I’m sharing the first part of the quilt simply because it is about to be shown in public for the first time. The rest of the quilt will remain personal until it is completed.
This scene takes place in 1064 in Westminster Castle. Edward the Confessor sits on his throne and commands Harold, Earl of Wessex , to travel to Normandy.
Harold and his retinue begin the first stage of their journey. Harold, carries a hawk and is led by 5 of his hunting hounds.
The tree is like an apostrophe, it signals a different scene.
Harold and one of his companions step through the side door of Bosham Church, probably to pray for a safe journey.
In the next scene, which isn’t shown, they visit an ale house and have a meal and drinks from a horn. (pretty typical really)
The quilt is 238 feet long and has been made in 8 ft 3" X 25" sections.
It is machine appliqued with a sixteenth of an inch satin stitch. The thread is 50 weight cotton.
The quilt is appliqued and quilted at the same time. So in reality, I begin at one end and work progressively through the quilt.
The thread used on the back of the quilt is "The Bottom Line" by Superior… you can barely see it and in looking at the back of the quilt, we almost have a reversed image… because the outline of the applique is in satin stitch and makes the applique image stand out.
A section is completed. Applique, Drapplique and quilting… it’s a very different method of completing a quilt.
I have used my imagination in the illustrations of the zoomorphic animals… these will be illustrations in the book and also as texture for fabric.
The quilt is grid quilted every 1/4" to 1/8th" in the centre of the panel and every 1/8th to 1/16th – of an inch on the border.