Had a little trouble trying to upload these shots with my iPad. Wouldn't let me post the pictures with a comment for some reason. Anyway, this quilt is known formally as "I Remember Mama", in memory of my mother and all the flowers in her garden. But informally it's known as the Albatross, because of the way its construction took over 4 years of my life.
It's a technique known as "Broderie Perse." It's done on black polished cotton, front and back. The appliques are done with tiny little buttonhole stitches, and I do mean tiny - each one touches the stitch next to it so that it appears the motifs are floating on the background. The original quilt didn't have the doves and poinsettias on it. I found that fabic by accident about a year after the quilt was completed and since we had buried my mom on Christmas Eve I knew I had to add them. It's not easy appliqueing on a completed quilt without going through all three layers, especially given the huge size of this quilt. But I did it. When I started it I had good vision - when I finished it I was in trifocals!
The original quilt - before the doves and pointsettias - was in an issue of Fon's and Porter's "Sew Many Quilts", (that dates both the quilt and me LOL) with a tip about making binding for such a huge quilt. It was also in a subsequent little magazine they published which was all hints and tips. I know that we are supposed to be modest about our accomplishments, but my dad used to say," He who doth not tooteth his own horn oft doth not getteth his horn tootethed." This quilt has never known the touch of a sewing machine. Every single stitch was done by hand, even putting the panels together for the quilt top and the back. The top was three panels sewn together, and all the applique was done on the entire top, not panel by panel. That made for one large handful!
It's a technique known as "Broderie Perse." It's done on black polished cotton, front and back. The appliques are done with tiny little buttonhole stitches, and I do mean tiny - each one touches the stitch next to it so that it appears the motifs are floating on the background. The original quilt didn't have the doves and poinsettias on it. I found that fabic by accident about a year after the quilt was completed and since we had buried my mom on Christmas Eve I knew I had to add them. It's not easy appliqueing on a completed quilt without going through all three layers, especially given the huge size of this quilt. But I did it. When I started it I had good vision - when I finished it I was in trifocals!
The original quilt - before the doves and pointsettias - was in an issue of Fon's and Porter's "Sew Many Quilts", (that dates both the quilt and me LOL) with a tip about making binding for such a huge quilt. It was also in a subsequent little magazine they published which was all hints and tips. I know that we are supposed to be modest about our accomplishments, but my dad used to say," He who doth not tooteth his own horn oft doth not getteth his horn tootethed." This quilt has never known the touch of a sewing machine. Every single stitch was done by hand, even putting the panels together for the quilt top and the back. The top was three panels sewn together, and all the applique was done on the entire top, not panel by panel. That made for one large handful!
Well thank you kindly. wish i could find the clearer shots and the appliqué detail pictures though.
