Watson

I tried to Google it and I get lots of how-to's but I'd like to know the history and background of the quilt.

Is it supposed to be done with orphan blocks?

The patterns seem very intricate, with spreadsheets and block charts....

I'm intrigued and have lots of orphan blocks, but is that how you do this or is it best to make it from all new blocks and follow along from an established pattern?

Any thoughts and pictures of your own quilts appreciated.

Watson.

sandy l

I had seen the pictures and got the pattern..but. after I looked at the instructions, spread sheets and block charts, I passed it on to someone else, so I'm not much help in answering your questions.

toverly

Gypsy Wife is one of those quilts that looks simple but is complicated to construct. I think it would be difficult with orphan blocks. Even though the pattern looks like random blocks, they finish at a full number, only two I think finish at a half number. It would be difficult to get the strip right if there are half numbers involved.

luvstoquilt

I know a quilter who teaches classes and does beautiful work. She tackles everything and makes quilts for store and magazine displays. She made the Gypsy quilt and her words were “Never again”!

aashley333

Thanks! I googled the quilt and love it! Added to my list!

GingerK

I think making your own rendition of a Gypsy Wife 'inspired' quilt could be exciting, rewarding and hair-pulling-out frustrating. You would need to start with your orphan blocks and a large design wall. Lay out the blocks in a pattern that pleases you. Then calculate and start making filler blocks or strips. (I wonder if that is how Jen Kingwell came to write the pattern--lots of orphan blocks. Hmmmm)

The one thing that I never liked about the Gypsy Wife pattern, was that my eye had no place to rest. Everything was so tremendously 'busy'. A person could get around that by using some sort of constant sashing, or borders on some, or all of their blocks.

Onebyone

I doubt there is a history of the pattern. It's a design someone created and gave a name to like all the other quilt patterns. I think quilt names have a big impact on if the quilt catches on as a have to make, take a class, type of quilt. If it was named Catch All it wouldn't have the same appeal to most.

OurWorkbench

According to the video at https://thequiltshow.com/daily-blog/...bc238bec36ccde she (Jen Kingwell) doesn't know why that name. However, there is an additional comment by Chra Newtron that mentions gypsies would hide money in braids and would pass the cut off braids to their daughters. The underlying stripes remind me of braids.

Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.
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Kit-Kat

I just recently completed Jen Kingwell's Gypsy Wife and I loved everything about it! I have her pattern book, which is quite vague. I made all new blocks only using fabrics that I have in my stash. I had so much fun auditioning the fabrics and putting colors and patterns together that I wouldn't normally combine. When I was finished with the top and was trying to decide how to quilt it, I decided to use unbleached muslin for the backing because the front was so full of color and patterns. Although I had never hand quilted, I decided that was the only way to bring out the individuality of each block . . . and then I came up with the brilliant idea to use invisible thread for all of the quilting. I could not be happier with the finished product! When I figure out how to attach pictures, I will send!

bearisgray

i just looked at her pattern again.
It makes me think of a "clean out the refrigerator meal" every time I see it.