Wedding Ring Quilt - Before I Get Started - Any Advice?
 

My wonderful son and beautiful daughter-in-law were married last Saturday and ... well, let me back up a bit ...

Shortly after they got engaged a year and a half ago I was planning to make a quilt for them. My new DIL is a beginning quilter who, unfortunately, learned from her "throw the rules out the window" MIL. She saw a pattern for a double wedding ring quilt and said she would love one of those. GULP! Never tried one and just looking at it made my head hurt. Maybe you'd like a nice Storm at Sea?

Fast forward to the end of October when Hurricane Sandy took our house and everything in it. That got me off the hook. Not the best way for it to happen but it got me off the hook.

Now, I'm feeling brave. I have the Accuquilt Go die for the pieces, but I'm not at all sure about where to go from here. They'll need a queen size and she loves blues and purples, and now has a taste for batiks (which I think will be hard to cut unless I use a gallon of starch). Then there's the back ground fabric. White? I'm so up in the air. But at least I have a year to finish it as it is planned for a first anniversary gift. That year will go fast unless I get moving!

Any ideas? I'm scared!!! :shock:

How about a white-on-white fabric for the background, for a little more interest? Batiks sound wonderful. They really arent' that hard to make once you get the hang of it.

We used to make them back before dies, just cardboard patterns!! Gave the last one as a wedding gift too.

I'm getting ready to cut one from the Go too. I have been trying to figure out if I have enough fabric before I start. I'm using a fat eighth bundle from MODA and muslin for the background. Batiks sound great. With the die there is two ways to do it. With the little pieces, that's the one I'm doing being its for me or just the strip. I would get a purple blue marble batik and do the strip then piece the four patches in the purple and blue batik. It would go a lot faster and it's perfect for a gift. JMHO Happy Quilting

I think I will practice on one first before I go destroying good fabric!

Ooooh, batiks sound wonderful for a DWR quilt, I would recommend them. It really isn't a hard quilt to make. There are lots of tutorials out there, look some up and choose the one that looks the easiest to you. I've made several DWR many years ago.
Oh, and I'd use an off white for your background, it goes with everything.

I know there are wedding ring quilts that can be paper-pieced. Then you would have total accuracy!!!

I really don't think you will need a gallon of starch.....batiks are sturdier than calico....how about using a pale marble off-white batik for the background..thus keeping it all in the batik look.....that Stonehenge line by ??? Looks interesting.
Whichever you choose the GO die will make everything much easier for you

I agree to go light on the starch, if at all. I DIP STARCH just about all my fabrics, except batiks. The weave is so tight that I usually don't starch them at all. Just pre wash to get the excess dye out.

I've seen some batiks with a black background. Very striking.

How ironic! I just cut all the pieces for the dwr the the Go...in different shades of blue batiks for my daughters wedding anniversary! For the background i used a very, very light colored batik with very subtle shades of blue. i will try to take a picture of it and post it later.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]410225[/ATTACH]I just randomly threw fabrics up there, so they wont be placed in that order later. But this is the background fabric Im using. Hope this helps you. Do you guys think this will work OK?

I don't have any plans to make one of these, but, I do like your fabrics. Please post the finished quilt when it is done so we can admire it.

Did you wash your batiks? They do fade. Especially if you are using a light background. My dd was engaged at Christmas and said they were getting married that May. Well, she did not know what pattern but she asked for browns and peaches. I had that thing cut out and pieced queen size in 3 months and had it quilted by my Amish friend ready for her shower. I did not have any trouble with it at all. Time was my only factor. I used I believe a Doris Yoder's clear plastic templates (out of TX I believe). I still have them somewhere. I did not have to consider the bias edges at all. I handled everything as usual. I cut the "melons" that you sew the fabric to. Count about how many you need. Then sew your strips together, remembering you have a top and bottom. Attach them to the melons. Then attach the four to a center piece and you just work from there. As I said, I found it really easy, a lot easier then the pineapple or some of the other squares. Good luck. Any questions, email me.

DWR was on my bucket list for a long (16yr) time. Finally I got started. Used a PP method. I'm an advanced quilted & after a small table runner, I marked the DWR off my bucket list.

So I recommend doing a small trial piece first. Ask DIL how she likes it. Make any adjustments. Then proceed with this experience behind you.

Auntevie, I really like your background! Those fabrics really make an old fashioned quilt have a modern look. Excellent choices.

Love that one in blues.....I may have to do two!

Auntevie, it's beautiful!

The fabrics shown are beautiful - my recommendation is to take a class from a good teacher. There are little tips and tricks to the piecing. Accurate cutting and accurate piecing are a must. You go girl!

How about the Rings that Binds quilt by Cheryl Phillips. I made one several years ago for my DD, and it isn't that difficult to make. I just saw in an email from Annie's Catalog that she is now caring the book and it still has the arc in it, for $24.00 or maybe $24.95, not sure which, but a lot cheaper than I paid for mine, or what has in the last year or so shown on Amazon. Apparently this book was republished. I would recommend doing this quilt, as you don't have to cut all the little squares and each block is quilted as you go. You might want to check this out.P.M. me if you can't find this site and you are interested. Good luck. So sorry to hear about your loss from Sandy.

Unless she insists on having lots of different fabrics, I would consider an alternative, where you make the double wedding ring, but using a solid ring, instead of a pieced one, they are just as lovely and would probably make the assembly of the quilt much easier. Just a suggestion.

