To cut or not to cut…’Snipping’ into Vintage Fabric

A couple of days a go I mentioned a piece of vintage fabric I bought in the UK  a few years ago (oooh 2006…more than a few) and that I had cut into it for a hexagon quilt.   Well before I get carried away with more cutting I decided I had better photograph it (or I might really regret my impulsiveness) and share it with you.  Here it is…I’ve placed my Hexagons back where they were cut from in a feeble attempt to show what it looked like before I got scissor happy.

And I thought you might like to know more about it.

Vintage Chintz Sample

In Aug 2006 I went to Bath to see the American Museum… I just went to see the beautiful quilts in the Museum’s collection and had no idea my visit had coincided with an Antique Textile Fair.  There were lots of vendors selling all manner of vintage laces, beads, embroidery, fabrics and quilts, yes Quilts.   However at the time it cost about AU$2.50 to buy a pound (yep, one quid) so the quilts were beyond my reach, especially as it was just at the start of a 2 month vacation.

Anyway,  there was one vendor from whom I bought four lovely pieces and this chintz sample is one.  I must dig out the receipt when I’ve got a minute and show it another time.  I think I paid 5 pounds for it, it measures (or should I say measured!) 17″ x 21″ and has numbers stamped on the top edge as if it had been a sample.  It has only one rust spot and is in good condition.  It definitely has a chintz feel to it but is not highly glazed…just a nice amount.

I’ve really enjoyed having this piece in my stash  and over the last 4 years I’ve looked at it (and the others) many, many times and wondered if I’ll do anything with it or just keep it intact and look at it.

Then about six weeks ago I decided to start a Hexagon Quilt with the plan to entering the Vic. Quilters Inc. “Fabric of Society” Challenge for 2011.  The challenge is to reproduce a quilt from (or create a quilt inspired by) any quilt shown in (Australian Quilt Historian) Annette Gero‘s book  The Fabric of Society, Australia’s Quilt Heritage from Convict Times to 1960.

So I thought the Hexagon Quilt was worthy of using some vintage fabrics  (yes, I confess I have cut into the other 3 and yes I will also photograph what’s left of them before I go any further…I promise).

Hexagon using vintage fabrics

Here’s the quilt in progress, pinned on the design wall.  Of course, at the beginning I just started randomly (impulsively) making hexagons out of my favourite fabrics but since Saturday I have started in the middle…I guess that’s where a sane person would begin a hexagon quilt.

The purple fabric in the centre is another of the vintage fabrics I bought in Bath (I’ll tell you more about that one another day…it’s particulary gorgeous and I’m using it in Di Ford’s  Sarah Morrell Quilt) and so is the brown and purple cameo print in the bottom left corner.

Thanks for visiting.

Comments

  1. rose abbate says:

    omg, must have been harrowing those first few snips!

    it’s going to be an absolutely gorgeous quilt margaret, can’t wait to see the finished product!

    you must be pleased.. even though you had to cut up that gorgeous antique piece…

  2. Thanks, I am happy with the way the hexagons are looking. And what are nice things for if not to be used and enjoyed :-)

  3. You’ve inspired me to do my own quilt perhaps using the Martinique range from 3 Sisters. The Vic Quilters challenge sounds interesting – i just might take a look at it. There are some gorgeous quilts in The Fabric of Society. Let’s see if I can squeeze one in between all my other “responsibilities”.

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