Lucy Boston started by mending old quilts but eventually created masterpieces that inspire us today. She was an artist through and through.
Diana Boston’s wonderful book, The Patchworks of Lucy Boston, includes descriptions and photos of more than 20 patchworks, but Double Wedding Ring is NOT one of them.
Lucy Boston used simple shapes and home-made templates for hexagons and squares in her brilliant Patchwork of the Crosses (POTC, above). (Photo used with permission. Please do not pin or copy.)
The patchworks of Lucy Boston are compelling because of the way she challenges us to look at fabric with the most ordinary shapes.
(Photo used with permission. Please do not pin or copy.)
As you can see in this example of Lucy Boston’s work, she did not cut with mechanical precision. Little variances are part of her appeal. I especially like the variations in the squares on the inside cover of the book.
She did it all with the limited fabrics available in post-war Britain and she did not settle for the obvious.
LUCY BOSTON’S DOUBLE WEDDING RING QUILT?
I cannot help but wonder what Lucy Boston could have done with the amazing fabrics we have today and a tool like Inklingo!
All those hours that she spent tracing templates, basting, and whip-stitching could have been spent hand sewing fabulous designs. It’s as if Picasso had to collect animal hair to make his own brushes before he could paint his vision.
If Lucy Boston had been able to print shapes on a wider selection of fabric with an ordinary Inkjet printer and Inklingo and sewn with a running stitch (or even by machine), what would she have made?
I photographed some of my favorite fabrics and Photoshopped a few ideas for a Lucy Boston style DWR.
I have used this for No Waste Fussy Cutting LeMoyne Stars too. (Examples here.)
Do you think Lucy Boston would approve?
This fabric works well for Ìnklingo No Waste Fussy Cutting, but I prefer a fabric design with more movement and less background. With No Waste Fussy Cutting, the designs in the fabric shapes are identical but random, similar to Stack n Whack™.
Cutting flowers or stripes with mechanical precision may not create the same magical effect. Random adds excitement and wonderful little surprises.
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This is another one of my favorites—an oldie but goodie. I have used it for several Patchwork of the Crosses (POTC) blocks too. It was in my stash for a long time before I found the perfect use for it. (Examples here.)
Do you think Lucy Boston would fussy cut the corner squares of DWR?
Traditional Double Wedding Ring Quilts put more emphasis on the rings but the other shapes are interesting too!
In these examples, I have kept the other elements of DWR as simple as possible.
I bought this fabric in 1999. I wish I had bolts of it for more Kaleidoscope Stars. (Examples here.)
This is my idea of the perfect fabric for fussy cutting.
The variety of effects with this fabric is astonishing.
All of the corner shapes are from that one Kona Bay fabric!
Lucy Boston pointed us in the right direction and taught us that an artist is not limited by the circumstances of time and place.
The limited selection of cotton fabrics available in Britain in the 1950s and 1960s did not stop her from creating works of art.
Her long, creative old age is an inspiration to us all.
Lucy Boston worked alone and the only sewing method she knew was English Paper Piecing.
We have every advantage—the best selection of fabric in the whole history of the world, better methods, better books and online groups—plus her example to follow!
50 designs in only 2 minutes! Click on the video to play.
MORE INSPIRATION FOR DOUBLE WEDDING RING DESIGNS?
Double Wedding Ring is the design I featured in the Electric Quilt Christmas Countdown.
- Free Inklingo Christmas Rings project file on the Electric Quilt blog
- Free EQ project files on the All About Inklingo blog. (See the EQ tab above for even more DWR in EQ.)
- Free Inklingo Double Wedding Ring Design Book ($20 value, PDF download) – free for a limted time only
- VIDEO (above)
Even if you have watched this 2 minute video before, I think you might see the designs differently if you approach it with the idea of fussy cutting.
The video includes examples with fussy cut centers, but as you know now, you can fussy cut the corners or the rings or the arc ends or the melon shapes.
Let Lucy Boston inspire you to go beyond the obvious!
(Click for a larger view)
The shapes for all of the designs in the video can be printed on fabric with Inklingo!
No templates, no measuring.
The sewing is so much easier than it was in Lucy Boston’s day that you can play with a complicated design like DWR and get beautiful results with the cutting and stitching lines printed on the fabric with Inklingo.
Spend the amount of time you want to spend making a quilt—and make something extra-special in less time than it would take with other methods.
There are several articles about Double Wedding Ring listed on the Main Double Wedding Ring Page on the website. (This is the blog.)
