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 ?
 

Esther's Occasional Quote For The Day

Thank you to everyone who took the time to comment on my post below. I read and was touched by every thoughtful and sincere comment. There may only be a handful of us who are demonstratively keen to see the original quilt, but our devotion is intense and I hope it will be considered favourably by the current owners of the coverlet.

I can't explain why, but I just haven’t felt ready to start this quilt. During the pattern making process I felt so eager to make a start, but as the months have passed and thousands of you have made a start yourselves, I have found myself feeling 'not quite ready'. First it was a fabric issue and the real difficulty I was experiencing selecting a colour scheme. Now I think I am set to go with a scrappy theme. Many of you have opted for this and the blocks look wonderful. I can't wait to make a start myself now. I am making space in my sewing room and finishing up some pressing projects to make room for starting and catching up on my own heriloom.

I’m getting there, in my own time…

Do *You* want to see the coverlet? Please Comment!

Update: Sat, 7 Sept 2013.
Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to comment on this post. I have been touched by everything you've said. The original coverlet has really got under our skin. We yearn to see and know more about it. I know there are thousands of you who are interested in this quilt; so many of you have joined my BOM Group or emailed me about it. If you have any interest in this quilt, please leave a comment on this post.

The Power of Love:

the ‘Fine Marriage Coverlet’ has been FOUND

 

This quilt will not be forgotten to time, this quilt will not be lost to our legacy and heritage. We looked for it, we called out for it…and it answered us.

We Did It!

The ‘fine marriage coverlet’ wanted to be found, it wanted to be remembered and it wanted to be loved. There’s no other way I can explain my journey which started by looking at its image 12 years ago to now. There’s no other way I can explain the interest, enthusiasm and devotion shown by thousands of quilters all over the world for this coverlet and it’s, as yet unknown, maker. Every step of this journey has been infused with love. I have certainly grown to love this quilt and I know many of you are in love with it too.

I always knew it was a significant quilt, yet I couldn’t understand why no one had looked for it, to the best of my knowledge, before me. How could that be? No matter what I did, I couldn’t forget about it. And I know many of you were thinking about it too. Together we revived interest in finding this quilt and together we did it.

WOW! Talk about the power of Quilters!

What I can tell you: the quilt is privately owned through purchase and the current owner is in the UK. The current owner wishes to remain anonymous.

If you have been privately seeking this quilt, thank you for your efforts, please stop now. We have a contact in the UK who has the most up to date and accurate information regarding this quilt and is currently researching the quilt and if she finds any extra history on it, she will post updates of such progress here on this blog.

 

What now?

I will be printing and binding all my posts on this quilt and having them passed onto the current owner so that this chapter in the quilt’s story is documented.

So if there’s anything you want to say to the current owner, please say so in the comment section of this post.

It will be printed and passed on. I am appealing to the current owner to release images of the quilt for us all to enjoy and /or to exhibit the quilt publicly. Of course, we can only ask, the final decision belongs to the owner and we must graciously respect that decision, whatever it may be.

The quilt is privately owned and we cannot know if we will ever have another opportunity to ask to see it. If you have any interest in this quilt, please comment.

The time to make your heartfelt plea is now.

I’m so happy to share this significant progress with you all and I’m looking forward to reading your comments.

WOW: 7 Reasons to Book Before You Go

 

WOW = WIPs On Wednesdays

I've in the middle of one of those weeks. I haven't got anything useful done and am swamped with so many WOWs and To Do's that I decided I would share a little stopover my DH and I endured during a short trip we took out of state over the weekend.

Now, I should start these photos by mentioning that I am the kind of woman who wants everything booked before I go anywhere. My DH? Not so much. In fact, never. And this is precisely what can happen when you don't book before you go...

 

Four luxury beds...but how will madam choose?

Let's decide over tea

 

 

or maybe after a shower

we can share the 1x towel

 

 

be sure to put the sink plug back on it's purpose built mantle

we wouldnt want it to go missing...

 

Like all the tissues in the bolted down tissue holder above it have

 

 

VIP Sink Plug!

 

Then we can take in the artwork

whilst keeping an eye on the piggybacked electrical sockets

 

 

Before calling Good Taste Magazine...

Did you bring a phone line with you?

 

What's Your WOW ?

 



WOW: Cutting Out Shirts

WOW = WIPs On Wednesdays

What a week it's been! So many of us excited and eager to know more about the marriage coverlet since my announcement over in my Group earlier in the week. I know it's hard, really hard, but we just have to hold on a little longer. I hope to have something more to share with you all very soon.

 

My solution today is to keep busy, so instead of starting on Love Entwined as I was planning to, I'm back to working on my shirts. The pattern's done, the fabric's selected, today is a day for cutting out shirts.

I've made a start

 and I've fallen in love with each fabric print all over again
 

 

and now it's just a matter of time and a production line...

 

What's Your WOW ?

 

 

WOW: Fabric Time

 WOW = WIPs On Wednesdays

 

Finally, it's fabric time. No, not Love Entwined Fabric time, shirt fabric time! These are all fabrics from my stash. It feels good to be putting them to use! All up I'm making 5 shirts. I am in love with this bold fabric of roses on a black background. Ordinarily I don't like wearing black, but with the bold colours shining through, I'll make an exception. This fabric was actually selected to be a table runner for my large table a few years ago. All I had to do add some ribbon along the edges and I would have been done. I'm so glad I didn't, I know I'll get more wear from it as a shirt.

 

This is my 'monkey print' shirt.

My DDs kindly pointed out that it looked like I was wearing monkey faces when up this way

 

So I'll be wearing it THIS way (below),

where it now looks like a pattern and not a distracting set of eyes!

Again, black is a little unusual for me, but I love the olive and yellow

 

 

Green is my favourite colour and although I haven't made it yet, this is my new favourite shirt!

I might even make 2x straight away (if I have enough for sleeves), otherwise the second one will have to have either brown or olive inset sleeves which I'm yet to find in my stash

 

Pink and Green: how pretty is this fabric?

It's so vibrant and fresh, I can't wait to wear it on those hot, long days

 

This is a spray of flowers on navy blue, I selected it because it's just so practical

It doesn't show up great on screen, but I has great reds, green variations and beige's mixed in which makes it so versatile in my wardrobe.

 

Well, I've got plenty to be getting on with today! Wednesdays are turning into my sewing days, hopefully I'll keep up this habit for the rest of the year.

What's Your WOW ?
 

 

Thinking about a Quilting Bee

Quilt Designer Seeks Like Minded Melbourne Quilters for Love Entwined Sewing Bee

Weekly? Fortnightly? Monthly?

 

There’s no doubt about it, groups are the best place to make a quilt. I know a lot of quilters are meeting in person to make Love Entwined each month and I think that’s a great idea.

A lot of you have asked me what I think about Quilting Shops holding Quilting Bees and Classes based on the pattern Love Entwined.

What do I think about it? I think it’s a great idea!

I didn’t realise how high the demand was for applique technique classes until I launched this pattern and now that I know, I think it’s important to sew alongside other people to learn as you do. It’s the best way to improve your skills. As for Quilt Shops that want to charge a fee for a sewing session, I don’t have an opinion about it – if you want to pay to join in on a session, then that’s something for you to decide.

As long as the shop doesn’t claim that it’s collecting money on ‘my behalf’ (which it isn’t) and as long as my patterns are not copied, shared or distributed, then I’m fine with it. Actually, it might be useful for some quilters to have lessons and expertise and materials all available in one place.

Personally, I have liked working away at home on my patterns as I have been so busy and generally disorganised. However with Love Entwined, it really is a “group” quilt and I would like to make it in a group setting. I am now thinking about the possibility of a local Quilting Bee to meet with other quilters as I make and progress on the blocks each month.

I’ve been looking at venues nearby and they are surprisingly expensive, on top of that, I have to factor in public liability insurance, so I am weighing up my options.