Did a DWR out of batiks with tone on tone beige for melons and centers. Suggestion...for the corners have the same four colors..otherwise gets to busy.

Sew slow and press the arcs as you finish them. Once you have two blocks done, you wont want to stop. Mine is a queen and just love it. DH loves it too!

DWR from Rings that Bind by Cheryl Phillips
 

I'm in the process of making a DWR for my DD and her future husband as a surprise wedding gift - utlizing the colors she has chosen for her wedding - purples, lavendars, creams, yellows, etc. The fabric I selected for the rings is border print so I cut strips of where the rings are to be cut out, then stacked them like "stack and whack" and cut them out so that certain strips appear on every ring. Before I cut anything, I starched the dickens out of the fabric so I didn't have to worry about too much stretching. Cutting out in this manner was very time-consuming. It took 39 hours JUST to cut everything out. The good thing about this method is that it is QAYG, so once I finish, I'm done! I can't wait until I have more of it done so that I can she how it actually looks.

How about reversing the background and rings. A beautiful rich dark eggplant purple background and lighter rings that shade from light to dark.:D

May all be well for you through your ordeal.

You have a year, get going! This is another pattern that people are afraid of. I haven't made mine yet but I do like curved piecing. Not really that hard.

Does anyone know the site for the tutorial on making this without the curves. I thought I had it marked but no luck.

hat ever you choose, keep us updated.
peace

That is an excellent idea! I always wanted to do a DWR, and took a class using John Flynn's templates and method, and while I got 2 reasonable looking rings and made a table runner out of them, I realized a full size, or even lap size, quilt was NOT going to happen from the DWR design! Good to know before I cut up yards of fabric! Good luck!

I am in the process of collecting fabrics for this pattern. All reds though. Thanks for the photo, maybe I am right on track.

I am finishing up the appliqué border for my DWR which is done is very much the same colors as your photo. I used the same light and dark for the connecting points to give it some consistency. I used a white on white and that is ok if you are going to machine quilt. Hand quilting through that paint is impossible! Better to use a batik or mottled light.

Oh that sounds very interesting. Batiks with a very light batik backgroud. I would not use a solid color backgroud- I like designs.
Have you thought about making this a bounding experience with DIL and having both of you work on it? See would maybe like it.

kay woods has a free video on you tube for the ties that bind wedding ring quilt, the end of the video she shows
two wedding quilts she made for her daughters...omg

I found the tutorial I was looking for . It looks like an interesting way to do this pattern. It is Cheryl Phillips W/ Kay Wood.

The beginning is about pinning seams but then goes into the DWR instructions. Cool.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfifwcg8IJ4

Peace

I made a dwr and used cream for the background, I think it came out great. When sewing the curves be sure to pin to easy the fabric. Good Luck

http://www.craftsy.com/project/view/...ng-quilt/24464
Modern Double Wedding Ring Quilt

I just saw one like this at our last guild meeting. It was very attractive. It would be very doable.

Jenny Doan of Missouri Star Quilt Co. has a tutorial on the Wedding ring quilt. Looks easier than I've ever seen.

I did a quilt as you go from a book..The Rings that Bind" for my DD ands SIL. It was sage and navy on a beige on beige background. Made solid arcs rather than pieced. Not sure i would make another DWR though. I guess others on the board have a lot more patience than me.

I had a friend that tried to make a Double Wedding Ring and quit because they would not lay FLAT ! ! ! Good Luck ! ! !

Wonderful advice from all our quilting friends. Thank you!
I understand that it would be good to: (1) cut enough fabric just for a sample block; (2) make a small project first; (3) proceed to the DWR quilt with confidence. Good to know.

Thank you for all the terrific tips!

I love the color choice. Before using Batiks per-wash as there is a lot of excess die. I have a box full of Bali Batiks as we live 3 hours away from Bali by plane, and my daughters go there every couple of months on holidays, and shopping for me, one came back last weekend, it was like Christmas for me, batiks, selling at $2.50 per mtr, and we have been told 8mtrs weigh a kilo, so A lot of washing this week.

I have been planning on making several "leave behind" quilts for my DGC and had hoped to make them all DWR. I now have 3 GC and 1 on the way. I have a GO and had planned to use it, but I also like the idea of a PP quilt. However, after reading all these posts, I just might opt for log cabin quilts! Sounds like I might not live long enough to make 4 leave-behind quilts!!!

I have two double wedding ring quilts going right now..one is all batiks..love it! No need to starch good quality batiks tho I did prewash and set colors prior to cutting out. Normally I don't prewash at all unless it's in deep blues, reds, burgundy etc. Batiks are great, they do not have a tendency to ravel like regular cottons do. they are more stable on bias edges.
The other DWR is of a Maywood Studio cotton and I am telling you I am starching that fabric to death, so far so good, did not prewash. As soon as I get a couple of rows done I will post a picture. The fabric is floral fusion by Maywood Studio. It's a mix of yellows, black, some drk brown or kahki green. The print graduates to much light tones in two different areas of the width of fabric. I cut melons and centers from the print areas I like the most. The arcs are cut from solid yellow and a sort of ugly military deep green and the rings alternate of course. I do have a picture of a started block on my face book page if you want to take a look. I am usually so traditional with my quilt but this one is a bit edgy for me. Just search for Anne Freeman and you should find the picture.

Oh and did I mention.. you need determination and accuracy to do a great job on a DWR! A scant 1/4" seam is a must!! Good luck with your project.
Anne F