Handling Quilt Round Up

 You remember that I'd had a lovely look at the Acton Top, prior to its planned outing in a textile related museum season at Gunnersbury Park Museum?

I thought that it would be fun to round up three photos from the original cover, and then show my versions of the same part, made into handling samples.

This is the flower and pot (well, almost - I think that mine was actually based on one from another spot on the quilt!) that was on the original.

 This is my version, complete with chain stitch details.  I gave it a base of triangles as otherwise it seemed to be floating away in the middle of nowhere in the size of handling sample that we'd been asked to make.

 Here are the clamshells with their triangle border.

They are a flatter version of the shape that I used.

 You can see my sample here.  The width is the same, but the shape quite different. 

I've used a random medly of fabrics just like the original did, in order to keep it interesting.

 Finally one of the lovely paper pieced 'ball' motifs.  I'm not sure whether the 'odd' patch was original or was a later repair for a damaged patch.

It was fun to make the fairly simple pattern for the paper piecing.

My version.  I could do with more delicate flowers to applique in the central circle.

The odd plant stems coming from the corners were really tricky to applique with the needleturn technique - those inner returns were awkward, and I think are likely to be the parts that will suffer most in the handling rough and tumble.

I added my initials to the pink circles, though, just like it looks as though the maker(s?) might have done on the original.

So, there you have it.  My handling samples complete and ready for action!