Monday, February 28, 2011

Design Wall Monday with Jane Austen

This is my version of the Jane Austen quilt from my UFO pile, and it's on my design wall this morning.  I pieced this quilt several years ago,and I've learned a lot about measuring for borders and how to correctly put them on a quilt since then.  I think I'm going to take the border off, remeasure the quilt, and put a wider border on.  What do you think?  Another green border but a bit wider?  Maybe a thinner red inner border? 

The 60 degree diamonds in this quilt are mirror imaged both top to bottom and left to right just as Jane Austen did in her quilt. 

 This quilt is a replica of what Jane Austen and her sister, Cassandra, and their Mother made sometime around 1812. Sense and Sensibility was published toward the end of 1811, and Pride and Prejudice was published in early 1813.  I have the BBC movie version of Pride and Prejudice with Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy.  It is 4 or 5 hours long, but I never get tired of watching. 

Here is a photo of the original Jane Austen quilt that hangs in the Jane Austen House Museum in Chawton Village, Hampshire, England.  Jane, Cassandra, and their Mother lived there from about 1809 until mid 1817. Jane died on July 18, 1817.

The original coverlet measures 97 X 105 inches, and it is not quilted.  This photograph is on a postcard sent to me by Linda Franz in 2001 when she visitied England after she had toured the Museum.  Stop by Linda's web site to see her book,  The Jane Austen Patchwork Mystery.  Her book Quilted Diamonds is based on a combination of this quilt, the Dear Jane quilt, and Linda's love of all things Jane Austen.

Design Wall Monday is hosted by Judy Laquidara.  I hope all of you have something on your design walls today, and that you are busy stitching.

Welcome to my new followers.  Thanks everyone for stopping by for a visit.

22 comments:

  1. dear luann,what a beautyful work,what about the sashing fabric around the green border?have a nice week,susi

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  2. WOW LuAnn!!! Great work! My friend was helping another friend recreate this work of art! I one day hope to do the same!!

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  3. Dear LuAnn,
    it's a great work you've done. Beautiful colors. If you want to put an other border arround, what's about a light green and than once again a dark green.
    Excuse me, but I've so much to do. I'll answere to you email as soon as possible.
    Thank you for all your words about Jane Austen and her family.
    Have a nice and cozy day in your sewing room.
    Roswitha

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  4. Your quilt is really beautiful. Looking forward to seeing what your border decision is.

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  5. What a beautiful quilt! Love the colors.

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  6. This is beautiful LuAnn - your ideas for the new borders sound good. Isn't the original one gorgeous too with that outer border of diamonds?

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  7. Wow, that's neat. Thanks for the history lesson. I don't think I've seen that version of the movie, but I have heard of it. I should go rent it. It's a great story, isn't it?! Your quilt looks amazing. I like the ideas you're thinking of for your borders.

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  8. LuAnn, this is stunning! I'm contemplating a diamond quilt, but haven't had the courage to start yet. Is it had to deal with all the bias edges? Did you stach the fabric? Any advice to offer me?

    Eager to see what you decide about the borders!

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  9. I appreciate the history and so love the quilts....

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  10. Wow, that's neat. Thanks for the history lesson. I don't think I've seen that version of the movie, but I have heard of it. I should go rent it. It's a great story, isn't it?! Your quilt looks amazing. I like the ideas you're thinking of for your borders.

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  11. So pretty and it is a heirloom piece for sure. I think that adding another border on it in a lighter green would be very pretty.I need to watch the p/p movie and read the book. I have read other austin books but not that one!

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  12. It's a beautiful quilt! I like the idea of adding another border outside the green one. I have a diamond quilt in the planning stages; hope it looks as good as yours.

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  13. What a dramatic looking top. I think a little red border and a wider green border will finish it off nicely.

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  14. I LOVE your Jane Austen quilt LuAnn! And, yes to a green border that is a bit wider. A thinner red inner border sounds good too. The original quilt is almost as nice as yours! :) I have the Quilted Diamond books and maybe once I have finished my Dear Jane quilt I will make some diamonds.

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  15. Oh, I love this quilt. I have never seen one like it before.

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  16. hola Luann gracias por tus comentarios ,me hace mucha ilusion que desde la otra punta del planeta algien pueda seguir mi blogg y ver mis trabajos.Me ha gustado mucho tu colcha es un trabajo precioso,un abrazo desde España.

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  17. That is fantastic!! Enjoyed the bit of background on Jane Austen, too. Thank you for sharing. :o)

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  18. Oh my gosh..that is so pretty.

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  19. Beautiful quilt and love the colors, can't wait to see what you choose for another border.

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  20. Beautiful! I love the colours!
    Are you not going to do all those tiny diamonds in the border...??? ...:o)))
    Jane

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  21. Beautiful quilt. I like the green border, but a touch of red might be interesting. Wonderful post, I was not familiar with this quilt.
    Happy Stitching,
    cheri

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  22. Stunning! Can't wait to see the border choice!

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