The Cottage Orné Quilt

The Cottage Orné Quilt
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Monday 30 December 2013

Fabulous quilt - what does it remind me of?

It is only in recent years that I have appreciated Amish quilts.  In my early quilting years, though I appreciated their impact and workmanship, I really preferred mixed print quilts, as not only do I love mixing prints in the quilts I make, but enjoy studying them in old quilts.  I still feel this way and think that imaginative use of printed fabric is under-estimated. Now of course, with the proliferation of specifically designed fabric ranges, quilters can take the easy option and don't have to cudgel their brains which I am sad about!  Mixing prints yourself is the best fun!

Ah well, off the soap box, let's just look at this beauty!



It's recently sold at auction, listed as an Amish 16 patch and my first thoughts on seeing it was that it reminded me of some of my favourite Welsh blankets -


The above is one in the Jen Jones Collection on display at the Welsh Quilt Centre in Lampeter.  The one below being used on a chair is in the Welsh home of the Prince of Wales -


His decorator is his sister-in-law, Annabel Elliot, whose work I admire tremendously.  She has a great love of old textiles and uses them extensively in her work. HRH has some nice examples in his Welsh farmhouse, both quilts and blankets, sometimes, as here, covering a chair and sometimes a table or bed.

Welsh blankets are fashionable at the moment.  Many new designs are being produced as they seem to chime with the spare look that many designers are favouring now and you see them appearing in decorating magazines in differing ways.

While I was doing picture research for this post, I came across these beautiful old ones -



 

Wishing you warm greetings and a happy and healthy New Year from a wet and windy Wales!



Tuesday 24 December 2013

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve in Wales is very stormy, as I believe it is in the rest of the UK?  However, far too much food has been bought and stored away - well it wouldn't be Christmas without a panic shop in M&S would it?  Today I'm going to have a catching up day, but before I start anything, I am taking a quiet moment to write to you all and wish you a healthy and happy time where ever you are and which ever way you celebrate.

We haven't had any EB for a while, so here are a few of my Christmas pots to help spread the message -



and here's part of a little Christmas quilt I made many years ago -



Lastly - just remember -





Sunday 15 December 2013

Christmas Quilts

What makes a good Christmas quilt?  They have to be red and green don't they?  Well I'm not so sure, but they certainly need to make an impact - something like this one maybe?


It's called Amish with a Twist and was designed by Nancy Rink and you can get the pattern and details here.  I just love this quilt! You would necessarily want to look at it throughout the year, but to bring it out and display it for a few weeks, it's just magic?




When I first began quilting Quilters Newsletter Magazine was my bible and I eagerly awaited it's monthly delivery from the USA.  The Christmas edition was special and I was intrigued by the idea of having one special quilt to display over the festive season.  I resolved to make one!  Sadly I haven't got much to show, as I have only made little quilts which don't make the same impact!  However, now with the Internet I can cruise through hundreds and here's a few more I would like to share.


It's dated 1880 from Virginia and for sale  - here are the
details.

Then what about this one -


It's in the collection of the American Folk Art Museum
details.


I first saw this on the Pine Ridge Quilter blog a few years ago but it is still one of my favourites.  I love the Feathered Star block, but have never made one and this is one of the most beautiful I have seen, combined here with Redwork embroidery.  It's featured in Texas Quilt Museum My Stars! A Constellation of Star Quilts 1845-1993, curated by Sandra Sider, December 2013.



You can't go far wrong with a Star of Bethlehem quilt, this one was made in Kentucky circa 1840 and is in the Collection of Waveland State Shrine, Lexington, Kentucky.

Lastly this one with appliqued holly in heart shaped wreaths.  The green has faded somewhat but it is still a very pretty quilt -  more details http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/5911175.


Hope you have enjoyed my choice and there are lots more on my Pinterest board.  Do go and have a look!  You will find the button on the top right hand side of this blog.

Since posting the above I have just found a not very good picture of a quilt I have always liked. I saw it in a "That Patchwork Place" catalogue and thought one day .....!  I would make some changes if I ever did make it because it is a little bit fussy for me, but I still like it!


I think it comes from "Country Threads Christmas" by Mary Tendall and Connie Tesene, but if anyone can confirm this and point me in the right direction, I should be most grateful.

Yet another add on!  Thanks to Susan's comment I have now ordered from Amazon - we have it on the UK one too!


You never know - I might actually make it!