George Boyle
The Double Wedding Ring quilt is a design featuring interlocking rings, symbolising marriage, that has been used for bedspreads and other projects. The pattern was first published in 1928 and has been a favourite for quilters ever since, often given as a wedding gift. The design has a rich history, dating back to the 15th century, and is reminiscent of the Gimmal ring, a popular engagement ring where each member of the betrothed couple wears a ring during their engagement, which is then interlocked during the wedding ceremony for the wife to wear.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| History | The design dates back to the 15th century, reminiscent of the "Gimmal ring", a popular engagement ring where the betrothed couple each wore one ring during their engagement, and then the rings were interlocked during the wedding ceremony and worn by the wife. |
| The motif has been found on 4th-century Roman cups and is similar to the Celtic knot motif. | |
| The pattern was first published in the United States in 1928 and gained popularity. | |
| The quilt was traditionally made by mothers and grandmothers for their children and given as gifts on their wedding day or anniversaries. | |
| Symbolism | The interlocking rings symbolize universal symbols of love, marriage, and harmony. |
| Fabric | Traditionally, white fabric is used as the background, with colourful scraps of fabric for the arches in an interlocking pattern. |
| Modern versions may use black or other colours as the main fabric, with solid fabrics lending a more modern feel. | |
| The majority of the fabric required is for the background, with scraps or smaller pieces used for the rings and arches. | |
| Fabric can be cut individually or folded in half to cut two pieces at once. | |
| Assembly | The quilt is assembled by sewing blocks together, arranging them into rows, and then sewing the rows into vertical columns with gently curving seams. |
| Paper piecing is a technique used to prevent stretching and warping of the rings during assembly. | |
| Bias binding is used to finish the quilt and maintain its curved edge. | |
| Size | The size of the quilt can be increased by adding a frame or borders. |
| Double Wedding Ring quilts can range from small table mats or runners to queen-size quilts. |
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What You'll Learn
History of the double wedding ring quilt
The Double Wedding Ring quilt has been a symbol of love and romance, with its interlocking rings representing marriage. The design is steeped in a rich historical tradition, dating back to the 15th century. The motif has even been found on 4th-century Roman cups and is reminiscent of the Celtic knot motif in the Western world.
The Double Wedding Ring quilt pattern was first published in the United States in the early 1920s, specifically in 1928, and has been a favourite for quilters ever since. However, the quilt pattern can be traced back to the late 19th century, with the earliest published mention of the Single Wedding Ring (SWR) in October 1887. The Double Wedding Ring quilt was traditionally made by mothers and grandmothers for their children and given as gifts on their wedding day or anniversaries. It is believed that a marriage was blessed if the couple spent their first night together under a Double Wedding Ring quilt, adding to its significance as a traditional wedding gift.
The quilt's design features an interlocking pattern, typically created using a white fabric background and colourful scraps of fabric for the arches. The quilt is finished with a bias binding to maintain its curved edge, and a frame or border can be added to increase its size. The Double Wedding Ring quilt pattern is known to be challenging due to its complex construction, but the resulting design is elegant and intricate, making it a prized possession for collectors and a symbol of skill for quilters.
The pattern gained particular popularity during the Depression era as it could be created using scraps of fabric from unused bedding or other projects. While the traditional colour scheme features a white background, modern quilters have experimented with different background colours, such as black or blue, to create unique and quirky designs. The Double Wedding Ring quilt has endured as a cherished gift for loved ones, symbolising love and harmony in marriage, and adding to the rich history and tradition surrounding this quilt design.
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Symbolism of interlocking rings
The Double Wedding Ring quilt is a quilt design featuring interlocking rings, which are a universal symbol of love and marriage. The quilt is steeped in historical tradition, with the motif found on 4th-century Roman cups and similar to the Celtic knot motif in the Western world. The interlocking ring design is also reminiscent of the "Gimmal ring", a popular engagement ring where the betrothed couple each wore one ring during their engagement, interlocked during the wedding ceremony, and then worn by the wife.
The circle is a symbol of eternity, with no beginning or end. The hole in the centre of the ring is also significant, representing a gateway or door to the unknown. The tradition of wearing a wedding ring on the left-hand ring finger is believed to have derived from the Romans, who thought there was a vein in that finger, the 'Vena Amoris' or 'Vein of Love', directly connected to the heart.
Interlocking rings are also found in Russian wedding rings, also known as Trinity Interlocking Bands or Russian Trio Jewellery. These rings are made of three individual bands, shaped and interlocked to be worn as a single ring. The three bands can be made in different combinations of metals, with each metal representing a different story or meaning. For example, yellow gold can represent strength, loyalty, or fidelity, while rose gold symbolises true love.
