Wednesday 2 March 2016

1718 coverlet love

I've realised that I find it hard to make multiple blocks that are the same......I get bored easily and my attention span is small.

So the answer for 2016 is to do BOMs, and sampler type quilts.

Splendid sampler is coming along, it is a challenge with a limited palette of cotton and steel's Bluebird....but fun trying to interpret each block in a style of my own





Today made March BOM for Pat Sloan's secret garden, I plan to use up my huge solid stash with only 2 prints/block




But my biggest challenge will be having a go at recreating the 1718 coverlet


isn't it adorable? its the earliest dated english patchwork surviving
made from silks , the silks of the day were hand woven and were in fact a tighter weave than today's silks which fray more.The blocks were paper pieced, mainly repurposed silks, with a little velvet and wool fabric. No batting, just backed...hence it is named ' coverlet'


The quilt guild made a lovely reproduction to show the original colours better


There is a wonderful book about this, and patterns to make the blocks, by Susan Briscoe


So much to do........and I've got 4 days off, whoo hoo!!