Wednesday 18 January 2012

Granny Pilley's patchwork finished at last!

Do you remember many moons ago I found a box of treasure in my local charity shop? The unassuming brown cardboard box had the words 'Granny Pilley's embroidery' written on the side. Words that made my eyes twinkle and my heart race. I could hardly hand over my pennies quick enough to secure the box as my own.


And do you remember this higgledy-piggledy chunk of patchwork hexagons that I found inside that unassuming cardboard box? See... I told you it was a treasure box.
You may even remember that I unpicked and restitched the hexagons adding a border made from fabric I'd also found in a charity shop and a backing made from my Mums old sheet that I dyed pink.Well I have to say if you can remember all that you must have a memory like an elephant! I've just had to check back and I originally showed you 'Granny Pilleys' embroidery box way back in this post in October 2009! How embarrassing that it has taken me sooo long to get it finished. Yes you heard me right I've finally finished the quilt, HOORAY! I did have difficulty quilting it though. I started off quilting by hand and ended up quilting it on the machine and even then I got bored with that too! lol.

I've spent the last few days stitching together strips of fabric for the binding.

Look! How neat is that join? A pleasure to behold for sure!

I pressed it all in half along its entire length, this is the only kind of ironing I do, teehee.

I then pinned the binding to the edge of the quilt.

And stitched it in place moving the needle position on my sewing machine to the right so that I could run the fabric up the edge of the presser foot giving me a 1/4 inch seam. If you can't change the needle position on your machine you can buy a 1/4 inch foot or as you can see in the picture (the grubby beigey patch), stick a strip of masking tape on the foot plate 1/4 inch away from your needle and then use that to guide your fabric against.

I carefully stitched along each edge stopping one 1/4 inch from the end to make a neat corner. (I'll give a link at the end to a fab tutorial for binding quilts) Finally I stopped leaving a gap of about 10 inches and here comes the really clever part.

You trim your strip so that it overlaps exactly the same amount as the width you cut the edging in the beginning. So my edging was 2 and a 1/2 inches wide, so I overlap the ends by 2 and a 1/2 inches.

Then you overlap the two ends like we did when we joined the strips together and stitch at a 45 degree angle. Don't worry the tutorial makes this far simpler than I'm making it look.

Voila!

Isn't that just perfectly perfect! It's at this point you can dance a little jig if you wish.

Now comes my most favourite part of all! OH how I love doing this bit!

We flip the edging over and...

hand stitch the binding in place allll the waaaay around. Yummy! Don't forget to neaten your corners and stitch them in place too.

Ta daa!

My totally thrifted quilt!

Well where ever Granny Pilley is now I hope she's pleased with what I've done.
She can rest safe in the knowledge that it will have a very happy and useful life here in the MarmaladeRose household and is already loved very much. As promised here is the tutorial I use to bind my quilts, beautifully written by a very talented lady who's blog is called 'Don't look now'.

Till next time

love fi x


29 comments:

Jacquie said...

Beautiful,beautiful,beautiful!!!
So lovely that you managed to rescue this gorgeous patchwork and turn it into a wonderful quilt. I expect Granny Pilley would have a huge smile on her face if she saw it .
Jacquie x

Rusty said...

It is beautiful, and you put so much into it, I am sure it will be a treasured heirloom.
Ps my favourite part of quilting is sewing on the binding by hand too:). Ladies on my quilt course last week could hardly believe me, I am glad to know I am not alone!
X

Little Blue Mouse said...

That is very clever idea to get a neat edging. The finished quilt looks gorgeous.

Carol said...

Hi Fi, that is not just a totally thrifted quilt it is a totally BEAUTIFUL thrifted quilt.
Thank you for taking us on the quilt's journey to beauty.
Yes, I'm sure that Granny Pilley will be beaming as she sees her handiwork at last being given the love it so deserved.
Carol xx

Roxanne said...

That quilt is beautiful! Quite a treasure.

Libby said...

What a lovely find and lovely story. You have really done Granny Pilley proud, it's beautiful! Wonder if it's worth telling the local newspaper, someone might know of your granny? Second,thoughts, they might want it back! X

Elderberry-Rob said...

