Sunday 31 January 2016

1718 Coverlet update, 5 'rows' done!





A little update on my 1718 coverlet reproduction: I'm working on it whenever I can, it is so different from what I have done so far and very addictive...




The sunlight came in on Saturday for a few minutes. I tried to capture the whole width of this piece (hanging side ways)....
If you want to take a look at the original one that is in the collection of the Quilt museum in York ( sadly closed down in 2015, but you can still see the collection online ) you can look here . The colours on this site are much brighter than in the book with the pattern. I'm not sure which one is closer to the original coverlet, how it looks today.




This is where all the blocks are made, one by one. Some of them by hand others by machine...

The fabrics are mostly woven fabrics, like upholstery cottons, linen, old cottons dyed in coffee, Japanese woven fabric (fabrics I used in my Love entwined 1790 coverlet reproduction ) and old clothing.




With most of the fabric choices I try to stay close to the original coverlet, but sometimes I just pick what is in my 1718 fabric box.

This morning I did some early morning stitches before breakfast.  I unpicked the B and the 0 from the appliqued letters, they were out of line. Than I appliqued new ones, better I tthink...




On the left of my table I put up my 'design wall'.

It is a bit to narrow but it is an impression. I'll be off to make more new blocks and hope to show them soon.

Groetjes
Annemieke

Tuesday 26 January 2016

My Red and white Irish chain is finished!!!



My first big red and white quilt is finished!!!!!! It is entirely made out of scraps, all saved during lots of years. Some of them are even from the 80ties like that little bear.








The striped fabric from the back of the quilt is folded to the front to form a binding.









 The pattern  I used is from Bonny Hunter, from her book : Adventures with leaders and enders. I changed the 'white' part. In the pattern it is only made out of one big piece, while I chose to use small  squares ( 2"by 2") throughout the whole quilt.




The back of the quilt, contains 2 different fabrics in red and white. The fabric in the middle is framed by the striped fabric. The quilt is machine quilted on my home sewing machine, just simple stripes.




The ducks are also from the 80ties, like the bears.

The quilt is made to use on our big bed so no hanging sleeve needed, it is just going to be a utility quilt.

Facts:
Size: 2.35m by 2.35m (approx. 92" by 92")
3600 squares
patched and quilted by my home sewing machine
batting: a heavy 100% cotton batting layer, normally used for covering a mattress ( in Dutch called: molton)
the weight of the quilt: 4 kg, yes it is heavy!

Have a nice day,

Groetjes

Annemieke

Sunday 24 January 2016

A great day out: Applique workshop and antique quilts



Last Saturday I was finally able to visit  Dorry from the quilt shop that moved to Overloon: Quilt it & Dotty : BEAUTIFUL!!! Lots of atmosphere, light, large and many fabric.

The first reason to go all the way over there was to join a workshop given by Dawn . She is a very talented lady who does a lot of things for example: collecting antique quilts and other antique quilting items. She, together with her daughter, makes, and sells patterns (See her patterns here)  made from those antique quilts and also teaches.
We were taught an applique technique called: back basting applique. This was very clear and could come in very handy for me in the near future...

I already finished mine today!!!  There was no more daylight for the photo, but I couldn't wait showing it here;) The fabrics are a bit light, not so much contrast but I'm okay with that.

Dawn showed some of her antique quilts in the afternoon....Every one was in Aaahhhh every time she unfolded one.....so beautiful and fragile too. She told lots of history too.
I was enjoying it so much....Do you see here every shape is a bit different? They had to improvise a lot back than. They didn't have the patterns we are able to buy today....well choosing one to make nowadays is almost giving me sleepless nights but that is a different problem.

This one was very nice too, I almost bought this pattern...but I already bought the Shenandoah botanical quilt pattern.
(also see the button on the right on my weblog too) and hope to start working on that one soon.

This is a detail of an antique quilt with embroidery, quite unusual for the 19th century, Dawn told us.

This is a 'Noah and Matilda' quilt top replica, Dawn made. Also very beautiful.....


Dawn said, it is still possible to find old quilt tops in thrift stores in the USA. We, quilters here, are all dreaming of finding such tops!

  And I was (and still am) in love with Dorry's kittens, six in total, so sweet.


I was able to purchase fabric for my Lizzy BOM project (see the Lizzy quilt in Dorry's shop in the photo above) for the sashings and cornerstones. And of course some fat quarters because they were so nice, I couldn't resist them...
It was a great day thanks to Dawn our teacher, Dorry, owner of the shop and giving us the hospitality and such nice drinks and food during the day. Also Dorry's Mum who helped her where she could.
Thank you all!!!

Groetjes

Annemieke

 

Monday 18 January 2016

2016: Lots of Projects to choose from.....



Hi Everyone, I want to thank all of you for reading my blog and your most appreciated and nice comments in 2015 !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here are 14 of my WIP projects. Have fun reading!
 
1718 coverlet update (1.73m by 0.35m), lots of more blocks to make. Such a nice project to work on, very different than usual and fabrics as linen, upholstery and woven fabrics too.

  Apple core doll quilt, needs quilting and a binding....

 tree top...needs finishing....(the blue and green is from another top)

Still working on my Cathedral windows quilt (in Dutch: 'Ramen lappie' á la Supergoof), this will take a while because the plan is to make it big. Love working on it though (all by hand).

 Crocheted sheep blanket in granny stripes, only needs a border (and finish all those loose hanging threads..)

 Teddy bear, made of sackcloth or sort of linen fabric, needs eyes and body... but I like him already.

Lizzy BOM, from Quilt it & Dotty,  lots of blocks to make....I don't mind that it will take a while. Nice to know I can make a block without having to think to much...

 Two tops with old Dutch patterns, both need finishing...

 Mushroom, autumn top, needs finishing...

 Red and white Irish chain, I already started machine quilting this...it is quite heavy and big to handle.

A red, white and blue star, part of a sampler quilt to be...there are other orphanage blocks in my closet in the same colour range so may be one day it can be a sampler quilt....

My Bird quilt top...like this one too, a bit quirky..

 '70ties Holiday quilt top, needs more borders... a project I take with me when I go on holiday...

Little dancing dollies table runner, made from antique French fabrics(bought in Nantes, France) on linen, mostly applique. I like this too, don't know why this stayed in my closet for so long...

Of course there are even more plans in my head and patterns and books in my closet, so I feel very privileged .

And now I bought Brigitte Giblin's second book: Feathering the nest 2 at the Quiltster
it is full of nice new projects, ha ha, just what I needed, new ideas!

Saturday the 23thrd I will be attending a workshop in 'back basting applique' and trunkshow (with antique quilts) from Dawn, collector with a needle  at Quilt it & Dotty at Overloon (the Netherlands).  Exciting!
(  I think there are still some tickets left for the trunk show only).

The plan is to show progress on all my projects from above in the coming year!!!


I wish everyone a very creative year too in 2016,
  

Groetjes

Annemieke