The Mrs Billing's Coverlet, you can find the original quilt online at Britain's York Quilt Museum and Gallery, and the pattern was drafted by Karen Styles (Somerset Patchwork and Quilting, Melbourne). Darwin Patchworkers and Quilters bought her to Darwin specially for the workshops.
This quilt will be made from Denyse Schmidt fabrics, of which I have many, including the new Chicopee range.
Day 1 was spent choosing fabrics and cutting out little triangles, and sewing them together by hand.
Day 2 was spent choosing more fabrics, and making up hexagons! Yikes...tiny little 5/8" hexagons and little diamonds ! The only sewing I got done was stitching the little diamonds together in the center
It is looking very fetching I think!
Eventually the centre will look like this
I am going to do all the borders on the machine, with the obvious exception of the hexagons. I am not sure whether I am committed to do the whole quilt, it is 94"x 94", and apparently there is over 6000 pieces....starting to get the crazy part now? I would like to do the first hexagon border, so we will see how I feel about the rest of the quilt then!
Despite feeling a bit intimidated by the complexity of the quilt, the templates and instructions for the quilt are easy to use, and of course with Karen's tutelage over the two days makes you think anything is possible!
If you get an opportunity to do one of Karen's workshops go do it...go and challenge yourself, you will be surprised how a good technique can make a "complex" pattern easier!
Karen has just blogged about her visit to the Territory...check it out here!
