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I am a quilter living in Woodbridge, Suffolk who has made quilts since I was a teenager. I also ring bells! Both are great British traditions....I will try to feature some of my antique Welsh and Durham quilts, the quilts I make myself, my quilting activities and also some of my bellringing achievements. Plus as many photos as I can manage. NB: Double click on the photos to see greater detail, then use back button to return to the main page.













Thursday 3 February 2011

New Fabric for Northumberland Sawtooth Centre Diamond



You may remember that I bought this "stamped" top last year. Rather than quilt it, I thought that it would be fun to buy new fabric and make another top, then transfer the quilting designs from the old top. This week, my order from Simply Solids arrived.


As well as the fabric, I bought a Kona Cotton shade card - I thought it would be printed, but it has little squares of fabric stuck on, which is neat. I don't imagine that all these colours are available in the UK! And, I guess it is really for shop owners and wholesalers, as it talks about a minimum order of 2000 yards for custom colours...

Here is the fabric I ordered - Blush Pink and Bleached White. Although I did "reckon" the amount I would need, the half square triangles may need a bit more! I guess that I can always order a bit more if I need it....


You can see that the colour match is not bad, although "melon" is a slightly better match. Anyhow, I am not trying to make an exact reproduction - the actual fabrics are heavier weight - and I would have to add many decades of accumulated grime as well...


Recently while at a local quilt shop, I bought this stencil on the spur of the moment - thought that it might be suitable. It is the right size for the border - but it is not the same design. The original design had two strands woven under and over. So I'll use the original tracings...


Here is one part of the tracing - you can see the lovely freehand scroll work - the zigzag markings are the outline quilting in the half square triangles.

I'll start to sew the top soon - it should be fairly straightforward - except for those half square triangles - the originals are more rectangles - and the points are often lopped off - I'll have to do the best that I can....
Then it will be a simple matter of using my light table to trace the quilting designs off the tracings. I'll have to finish the Pilani quilt first, before I can start to quilt this top. At least my sewing machine's tension will be better than the original!
I am nearly at my 100 th post - which is surprising - however, I have decided that I will do something special for my one year anniversary - on April 8th.Watch this space....



6 comments:

  1. What a facinating project. I'll be looking forward to seeing you progress. The quilting design is dream-like, so pretty and flowing.

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  2. Have fun making the new top. I like the pink and off white.

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  3. I absolutely love the quilting you traced from the original and would really like to see more. Sadly, quilting is less commonly discussed (and/or seen) when looking at an old quilt. I think this is quite a unique pattern for a stamped quilt.

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  4. Can't wait to see it finished!! BTW I can get in any of the colours from the colour card in if you want them, so yes all available in UK!

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  5. The original border design is so much more alive than the stencil pattern - it reminds me of the decorative wall paintings at Charleston - rather "Bloomsbury Group" in style!

    Will check out Simply Solids. One of those shade cards could come in very handy.

    Are you planning to exhibit the new quilt (when finished!) alongside the stamed top?

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  6. That will be a spectacular quilt when you`ve finished, I can`t wait to see it! Is it a 'North Country' stamped pattern, the border certainly looks like it?

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