The interlocking ring design is also found in the Olympic symbol, which consists of five interlocking rings, coloured blue, yellow, black, green, and red on a white field. The symbol was created in 1913 by Coubertin, representing the five inhabited continents: Africa, America, Asia, Europe, and Oceania. The colours of the rings, along with the white background, were chosen to represent the colours of every competing country's flag at the time.
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Fabric and colour choices
The Double Wedding Ring quilt is a design with a rich history, often given as a wedding gift or passed down through generations. Traditionally, the quilt is made using white fabric as the background, with colourful scraps of fabric forming interlocking arches. However, modern interpretations of the quilt have used black fabric as the main colour, with solid fabrics in the arcs lending a more contemporary feel.
The amount of fabric required for a Double Wedding Ring quilt depends on the desired size of the finished product. The quilt typically requires more background fabric than other fabrics, and white or neutral colours are often used for this. Using white fabric can also be more cost-effective, as it will not bleed dye, meaning cheaper fabric can be used.
The interlocking arcs of the quilt can be created using coordinated fabrics, with each arc using the same colours in the same order, or a scrappy look can be achieved by using random fabrics. One quilter describes using Christmas fabrics placed randomly throughout the quilt. Another quilter, who used a variety of light, medium, and dark fabrics, notes that the dark-ended arcs were sewn to the top and bottom of the blocks, with the light-ended arcs sewn to the sides.
The Double Wedding Ring quilt is known for being challenging to assemble due to the curved piecing required. One quilter recommends using paper piecing to make the process easier and quicker.
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Quilting techniques
The Double Wedding Ring quilt is a challenging pattern to execute, featuring a complex arrangement of curved seams and arcs. The quilt is a symbol of love and harmony, with its interlocking rings representing marriage. The pattern first appeared in the United States in the 1920s and has been a popular choice for quilters ever since.
The traditional colour scheme for the quilt involves a white fabric background, with colourful scraps of fabric forming arches in an interlocking pattern. However, modern interpretations may feature black or other dark colours as the main background, with solid fabrics in the arcs lending a more contemporary feel.
To create the quilt, quilters can cut the fabric pieces individually or fold the fabric in half to cut two pieces at once. The pieces are then sewn together to form blocks, which are arranged into rows. The blocks are sewn together with gently curving seams to avoid the complexity of set-in seams.
For larger quilts, a frame or borders can be added around the design. A bias binding is used to finish the quilt and maintain its curved edges.
Creating a Double Wedding Ring quilt can be a time-consuming process, but the end result is considered well worth the effort. The quilt is often given as a wedding gift and is treasured by families, passed down through generations.
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Double wedding ring quilt variations
The Double Wedding Ring quilt pattern is a popular design that has been used for bedcovers and gifts for newlyweds or those celebrating anniversaries. The pattern is characterised by interlocking rings, symbolising marriage and love. While the pattern is traditionally created using a white fabric background with colourful scraps of fabric for the arches, there are several variations of the design.
One variation of the quilt uses black as the main colour, with solid fabrics in the arcs lending a more modern feel. Another modern design features arcs of Christmas fabrics placed randomly throughout the quilt. The Coordinating Colors DWR quilt uses just a few different fabrics to create a gorgeous quilt top. For a sleek, modern look, a dark background can be chosen, with the option to add a block in the middle of each ring to showcase a sampler design.
The choice of fabric can also be customised, with the option to use old clothing and other random pieces of excess fabric, or to purchase a fabric bundle with coordinating fabrics. The size of the quilt can also be varied, with the option to create a single block to use as a table mat or a larger quilt with more rings.
Quilters can also add their own unique touches to the design, such as by using applique pieces to create intricate needle-turned circles or adding complex star points around the rings. The "made cloth" technique, popularised by Victoria Wolfe, involves piecing together different scraps and then cutting them into unique quilting shapes.
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Frequently asked questions
A double wedding ring quilt is a quilt with a pattern of interlocking rings, symbolising marriage.
The design of the double wedding ring quilt dates back to the 15th century, reminiscent of the "Gimmal ring", a popular engagement ring where the betrothed couple each wore one ring during their engagement, which was then interlocked during the wedding ceremony for the wife to wear. The pattern was first published in the United States in 1928 and became a favourite for quilters.
The traditional way to make a double wedding ring quilt is to use white fabric as the background and colourful scraps of fabric for the interlocking arches. A bias binding is used to finish the quilt and keep its curved edge.
Modern double wedding ring quilts can feature arcs of Christmas fabrics placed randomly throughout, or use black as the main colour instead of white. Some quilts may only resemble traditional designs in a small way but can be equally striking.
The double wedding ring quilt is known to be a challenging pattern due to the curved piecing required. Some tips to simplify the process include using paper piecing, cutting shapes with a die-cutting machine, and sewing the blocks into vertical columns to avoid set-in seams.
