I've finished sewing the off white hexagons to join the 7 medallions that will make up the center of my Brinton Hall quilt. The pattern by Leigh Latimore can be found in Quiltmania Magazine #107 and #108. It's published in just two parts, and my second part just arrived in my mailbox last week. I love taking floral prints and surrounding them with hexagons.
Here is part of the process I will go through to decide what fabric to use for my center background. They say, "The camera doesn't lie." So I take photos and study them on my computer screen. I can fit all of my choices on the screen and stand back to see just how the values read both from far away and close up and how the colors blend with each other.
The corners and the top and bottom sections will be filled with scrappy hexagons. I'm getting a bit ahead of myself, but I wanted to see how the center would look against a batik fabric. In Leigh's quilt, she used a mix of reproduction fabrics and large Kaffe Fassett prints. So I figured why not mix in a batik. When it comes time to actually sew the center to the background, I may change my mind.
You are welcome to leave a comment and let me know which one you like.
This batik is a teal color.
This one is a brighter blue.
And going a different direction, here's a rust batik.
I thought I knew which one I would use until I saw the photos.
Here are close up photos of the blocks. The center of this fabric is a Kaye England fabric.
The center fabric above and below came from Bella Quilts in Hamilton, Ohio. It's on the outskirts of Cincinnati. When I'm in the area, I always make a point to stop there.
The next two centers are from my stash.
I think the one below may be a Kaye England fabric.
The one below is from a Windham line called Wharton.
Another fabric from my stash is used in this center.
There are several versions of this Anne Brereton quilt that you can find by doing a Google search or by looking on Pinterest. The quilt below is from the book Feathering the Nest with Vintage Inspired Quilts by Brigitte Giblin. Her center is the same as the one I'm doing. She finished the outside using large hexagons. There are several quilts with hexagons in this book.
The quilt below is Turkish Tiles by Kim McLean. On the Glorious Applique' blog, Kim wrote that the pattern for this quilt went to a few people she had in a class about 10 years ago. To date, I don't think the pattern has been published.
This quilt is made by Annemieke at Colours and Fabrics blog. You can see more photos of this quilt by clicking the link.
I'm headed out to the porch to baste more of the scrappy hexagons for my center.
I hope you are finding some time to stitch today.
Thanks for stopping by for a visit.
That's great that the pattern is in two just parts. I can't wait for my copy of Quiltmaniz to arrive in my mailbox. I've just about got everything stitched down and am ready for the rest of the quilt.
ReplyDeleteI love what you are doing. I looked at the background fabrics you chose and kept changing my mind about which one I preferred. At this moment I like the teal in the first picture.
I believe Karen Cunningham also made a variation of the Anna Margaretta Brereton bed hangings. Her quilt was called the Anna quilt. The original coverlet is a thing of beauty!
What beautiful blocks! I love the fussy cut centers. How did you cut those big centers? Or are the hexies' applique on the center fabric? I love them.
ReplyDeleteI like the blue fabric best. Which ever fabric you select, she will be lovely.
ReplyDeleteI prefer the teal too and think some batik in there will add to the depth and interest. It's coming on a treat and isn't it amazing how many interpretations there can be from one original idea.
ReplyDeleteI like the rust batik the most!
ReplyDeleteThe teal background is my favorite. I wish I could join in on making this quilt but too much going on in my life right now. The Turkish Tiles quilt was featured in a Quilters Newsletter magazine years ago. Its another quilt I would love to make!
ReplyDeleteWell LuAnn, I finished my 114 beige hexagons and can put my center together - I am behind you and Karen... I like the teal and the orange, but wonder if the orange would give you issues by overpowering your hexagons I agree with Karen, the teal. That one caught my eye first.
ReplyDeleteI found the Turkish picture the other day - I have some of the Dutch fabric that she used and was wondering how to use it. Not sure if it will go with this quilt, but I sure do like the quilt. I provides interesting ideas when working on one of the English/Reproduction quilts.
I found an original copy of Quilts from the British Isles and there is an original picture of the Anna quilt. Interesting.
Wonder which Quilters Newsletter the pattern/quilt was in - I have all of them from 2000 through 2013.
Keep up the beautiful work. I like your Blocks and they really are pretty up close! Good luck on your fabric selection.
Wow - isn't it amazing what you can do with a few simple hexies. Well, maybe more than just a few. They're all so beautiful. I think I like your teal version the best. Have fun.
ReplyDeleteSimply beautiful blocks! Looks like you have some decisions to make about fabric. All of them look gorgeous to me!
ReplyDeleteOh gosh--I am so tempted to make this quilt! I love yours so far and I think the brighter blue is my favorite background. I am a total "blue" person, so I am probably a little biased though. I have an article in my files from 2005 of an article Quilter's Newsletter did on Kim McLean's version. There are patterns for four of her sampler blocks from the outside border included in the article and an explanation on how she did the center. I've always admired it, but I think I'm even more drawn to the Quiltmania version.
ReplyDeleteThx Karen on the QNM year. I will dig it up.
ReplyDeleteYou used gorgeous prints for the centers of your hexagon encircled frames!! I love the quilt done by Kim M that you posted here. So many possibilities!!
ReplyDeleteGoing to be beautiful no matter which direction you take.
ReplyDeleteAll of the backgrounds work for me. I think it depends on the look you want. IMHO, the teal calms it, the blue brightens it, and the rust sets it on fire!
Your blocks are so beautiful LuAnn, I almost want to start one too. I do have that magazine but something about it stopped me from diving in. You are tipping the scale on the other side now. Congrats for a job well done so far and good luck with the decision. ;^)
ReplyDeleteOh LuAnn, I love your hexie Crowns, especially the cheddar! I also am partial to all three of your background colour choices. The teal is the obvious choice, but I really love what the rust does to it as well. Glad it's your decision and not mine ;)) I'm currently sewing away at the strips of hexies for the surround.
ReplyDeleteJust had a second glance, the teal is now at the bottom of my choices and I love the blue!! Go figure, sorry to make your decision harder :((
ReplyDeleteSuch a wonderful post Luanne, one I'm sure to revisit as I would love to make this quilt one (or one of the variations). That's a clever idea to put multiple pics on screen to help with fabric placement and choice. I really like the teal because I just like teal :) Good luck with your decision making.
ReplyDeleteI still like the teal. It really draws out the 3 center blocks. Let us know what you decide.
ReplyDeleteI went to my "stash" of QNM and found my November 2005 Edition and there on the front cover is Kim McLean's quilt. She provided instructions on how to do the center of the quilt and 4 block patterns. I called them and she did not do a pattern for this quilt.
I do love it and thinking that I will make it. Just need to figure out the next to the last border.
You ladies are going faster than I can this week. 3 days going to Seguin and San Antonio are for the birds - takes away my fun time! LOL. Eye checkup today (wonder if the eyes will be working this afternoon so I can start putting my center together.
Nanette
You have beautiful fabrics for those centre blocks & I find the teal batik shows them off the best. I keep going back to this pattern in my magazine but have resisted as I've just started working on Patchwork of the Crosses too ..... there are way too may great EPP designs out there & not enough time!
ReplyDeletegorgeous progress so far....i'd have to vote for the teal....of all it's my favorite...i was tempted to make this one but so far have resisted so loving seeing your progress....
ReplyDeleteThe different fabric centers of the hexagon blocks make for a very interesting view. I would have a hard time choosing between your background fabrics. Each gives the blocks a slightly different look.
ReplyDelete