Patchwork

As a compulsive nest-maker, I delight in a good snuggle, and nothing says comfort and cosiness quite like a patchwork quilt. After my success with the Bunting, I wanted to try my own hand at patchwork, and decided to start with a quilted bed runner. I collected pieces of fabric that I had had for years, silk remnants from my prom dress that my mother had made for me, pieces of fabric from Totnes, fabric left over from when I covered my headboard and a lovely soft blue gingham brushed cotton that I bought at the Knit and Stitch Show in London. Stuffed with wadding and simply sewn down the straight lines, I was very pleased with my bed runner. However, contemplating my toasty toes one night, I was struck with the sudden need to make my next project bigger and better.

So I decided to make an entire patchwork quilt. Again using remnants of fabric, including a cotton sheet of my grandmothers that has survived for half a century (oh what a true testament to Make Do and Mend!), I pieced together a quilt of my own, complete with appliqué hearts. On bringing it home one Christmas to complete, we stretched the top patchwork layer out on the floor, and found that it covered half of the lounge, whoops!

So what was supposed to be big enough to cover a double bed has now ended up generously covering a King size. However, it’s fabulously warm and what’s even more special, is that I can tell you where every piece of fabric came from, and its story.