In 2007, the Dutch lifestyle magazine "Seasons" asked me to do a feature on tweed quilts. Together with my Dutch friend Jeanette Renooij we selected beautiful Donegal tweed and designed four quilts. The tweed quilts were featured in the magazine, along with an offer of a tweed lap quilt kits, prepared by me. This proved hugely popular with the readers and shortly afterwards, groups of Dutch quilters started to visit Dunfanaghy for tweed quilt workshops at Arnolds Hotel.
Each year we welcome more groups, as the word spreads!
To cap it all, we exhibited these quilts during the Patchwork Fair in Rijswijk (near the Hague) in February, 2010. The next exhibition of tweed quilts will be at the European Quilt Championship in Veldhoven (The Netherlands) from 5th-8th May, 2011.
Below are some pictures of the newest tweed quilts. Kits are for sale at € 60.
The kits for tweed Bags are € 8 (4" squares) or € 9 (6" squares), including pattern. Details of colours, payment, address etc. can be made via our contacts page.
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SUMMER (approx. 54” square) |
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Large squares and rectangles make this quilt a relaxed weekend project. It’s okay not to cut the tweed perfectly straight on the lines or checks! We added different cotton strips in between, to get some colouring.
Cutting directions:
Cut the tweed in different sizes, but always at 11” wide
Cut cotton in small strips and rectangles, always 11” wide
Assembling the quilt:
Arrange the tweed blocks in a pleasant order in a vertical row (approx. 54” long).
Add the cotton quilt strips, sew rows together. Try to avoid that seams meet in horizontal way. Make 5 rows.
Layer with flannel or just (flannel) backing; quilt and finish with binding. |
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17 tweed squares of 4 ½ “ or 6”
Assembling the squares:
Embellish (if needed)
Layer on a 60cm piece of lining (right sides facing) and sew around the outside edges of the tweed (leave one side open for turning).
Trim lining around the shape, turn inside out and quilt on the tweed.
Join twice the three corner squares with a overhand stitch/blind stitch.
Add the handles on top of the four points.
The great Emerald Bag!
Happy sewing!
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SQUARE DANCE (approx. 63”x87”) |
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One of the most popular tweed quilt during the exhibitions in The Netherlands was this lovely quilt by Jeannette.
She added some woollen patches in different knitting patterns.
The pattern is based on large tweed blocks, and blocks consisting of two squares and three rectangles.
Cutting instructions:
Cut 12 tweed squares at 12 ½ “
Cut 24 tweed/cotton/knitted squares of 6 ½”
Cut 36 tweed/cotton/knitted rectangles of 6 ½” by 4 ½”
Assembling the Quilt as shown in the diagram:
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