WOW: Chintz Distraction

WOW = WIPs On Wednesdays

 

I was completely lost in this book all day yesterday. I'm officially going through a chintz phase now. There's always room for one more book...or two, even when you're attempting to downsize (as I am supposed to be). But when I saw Chintz Quilts over on Sally's (feather on a wire) blog I knew I'd get a lot from it. On Friday I was busy preparing for a weekend workshop, but found a few hours to drop in on Quilts In The Barn. Luckily I had an opportunity to buy this book in person and not pay extra for shipping.

 

 

And whilst I was there I had to buy some chintz fabric too. I did decide that I wouldn't buy any new fabric except for specific quilt projects and in limited amounts- but chintz is my new exception. Now, I am stash busting most of the time, so I didn't buy much, but I am in love with what I did bring home.

 

 

The best thing about collecting chintz fabric and reading about chintz fabric is how inspirational it is, I can already feel the urge to design a new quilt. But first I'll have to get some WIPs finished. It's really getting ridiculous, all my WIPs. I'm too busy to finish anything but seem to find the energy to start completely new things. Or not...I still haven't started Love Entwined!

The Beauty of Broderie Perse

Love Entwined has really inspired so many of you to try your hand at broderie perse and I am thrilled with how wonderful it's looking. With the release of Part 4 (the first vase and flower corner) I knew some originality would shine through and wow, I've been taken aback by how intensely you're all making Love Entwined your very own, which of course, it is.

 

 

I'm sure that the original coverlet maker was an extraordinary woman; a woman who created according to her own fashion, so its so nice to see that very same influence affecting so many of you.

 

 

When I designed the flowers for all 4 vases, I thought a lot about 'chintz style' and created the pattern so that using one style (the pattern) or using broderie perse or incorporating both was possible. I'm really delighted to see how beautiful the pattern looks worked up in applique and how good it looks when mixed in with broderie perse. Personally, I'm conflicted. I adore the pattern (obviously I'm somewhat biased!) and feel inclined to go with the flowers on the pattern.

 

 

On the other hand, I feel some broderie perse calling out to me...so I might do a mix. I'll know for sure when I reach that stage and have decided that I will do what feels most authentic for me at that point; and this will also determine whether I applique my stems or embroider them as it appears the original is embroidered and thin.

 

 

What I know for sure is, the quilt calls for fussiness. It wants to be embellished and I am going to comply with it's wishes. There is plenty of room on the quilt for little embellishments and personalisation.

 

 

I couldn't help myself, I purchased a layercake of fabrics and have found some real beauties to use for fussy cutting and potentially broderie perse. That's the only extra I have purchased, otherwise I've been digging out fabrics from my stash to look for little pieces to use when it suits. When I look at the quilt top as a whole, I will place these little applique pieces wheresoever there is (what I refer to as) a fussy spot in need of some attention.

 

This rose fabric is an old fabric from my stash, I've had it for years

I knew it could come in handy at some point....

 

 

What about you?

Has Love Entwined had you looking over your fabrics for charming

prints to use in this precious heirloom?

 

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

Each ‘block’ of the month is released monthly, on the 15th 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

 

WOW: Technology Time Out

WOW = WIPs On Wednesdays

 

This week I am undergoing a major technology overhaul and update; not something I am enjoying. So many files, so much software, so many access user names and passwords. I really wonder how I acquired so much technology 'stuff'. I don't even like computers, and yet I find that I am on the computer more than ever, reading blogs more than ever, watching programs more than ever and even (although I still prefer hard copies) reading magazines more than I ever expected.

What about you?

When I think of the time and cost of all this technology, I really wonder how it got so serious without me noticing. It's moved into my life and I cant now see a time when it won't be there, demanding attention.

I try to keep a balance by having a no screen rule during the weekends, but often find myself looking up something quickly or getting directions. I wonder what would happen if there were no computers for 24 hours. Bliss or chaos?

WOW: A Quilter in her Home Environment

WOW = WIPs On Wednesdays

 

Ironing shirts? Making Dinner? Or drafting another pattern?

Tough choice.

 

 

Yes, that's a vacuum cleaner hose behind my head, I've brought it out so that its ready to use

as soon as I'm ready. At some point today I will have to get some housework done.

 

 

Eventually.

What's Your WOW ?

 

A Tale Of Two Roses

Have you ever designed a quilt that just took on a life of it's own? I have.

I designed Rose Cherry & Lily to be such a sweet and simple quilt, but look at it now:

Rose, Cherry & Lily

the quilt that took on its own personality

Rose, Cherry & Lily will be released as a complete pattern in my online shop (when I get around to it later this month). Due to the method of construction, it's not suitable for a BOM format at all and is going straight to pattern. It's an advanced applique quilt.

 

When I launched Love Entwined 1790 Marriage Coverlet (an advanced applique quilt), I decided that I should launch a beginners applique quilt at the same time. I have a lot of quilt patterns which I'm working on freeing from my journals and pattern books, so it felt like the perfect time to release two quilts at the same time and create something which all members in my Yahoo Group could work on.

I think it was a great idea. What I didn't know however, was what a big deal Love Entwined would be, how quickly my Yahoo Group would grow and how it was suddenly impossible to launch two quilts at the same time!

 

Love Entwined demanded all my attention. I didn't want anything to distract me from my new interest; the 1790 marriage coverlet and decided to put off releasing the second quilt. Then changes started happening, I couldn't stop tinkering with the design. This second beginners quilt was called 'Rose, Cherry & Lily' and it took on a romantic flair all its own and whilst I love it, it's simply not a beginners applique quilt anymore, so I definitely couldn't release it as the 'beginners' alternative.

 

Looking at it now, it seems hard to believe that it started out as such a simple quilt and then grew into another heirloom...but there you are, that's the influence of the marriage coverlet!