That was a huge project but so worth it, you now have a really beautiful quilt with a bit of a mystery to it!

Anonymous said...

Well done, it is lovely! I like your pincushion too!

Annie said...

That is so lovelt Fi and all the mor special because you finished of a work of art that was started so very long ago. Well done you.
Hugs,
A x

Marigold Jam said...

Brilliant! And so thrifty too - just how a patchwork quilt should be.

Unknown said...

Oh Wow that is beautiful i love the way you have added the border to it to. What a little bit of shared history between 2 craft lady lovers i wonder what she looked like bless her. Enjoy it its gorgeous. dee x

Miss Holly said...

What an amazing story!!! Wouldn't that make a heavenly book...to follow the history of a quilt...it looks beautiful....I think granny pilley is thrilled!!!!

KC'sCourt! said...

WOW! Thats gorgeous
Julie xxxxxxx

Shortbread and Ginger said...

Wow - that is just beautiful and a great story behind it too! Well done for finishing off such an amazing find.
Liz @ Shortbread & Ginger

Twiglet said...

What a beautiful result and all the more special because it contains all the love Granny Pilley put into it too. x Jo

VintageVicki said...

I am sure wherever Granny Pilley is now, she'd be very pleased with how you've finished her quilt off - its gorgeous :)

Yvonne Moxon said...

Oh it's absolutly gorgous!!! I love it and you have indeed did Granny Pilley's project proud and Im sure she will be very happy! Love the additional fabrics especially the blue floral...very pretty!

Sarah said...

Oh wow, that quilt is gorgeous!!!!! What a fantastic find in your charity shop - you've really done it justice in your finishing.

And your post has come at a fab time as I am going to bind my very first quilt tomorrow!!

S x

jill said...

That is one beautiful looking quilt which Im sure will be treasured for ever.Love Jillxx

Martha in Kansas (US) said...

I do remember when you found that quilt. Or maybe it was when you were debating picking it apart and how to handle it? Anyway, I remember and am glad to see it finished. Lovely. BTW, I also remember the sofa the quilt is reclining so elegantly on. Weren't you going to recover it or something?

Roses & Rue said...

Granny Pilley's patchwork is simply divine and I'm sure will have pride of place in your home. I actually find quilting by hand far more satisfying than machine sewing but it does take a lot longer.
Roses & Rue

Penny said...

Oh my giddy goodi-ness I am oh so inspired to persevere with the hexie quilt I am making for my daughter after seeing this gorgeous post. Thank you,thank you! I have just posted about my hexies if you'd like to take a peek xox
ps. Thanks for the tutorial link too, just what I need!

sue said...

Fi that is a total work of art. What a wonderful discovery. Granny Pilley would be delighted I'm sure, Do you look at it and wonder who she was and the significance of each piece of fabric she used? That quilt has a fascinating story to tell!

MarmaladeRose said...

Yes Martha I still fancy covering the sofa but now it lives in the sittingroom instead of the kitchen and wouldn't look right patchworked! :(

Ash said...

You know this blogging thing is lethal, now I've remembered the 'patchwork to finish' that I puchased many moons ago - its added to my list of socks, bobble cushion and a jumper for my nephew, not to mention my 'work' quilts - I haven't got enough time!!!!! Well done you, your quilt looks gorgeous now.

Stitchabilities said...

Wow, what afabulous find and a great job you did of it!!

Thecraftytrundler said...

that is beautiful!!! Granny Pilley would be as pleased & proud as punch to see this gorgeous quilt!!
I have so many scraps - you have inspired me : ) x

Sharon xx

Gem said...

What a beautiful quilt and how lovely that you managed to rescue it :)

GEm x

Sally said...

You are to be commended for finishing this quilt top so beautifully and you have put me to shame. I have a quilt top all folded and tucked away that my great grandmother hand pieced. Even bought backing for it but never got it quilted. Thought it should surely be hand quilted by myself to make it worthy of all her hand piecing. I think it would be better to layer it and machine quilt it and be using and admiring her hours of sewing instead of hiding it away for yet another generation who has no recollection of her. Thanks for the push.