (who has given me permission to post it here for your enjoyment, thanks Anita). The blue and pinks are spot on for this era and give a great feel for the tones I’m seeking out right now.

This image is a link to the British Library info page on the era. It's fascinating, I have spent hours reading through all the sections and highly recommend it. I haven't read it yet, I cheated and watched the BBC TV show made from this book  below (from the library) last night and have purchased it this morning. Again, it's fascinating and I can't wait to go over what I saw, in print.

 

Now I have a real feel for Georgian taste, I do wonder if I will stay true to the style or do my own thing, or a mix of the two? I don't know. As soon as the fabrics are selected, it will be time to release the first block.

I'll post as soon as I know...



What's Your WOW ?

Love Entwined: Search Update 1

'a fine linen marriage coverlet'

where are you?

Well it seems several of you have enthusiastically taken up the call to find this treasure of a quilt!

What a faulous response and to keep us all up to date, I will list what has been investigated so that no one need double up or spend time unnecessarily. Please email me directly OR leave a comment to list any searching you have undertaken below this post and I will keep updating it until this quilt is found.

The Search List:

Elaine has managed to confirm (via the Museum Curator Heather Audin) that it is not in the collection of:

• The Quilt Museum and Gallery
• The Quilters' Guild of the British Isles

 

Contacted, awaiting response:

• Quilt museum in York (run by the Guild) (Elaine)
• V & A in London (Elaine)

I know that some of you emailed to let me know that you intended to contact several groups, I will update your findings when I receive them