 

 

Luckily, the same week I realised that Rose, Cherry & Lily would not be released, I visited the V&A exhibition in Brisbane. The 1790 era quilts inspired me to go and make another applique quilt for beginners. I already had the centre vase pattern in my folio, what I needed was inspiration for the borders. And I found inspiration aplenty at the V&A! I loved, simply loved the patchwork borders which appeared again and again throughout various quilts of the period. What a brilliant idea. I didn't think I'd ever create an antique looking patchwork quilt, but I have! And I'm delighted with it.

 

Lily Rose

Applique & Pieced Wall Hanging

 

It's a simple and intermediate applique (a  perfect beginners applique quilt) with plenty of simple piecing and an oh so satisfying wall hanging size. It's a three month project and it is offered for free to members of my Yahoo BOM Group.

 

I will be releasing it this month as a BOM in 3 parts and it will be done by December which feels like such a nice project to fit in before the end of the year. I'm so pleased to be sharing it with you. Of course, I'm torn over which colour scheme to go with (sounds familiar?) so I've put up my two favourites here. Everyone seems to love the red one above whilst I am keen on the turquoise one below. Well, I love them both anyhow!

 

Let me know what you think...

 



Love Entwined: Part 4 is Launched

Finally, the flowers!

Have you been longing for this month as much as I have? When I was drafting this pattern I had to keep reminding myself that I wanted the flower vases to appear hand drawn and purposefully imperfect. And yet, they had to be both simple and exaggerated. This is an intense quilt with a lot of ideas in the design.

Now that we're 4 months in, we've all had a lot of time to think about the era and immerse ourselves on quilts from the period. This month, I am considering the relevance of broderie perse throughout the quilt. Broderie perse is definitely a suitable technique and feels so authentic for the pattern so if you're thinking about it, go ahead and see if it will work for you. My feeling is that it will depend on the fabric itself and whether or not the prints you have lend themselves, size and style wise. Having scrutinised the quilt, it's clear that there is a lot of what appears to be broderie perse as well as embroidery and stitches. Embroidering / stitching the vines and stems is definitely another option and this is what gives the original coverlet its 'lighter' look where the vase and flowers are concerned, so do give it some thought.

I have much more to say about using broderie perse with this pattern and I will be publishing a blog post about broderie perse next week to discuss this.

For me, the flowers really take me somewhere. I get lost in the romanticism of these four vases. They are flourishes which centre the quilt. You've done a lot of work to get this far, and now it's all getting visually exciting. Looking at the quilt as a design now, you can really see it taking shape. And appreciate how much thought and planning went into making it a reality over 223 years ago.

I wish I knew more, because the longer I spend with this quilt the more convinced I become that it belonged to a young woman. Of course that's just my opinion. I don't know anything for certain: we don't even know who made this quilt or why.

It will just have to remain a beautiful mystery. But there is a niggling voice that keeps telling me someone, somewhere must know something of the marriage this coverlet was made for. Somewhere forgotten in an old record book, in an archive, somewhere the details of our mystery woman sit, forgotten. Perhaps an old manor house was home to the quilt and somewhere, sepia stained photos have documented it's path in the lives of a family. But where? We can only guess.

If you've come this far on the LE journey, you appreciate the time, fabric, skill and resources required to embark on such a coverlet. What woman, in 1790 (or there abouts), had all these things? Did she make this quilt as a daughter...or as a wife? Questions, Questions...

This is what we are up to, quilt wise:

you'll notice I keep fiddling with the colours, that's because this is just a sketch of the quilt and I keep changing my mind! I haven't actually started my own yet, as I do I will be posting tutorials right here. So if you haven't started, there's still time. I know some of you just aren't ready and I'm not either, it's fine, we're all working at our own pace. And the patterns are still available for free in my Yahoo BOM Group so you're not too late.

If you are creating a tutorial on your own blog, don't forget to link your specific blog post (not general URL) over over in the Love Entwined Page at the top of this blog - its a linky resource for all quilters and another way for us to connect and share our LE journey.

Can't wait to see what you'll do this month,

although I already know you'll do amazing things!

I'm posting early this month as I don't like to launch BOMs on Sundays,
each Part is usually released on the 15th.

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

Each ‘block’ of the month is released monthly, on the 15th 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

WOW: Bits & Pieces

UPDATE: my Link Up Tool appears to have disappeared?! The Link server appears to be down and this has also affected all my BOM archives.

WOW = WIPs On Wednesdays

 

 

I'm still working away on my shirts, it's all details and taking care at the right points to get a good finish, so I'm working at my own pace; I bet you're all sick of seeing my shirts by now!

 

I have a short attention span so I am always working on several projects at once: this always looks like I am working away at the same thing for a long time when really, I'm working away at bits of it, and then I end up with several things finished all at once.

 

I like to have The Quilt Show chatting away as I sew, and that's what I'm watching on my tablet just in front of my machine. During interesting bits I usually pause sewing just so I don't miss anything! What are your 'sewing zone' habits?

 

 

I finally unpacked my new Bernina from its box a few months ago. I'd been waiting years for a new machine, and when it arrived simply didn't have a chance to properly unpack and play with it. It sounds almost unbelievable even typing that, as someone who loves her machines, but its true. It's been sitting around for a whole year, waiting for me to get around to familiarising myself with it.

 

 

I'm making a start now as I intend to stitch all of LE on this new machine. But I'm not thinking about that just yet as I am currently searching for a good machine to take around to workshops. Something reliable and robust as it's for classes only. I thought it would be easy to pick up such a machine, but after spending all day yesterday hunting through eBay, I really haven't found anything suitable. They're all too basic or too advanced / expensive for what I need to use them for. I'm working my way out of all these bits and pieces today.
 

 What's Your WOW ?