My Roebuck Quilt (3)

At this point there remained only two borders to complete the quilt - a straight strip, and an outside border of hourglass blocks. This would have made the finished quilt approximately 85" x 85". However I wanted to make mine a little larger (the original Roebuck Quilt was 94" x 94").





So I added a strip, then a scrappy border of 4" squares on-point, then another strip of dark cacky green before my hourglass border. I'm thinking I'll probably use that green to bind it too. Unlike the original, I haven't added separator strips between my hourglass blocks, and I've also occasionally included a fussy-cut whole piece of fabric instead of an hourglass block. (Just because...)

It's taken me almost exactly a year to piece (and applique) this quilt, and I've loved every step of the way. I have to confess I quickly lose interest if I have to repeat a pattern, so being able to change fabrics so often meant I was never bored!

Now all I need to do is to hand-quilt it before it can be used on our queen-sized bed.

You have to admire Lizzie and Margaret back in the 1860s on that swaying ship, don't you? No rotary cutters or calculators, and only a ship-board stash to work with.

The Roebuck Quilt has come a long way since then. Kim McLean won the Founders Award at Houston in 2002 (or 2003?) with her version, adapted from the photo of the original quilt she saw in Annette Gero's book, and there are several versions being taught in quilt shops I know of.

This year my quilt buddies and I have started another medallion quilt, quite reminiscent of the Roebuck. One day I'll show you how it's going. Just look what you started, Lizzie and Margaret!