I was showing my art quilter friends that I am going to put borders on both of these quilts so the pattern will float on the background.
While looking for things for the garage sale I ran across these templates. Some of you may never have had the pleasure of meeting Doreen Speckman, the person who named 2 block shapes Peaky and Spike.
Doreen designed many blocks using these shapes. This sheet of patterns was included in the package with the templates.
I designed this quilt in one of her workshops. She gave us sheets of block drawings and we cut them out and played with layouts and then glued the block drawings onto a sheet of paper. When we got home we made photocopies of the page and then got out our marker pens and tried different colorways. This was back in the late 1980s or early 1990s. Doreen passed away at a very young age but she will never be forgotten by those of us who were lucky enough to meet her and hear her lectures and take her workshops.
I hope to have my tutorial ready for tomorrow's post. I have a couple friends coming over today to sew, more relaxing fun.
I do remember her! She came to Australia several times and I did classes with her, such fun!!!! I still have the whole design markerd in her Peaky and Spike book to do, even have the fabrics pulled out, must get onto it!
ReplyDeleteLove the gray "floating" border, with the scale & just gray & white matched with high contrast triangles, it will work great.
ReplyDeleteI love what Doreen did with card tricks.
I never had the pleasure of meeting Doreen, but I have owned and loved her book for years and years. She, more than anyone else, opened the door to designing my own blocks and quilts.
ReplyDeleteFrebblebit
Unfortunately, I never had the pleasure of meeting Doreen, but over the year had heard much about her and I believe even seen an episode of Simply Quilts with her on it. You were very fortunate to had made her acquaintance. I adore the quilts that you are making. Just wonderful!
ReplyDeleteI love the hand colored design you made in the class.
ReplyDeletenever met her but saw her on Alex Anderson's show and remember when she died thinking how young!
ReplyDeleteI would have loved to have taken a class from her; I've watched hr on Simply Quilts and she was a pistol.
ReplyDeleteI have her templates and book and some of her fabric-- forget the name but it has a bright french provincial tone.
I remember feeling a great sense of loss when she died suddenly while on a quilting tour in Ireland.
Lucky you to have taken a workshop with her.
I like the matching borders and they way the piecework floats - great call! I would see Doreen on tv and thought she would make a great best friend. It was so sad when she passed.
ReplyDeleteLove the borders on the two quilts. I just love the grey spotted fabric. Both quilts are so juicy. It has been so gray and rainy that the two brighten up my eyes and mind. Good to see the quilts again. Happy sewing!
ReplyDeleteLinda
Floating is good.. the borders work nicely. I love the color placement in your sketch. Doreen was memorable!
ReplyDeleteShe had a big influence on me very early in my quilting career. I have her book and templates and even created all the Peaky & Spike patterns for paper piecing. It is amazing how many unique designs can be made using a few simple blocks.
ReplyDeleteI like the floating effect. Can't wait to see the quilts finished.
ReplyDeleteI remember her. Brilliant! I saw her on Simply Quilts...right?
ReplyDeleteIn love the idea of floating with those borders. I remember Doreen. She and Roberta Horton are two who really encouraged me to design my quilts instead of using someone elses patterns.
ReplyDeleteYou should make Doreen's pattern - the one you colored - into a quilt. It's a beautiful color way.
ReplyDeleteHugs
WOW! I just love her designs, they look difficult! Enjoy your sew day, I wish I lived close, I know it will be much fun!!!
ReplyDeleteI do not remember her.
ReplyDeleteLove how your borders make the patterns appear to float. Interesting.
I'm so fortunate to have had several classes with the late great Doreen Speckmann! They were such fun! Doreen was a fantastic teacher and an enthusiastic quilter. She was also funny! I have her book and the "Peaky & Spike and Friends" box of templates. The quilting world went into mourning with the news of her death. A great one had left us.
ReplyDeleteWasn't Doreen a hoot? We loved her and miss her still. The first time I saw her was at Arcola, IL and she was in her Burkenstocks and long dress "throwing" her quilts around make us all laugh. Candy
ReplyDeleteTHat is a pretty quilt you designed using Doreen's patterns
ReplyDelete