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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.













Sunday 8 May 2011

Quilting Motifs

After Andrea's comment, I went away to look at the books on my shelf - here is a design from Osler's North Country Quilts - Swirl and Cockscomb - which looks similar to the motif on the pink and gold Durham quilt - very dramatic.


I also got out a "Quilt Pack" published by Tyne and Wear Museum Service in the 1990's - it has some design motifs and three post cards. Here is the design called variously shell or goose tail. I also found my original handwritten notes taken during a work shop given by Dorothy Osler in the early 90's. I will have to read these more carefully. We marked a cot quilt in the Durham style but I have to confess that I never completed the project. Dorothy gave a talk at an Area Day and gave a workshop the next day -the Area Day was at RAF Bentwaters, a huge American Base which closed very suddenly.


And here is Goosewing, essentially, half a curved feather. This is used as a border element and also as a central motif; its curve makes it very attractive, especially in pairs.


And finally, here is the progress on the sawtooth quilt - I have mostly completed the central area and I am about to start quilting the borders.

4 comments:

  1. The contrast between the central swirls and the diagonal hatching works nicely - I guess the crosshatching has been much quicker to do than the swirls!

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  2. Interesting point - I like doing the scrolls so it goes quite quickly - but the crosshatching is a bit tedious - so seems to go more slowly! The next white border is scrolls - fun - then a pink border with a twist which will be slow work - then a rather loose flowers and feathers pattern which should not take long. I hope to have this finished for FOQ by end of July....

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  3. Very nice, I am working on something with feathers and I agree with you, that part went much quicker than the x hatching I"m now working on. I think "I've got to be done" and there are still more rows to stitch.

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  4. Pippa, this is exactly the pattern of the cockscomb I had in my mind. How great that you posted the picture here. I also like the goosewing and I will use it in one of my future quilts.
    Your sawtooth quilt looks marvellous! I agree with you, quilting the crosshatching is a little boring but it's worth the effort and the contrasting effect near the scrolls is impressive. I am really looking forward to seeing your next pictures of your quilt.

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