Yep, it's Different
I have had these Tailor's Samples for a few years, and have always wanted to make a Wogga using them. So I think their time has come.
All are either pure wool or wool and mohair mixes. Just a few are wool and silk mixes (a few of them are being saved to go elsewhere). But despite that, all are very fine and thin. They press beautifully.
So yesterday I took the plunge, and started removing them from the "books". Which is a slow and tedious job, so I have only done a few. I them washed them in the machine on the wool wash cycle, dried them, and have made a first block.
Now, I know a few of you will be having fits, as this is so austere. And, I have to tell you - it is going to get worse! I am going to do this using mainly perle #8 crochet cotton, with maybe a little perle #12. And nothing else. Except maybe some tatting in the same threads. Not sure about that yet.
No lace. No buttons. No flowers and beads and embellishment.
Just stitches.
Tailor's samples rugs (or woggas, although there were other versions of woggas) were common in Australia in the 1930s, during the depression, when there was little else around, and no money to buy it if there was. As I grew up in the 1950s I can still remember occasionally seeing quilts and blankets backed with hessian.
So I have always yearned to make something like this, more as a way of continuing a tradition. Except I don't think I will be backing it with hessian. A flannel sheet, maybe, which is another old one.
This is going to take a long time - the blocks are 8.5 inches, so I can fit them onto the scanner. Years, I think.
So I think I might have to start a box soon. Just for therapy, so make something bright and beautiful.
And I still have a few UFOs that need to be made up.
Off to work on them.
posted by Linda at 5:26 am
4 Comments:
Goodness you are up early, was just sitting here in New Zealand, 7-30 am reading your blog and flicked on to the articles on the Wagga and when I flicked back yo had added a post. It is very interesting. I am really looking forward to seeing your progress on this. We are off to Melbourne tomorrow to visit with our son and take in the sights.
Judith
This is interesting. I hadn't heard the term wogga. What is the hessian backing you mentioned? When you eventually finish will it be a throw or a decorative piece to hang? Do you think the #8 & 12
pearl will show up. Did you consider using maybe a rayon twist
(would lend a contrasting sheen) or
a wool/silk blend fiber that would give you the equivalent of #5 or 2
cotton pearl. I mention these for
ease of stitching but understand it
may negate your replication of
Depression era minimalism.
I've had a box of tailor samples under the guest bed for several years. One of these days...
N
I didn't have a clue what a wagga/wogga was so I've learned something new. I would never have thought about using that type of fabric with crazy piecing for that type of quilt. The first thing that came to my mind when seeing the fabrics with the lines was exercise books from my elementary school days. And I'm thinking that embroidered words related to values should be printed on the lines.
Light bulb goes on. Off to journal ideas.
Chloe, this will be very interesting to see it in progress, I too had never heard ot wagga.
Looking at the block, it really does lok like something that might have been made way back in the depression years when money was scarce and fabrics were what was around at the time, probobly old blankets, suits etc...
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