I’m not interested in a paying class; I’m interested in meeting with fellow quilters making Love Entwined weekly, fortnightly or monthly to sew together as a friendship group. Any ‘fees’ collected would be to cover the hiring fee on the hall or room only.

Do you have any ideas?

Are you in Melbourne?

Would you be interested? 

This is what I did today, instead of the housework

I sewed a fabric lining into my daily morning walk sweater

 

And this is my pattern design wall. You can't see it in the photograph, but that there is the pattern for Love Entwined. I pinned a picture of Love Entwined to this wall the very moment I started designing the pattern and I decide I wouldn't take it down until the 'fine marriage covelet' was found. It's a good luck charm.

Love Entwined: Part 3 is Launched

This month the elements surrounding the centre take position: the east and south circle of hearts, the north and south polka dot crosses.

 

 

 

This is where we're up to, quilt wise:

 

I don't know about you, but there's something in this month that makes my heart flutter. You can definitely tell it's a marriage coverlet that's taking shape, and the positioning of these elements reminds us how much love, care and consideration was put into the design.

I love this circle of hand drawn hearts, it's beautiful. I recommend reverse applique for this block, the symbols and details are too rich to ignore and really add to the quilt's detail.

Of course, I should know by now that with so many of you making Love Entwined, there'll be a style shown over in the group to suit everyone and I can't wait to see how you make it up.

Of course, now that my fabric has arrived, I'll be starting my own Love Entwined tutorials right here on my blog very soon. If you haven't started yet: it's not too late. Usually, each part is available for free during the month of it's release and then it's removed. However I have left the previous parts to this BOM up over in my Group so that as many newcomers as possible can start for free.

The response to Love Entwined has been overwhelming and I'm happy to welcome a few more quilters before I take down the previous blocks.

 

If you do create a tutorial on your own working method please consider adding it to the Love Entwined Page at the top of this blog. It has an ongoing linky so that whoever is making this quilt can share what they are doing: this way all blog posts can easily be found in one place.

 

With so many of us making this quilt, it's always interesting to see other quilters' workmanship and ideas, so feel free to share even if you are doing things a little differently.

 

Can't wait to see what you do this month...

'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: Finishing The Shirt Pattern

WOW = WIPs On Wednesdays

 

Last week I traced my shirt pattern, this week I am serious about getting my pattern finished by lunchtime which is in a few hours. I am setting out later today with my DH on business, we're driving up to NSW, so I'm working to a tight schedule.

 

 

Actually I find pattern making quite rewarding, especially since I know the next stage will be selecting fabrics to make my shirts from. And I know I'll get so much wear from them as I'll like them so much. I'm working in the kitchen as the light is best here at this time of day

 

I'm making this pattern on Cane-ite which I purchased at Bunnings for about $10 (can't remember exactly) it's a great surface to pattern on as you can pin the board as you go.

I've already traced my original shirt and now I'm working on the collar,

cutting out the pieces which I'll set aside until I'm ready to select and cut my fabrics.

 

Making my own shirts isn't something I thought I'd ever do at this stage in my life, but now that I'm making them to suit my own taste given that I can't purchase what I want, it's a skill I'm pleased to have. Sewing is so often dismissed as 'women's work' or a skill that belongs to craft projects. I think I'm still part of a generation where a lot of women had enough skill to sew garments and home accessories such as curtains and cushions without too much difficulty.

 

 

Nowadays I'm taken aback at how lacking these skills are. Most young women I meet don't know how to sew the simplest things. They just don't see it as a necessary skill. Last week I was dismayed to see (at a craft demonstration no less) a method for joining fabric lengths together which consisted of simply sewing both sides together with a french seam. No instruction was given on how to match fabrics, grains or prints so that you can create a visually continuous length when using print fabrics.

 

As quilters, most of us will have significant sewing experience; but I think sewing is a useful and lifetime skill for everyone, it's a shame it's generally so undervalued. What do you think?

 

What's Your WOW ?