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I am a quilter living in Woodbridge, Suffolk who has made quilts since I was a teenager. I also ring bells! Both are great British traditions....I will try to feature some of my antique Welsh and Durham quilts, the quilts I make myself, my quilting activities and also some of my bellringing achievements. Plus as many photos as I can manage. NB: Double click on the photos to see greater detail, then use back button to return to the main page.













Thursday 18 August 2022

Unusual Wavy Strippy Quilt

This is a very unusual or strange strippy! It is rather tatty and worn, and was not expensive, but it had nice quilting, and, I was curious to see how it was constructed. 


Although I have seen one or two wavy strippies, I have never seen anything like this.


The green stripes are applied onto the pink fabric by machine with white piping and are not applique.


Just to show the underside of the piping.


The green stirpes have a running feather and a pattern in the bulges. The quilting is nicely done and the lines of quilting are very close, sometimes indication an older quilt.


The pink stripes have a feather pattern with chevrons, again closely quilted, in the waves.


At the edge of the quilt where it is very worn, you can see that the pink stripes are as normal, but that the green fabric overlaps the pink at its edges. The centre of the green fabric is a single layer.


Another photo to show how the green fabric overlays the pink fabric; the double layers of cotton fabric at the margins did not seem to cause the quilter any problems in her quilting.

The seller was from Pontefract, and the quilt was from her mother in law's estate. Mother in law liked to go to boot sales in the North, so the quilt could have come from anywhere.

Our only thought is, that the maker of the quilt was more comfortable with piping than applique!

 

Saturday 27 November 2021

Gallery Festival of Quilts - Hawaiian Quilts by Pippa Moss

Oh, I just noticed that I am mentioned in this months Todays Quilter - I'd better post this now!
I was very pleased to have my own gallery of Hawaiian quilts at FOQ 21, having applied several months before. I had been working for months, finishing the hand quilting of several quilts. As the quilts are very large, I had to request changes to the gallery layout to accommodate these. I also folded four unquilted tops into meter widths and sewed these, to fit into the leftover spaces.

The end of August finally arrived - laborious packing of five suitcases, and hauling these to the hotel and then the NEC! When I arrived, the exhibition space was not as I had planned - it was smaller! A quick rethink, and three of the older quilts were culled, leaving ten large quilts and the four folded tops. Luckily, the hanging crew made quick work putting the quilts up on the walls.


The next four days were very pleasant, talking to many people (most masked, as I was). I was also interviewed by Katie from Arnold’s Attic, and you can see this on YouTube, “Meet the Maker  -Pippa Moss”.


A corner of the gallery.


Two tops, folded into meter widths, to fill the odd spaces...Sunflower and Kuuipo


                                               String of Pearls- Lei Momi


                         
                                                  Molokama



                                                                Ipu Kukui


                                                Umeke O Kamehameha


                                                        Kiku Nut


                                            Elizabethe Akana - Ulu or Breadfruit


A very large pattern by Elizabeth Akana - Silversword


Carnation


Millennium Quilt - 2000


Molokama


Piilani



                                                                 Masked up!
I was so pleased when, on the final day, the lady from the nearby coffee stand came to have a closer look at the lovely quilt that she had been admiring from afar for four days.
The quilts came down in record time, and I was able to load up and drive home. I enjoyed my gallery and would encourage others to apply.

Sunday 7 November 2021

Washing a Quilt

I thought that it might be good to show photos of a quilt being washed. Remember, washing is irreversible….you can’t “ unwet” a quilt! So assess it first, fragile quilts or fabrics liable to bleed should not be washed. Luckily, these Durham and Welsh wholecloths are very sturdy and have probably been washed many times before.

First, lukewarm water in the bathtub with a small amount of a special detergent like Synthrapol or Metaplex. Agitate the quilt….leave to soak….


The first lot of water …..lots of dust, dirt and some degradation products….


Let the water drain out. You can gently press and lift the quilt, but do not wring….it is very heavy now that it is wet, and heavy handling could cause damage to quilting or seams.


A second and then a third rinse with clean, lukewarm water. This is to get rid of any traces of the detergent. Let the water drain away as much as possible. 


Gently place the quilt in a container ( some people use a sheet to lift the quilt).


Next, the quilt goes into the clothes washer for a slow spin to get rid of excess water….


 Finally, I place the damp quilt on a drying frame…here, I used my quilting frame. Turn regularly….until dry…..the quilt should be much cleaner and also smell fresher.

Saturday 30 January 2021

Durham Cot Quilt from South Shields


A cot quilt from South Shields, this is a true cot quilt and not cut down, as can be told from the quilting patterns and the edge treatment.


 The back is rather faded, these items were often left folded on shelves! