Wednesday, October 8, 2014

Mrs Billings Returns….

and I MADE my self imposed deadline.
As those of you who follow my sporadic blog…<smile> I have been piecing and hand quilting Mrs Billings Coverlet. A pattern reproduced by Karen Styles of Somerset Patchwork in Australia. I have included a little of the history of the Quilt as written by Karen on her Blog

The Billings’ Coverlet 1805-1810
The original coverlet can be found in the collection of The Quilters’ Guild of the British Isles. This is the amazingly detailed quilt on which I based my Mrs Billings. A square coverlet made from fifteen frames of printed cotton hexagons, squares on point, kites and long diamonds made from triangles. Some of the fabrics date from the 1770s, and several have three blue threads in the selvedge. The majority of the fabrics are made from dress prints, although there are some furnishing prints represented. The coverlet had been passed down through the donor's family from her Great Grandmother, who was a housekeeper in a large house in the Leeds area.
 
This is my version
2014-05-15 14.14.44 2014-05-15 14.14.32 2014-07-30 16.50.24  2014-06-08 09.32.16

At last it is now finished. At this stage this is the only photo I have as its in storage awaiting the Festival of Quilts show in Auckland on the 7th, 8th and 9th November.
I am really thrilled with how it turned out, and if I’d known what a mammoth job it was I may not have kept at it….but I did. Over 500 hours of hand quilting!

THUMBS~1


Thanks for dropping by
1508403875144323021113


10 comments:

Sheila said...

Congratulations Sue on completing Mrs B. I had no doubt that you would. It looks magnificent . Way too much of a commitment for me.. Good luck in the Festival, it deserves Ribbons in several categories ( IMHO)

Frances Leate said...

WOW Sue you have made an amazing job of it and it looks fabulous. Good luck in the Festival.

Pine Valley Quilts said...

WOW! it looks great. Well worth those 500 hours, now it's time to play !!

Jeanette said...

Congratulations Sue. Stunning quilt. Hugs,xx

Pip said...

Well done Sue, that is a mammoth job, Mrs Billings is looking stunning and I'm sure she will do well in your Festival.

Julie said...

Wow - what an amazing piece of work. Fingers crossed I get to the Quilt Festival and can see it in real life.

Leeanne said...

Awesome!!! Good luck at the show! Your quilt looks amazing! I have for the first time a quilt I quilted for one of my customers in the show.

Raewyn said...

I love your quilt - well done on such a beautiful finish!! Good luck in the show, I wish I was able to go this year to see Mrs Billings but we have a wedding to attend further up north!

Raewyn said...

I love your quilt - well done on such a beautiful finish!! Good luck in the show, I wish I was able to go this year to see Mrs Billings but we have a wedding to attend further up north!

Diane said...

Absolutely exquisite!