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As promised, we have a winner!
By random drawing, 16 luscious red and green fat quarters from Northcott will be mailed to Jane S, who wrote
$50 INKLINGO GIFT CERTIFICATE
$50 buys a lot of Inklingo! Even the fabulous Double Wedding Ring 12 inch shape collection is only $40. Many others are only $20 or $25.
If you have already left a comment on my last EQ article, you are already in the draw.
All comments there or here will be in the draw. Comment by Sunday midnight, December 21, to enter to win.
The winner will be announced on Monday, December 22.
I post fresh photos on Facebook every day. There is more about Double Wedding Ring to come, so I hope you will Like Inklingo on Facebook and choose Get Notifications.
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Merry Christmas!
Linda & Monkey
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Love the effect of fussy cutting just about anything!
I adore the double wedding ring! And Pickle Dish goes with it too..so beautiful.. I have both these collections and will make a whole quilt with them one day!
Missy in Missouri
A DWR is on my to-do list. I had never thought of fussy-cutting certain pieces of this quilt. Very pretty!
I can only dream of making some of these beauties. On my Christmas wish list.
I just purchased the wedding ring designs, hopefully I will be able to figure it out. My first foray into this method. I have my first grand daughter getting married this spring, right after she receives her PHD in medical engineering. Two milestones within days of each other. I am planning to start on it right after the first of the year. sieglinde
I love Inklingo and the quilts that I can now make, instead of enjoying them from a distance, just wishing I could make them.
I simply adore the double wedding ring quilt. My plan is to start one right after the holidays are over.
Thank you, Linda and Monkey, for giving me the ability to finally make a double wedding ring quilt.
Thank you for all you do for us.
Brenda
Looking forward to learning more!
I look forward every day to seeing what you post about inklingo. Always inspired by the fussy cutting and fabric choices.
I love these posts Linda. I really like the kaleidoscope ends on the rings.
I’m currently working on a holiday double wedding ring for my bed. I never would have done this without Inklingo. It makes it really easy to put it all together. Thanks for all you do Linda. Merry Christmas.
I do not ordinarily think outside the box. So, I love how you and Lucy continue to gently push us to see something we didn’t realize could be there. I have always wanted to make a Double Wedding Ring quilt; maybe this could be the year. Nancy
Wow! Love all this fussy cut patterns. It makes for a truly unique quilt. Thanks for all this information. Jo
Can’t wa find the perfect fabric to try this!
I’ve always concentrated on the rings in the double wedding ring pattern. You have opened my eyes to many more variations that can be made by fussy cutting those corners or arc end pieces! Oh the possibilities! Happy holidays to you!
Never really liked the wedding ring pattern but looking at your versions of it I am looking at it in a completely new light.
Lucy Boston’s work with English paper piecing is an inspiration decades later, and Linda, you have inspired us all with Inklingo and all the possibilities! Thank you for all that you do to help us create our own masterpieces! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
It is just amazing to me how you can see so many variations on a block, Linda. I do not have that skill and I so appreciate your generosity in sharing.
Merry Christmas!
The double wedding ring has always been one of my favourite patterns. I can’t imagine making one without Inklingo, there is just so little waste when you print on the fabric. With fussy cutting the possibilities are endless!
I love the double wedding ring, but never thought about fussy cutting, I’ll have to do this, thanks, Helen
I’ve always loved this pattern now there’s more to love with all the different variations!!!!!
The double wedding ring, is so beautiful, and all the variations available are just gorgeous. Which one to choose? Oh, My!
Wow, I had not thought of the possibilities of DWR in that way before. Look out New Year!
My hubby bought me Lucy’s book for Christmas. Thanks for carrying it Linda. I have not opened it yet as I wanted to wait until Dec 25. I can’t wait to read it and start fussy cutting fabric.
Merry Christmas Linda
The Patchworks of Lucy Boston is one of my most favourite quilt books. I have read it cover to cover so many times and just love looking at her creations. Definitely a must have for any quilter’s library, I think.
I love the effect you got with fussy cutting the DWR corners — what a fabulous idea!
Congratulations to Jane S. who won that luscious bundle of fabrics!
I can’t speak for Lucy, but I find today’s designs have a soft loveliness to them. Just what this day needs…
I LOVE the fussy-cut corner stones in the Wedding Ring Quilt designs you have posted. The Inklinkgo site is always a font of inspiration…and dreams of quilts to make! Merry Christmas to you and Monkey, and a very Inklingo New Year… Sue