I’ve been visiting this book — Traditional British Quilts by Dorothy Osler — at my public library about once a month for the past two years. It’s in the reference section, so I couldn’t check it out and take it home with me. It was also published in 1987, and it’s been out of print for a while, so for the longest time, I couldn’t even find a copy to buy. Until now! I just found it last week! 🙂
I fell in love with a wonderful quilt on Page 29. It’s called Medallion Quilt in multicoloured cottons; North Country: c. 1880. The photo is in black and white, so I can’t see the “multicoloured cottons,” but I know it must be really special. Every time I looked at this book in the library, I made lots of notes and little drawings so I could remember what the quilt looked like.
Then I came home and started making my own version of the Medallion Quilt in all the deep reds and burgundies I had in my stash. I wanted my quilt to be rectangular instead of square, so I changed the centre design from 9 squares with sashing to 12 squares with sashing.
The borders and cornerstones will increase by 1/2 inch in width with each subsequent row. Borders 3 to 6 are already cut out and ready to go.
Border 7 will be a Flying Geese “Goose Chase” flowing in anti-clockwise direction, and the geese will be made of all the scrap fabrics left over from the other borders. Here’s an example of that pattern from the Quilters Cache website.
I haven’t done the maths, so I don’t know how big this quilt will turn out to be, and I’m not going to make myself feel guilty for taking a long time to finish it. It’s been such an interesting project — I just want to savour it! 🙂
Happy Quilting!
I have one of those fabrics in the bottom picture. I used it in my first and forth quilts. I love it. It’s the bottom cream with all the little flowers and vines. Glad to know that they sold it across the pond, too.
I love that fabric, too — it’s so sweet! 🙂
I love our fabrics for this wonderful quilt. I am so happy that you found your book!!! What a great way to bring this project together…
Hi Vicki, thank you! I’ve just visited your blog and seen your Civil War Diary quilt. It’s really beautiful! Thanks for visiting me. 🙂
I love remaking old quilts fun — isn’t it?
I’m having a great time with it! There was only a photo and no instructions, so I’m making it up as I go along. I hope the old-timey ladies who made the original would approve! 🙂