Friday 9 February 2018

Singing Gollies

As the due date for my new niece or nephew draws closer (about a month away), I have felt the strong pull to finish this little baby quilt top for the expected bub.
 It measures approx 60cm x 70cm so it's a delightful size for a newborn - in the pram, in the car, as a floor throw....

 All the faces are painted on.

 All pieces are stitched down.

 You can add buttons to the braces, but as this is for a newborn, I didn't want to do that.

 And, just as I was finishing preparing the backing, ready to send to Mum to be quilted, I finished a cup of tea. And there is my little boy talking to his chickens.

In the tea leaves. So much love!

Hope you are having a great day.
Love Rainey

7 comments:

patchworkstories.weebly.com said...

Hmm....I find this character offensive and racist. Is the newborn black and perhaps for some reason the family LIKES this negatively designed doll?

BizarreQuilter said...

I find you racist because you said that this quilt must be for a black baby.

patchworkstories.weebly.com said...

Dear Bizarre Quilter, Seems my comment was not worded as well as it could have been. Sorry for the bad feelings. I certainly don't consider myself racist, as I come from a very mixed family and sensitivity to other races and cultures has been paramount in raising my own children and grandchildren. I do however, find the interest/pleasure in distorted, stereotyped figures troubling, as they harbor a sense of ridicule and mocking towards a particular group. I also know that some cultures collect vintage memorabilia and symbols, why I am not certain, and thought perhaps that might have been the impetus for your design.

BizarreQuilter said...

I am sorry it is your experience to find it mocking and negative. It may have been the original intention 100 years ago.

This quilt is for my sister's baby. My sister and I grew up reading Noddy books. With gollies in them. The word gollies is allowed even by extreme PC people as the word golliwog is no longer used.

My sister loves music, which is why these are singing gollies. They look happy. they are not in a chain gang. And MY INTENTION as the maker is to bring joy and love to a newborn. And so because that is my intention, that is what the baby will feel when wrapped in it.

Thank you for visiting.

Unknown said...

I love this quilt...the colours and the fact it made me smile. My question was in relation to their hair. The tops are round shape...to stop fraying and to attach it what fabric did you use e.g. cotton or felt?? I’m fairly new to quilting, a;though a very experienced sewer and am just trying to ascertain the level of difficulty for this quilt

Unknown said...

I love this quilt...the colours and the fact it made me smile. My question was in relation to their hair. The tops are round shape...to stop fraying and to attach it what fabric did you use e.g. cotton or felt?? I’m fairly new to quilting, a;though a very experienced sewer and am just trying to ascertain the level of difficulty for this quilt

BizarreQuilter said...

Thanks for loving this quilt design as much as I do. I cut out the entire shape from one piece of black quilters muslin and stitched it down by machine with a fine zig zag and "monopoly" clear thread. You could also embroider the hair with black DMC thread, but I didn't have time for that as it was needed for gifting in a hurry.

The pattern is by Lil Blokes. You can find her on facebook, although the shop is closed as the owner retired, she sells many beautiful patterns with gollies and teddies.

love from Bizarre Quilter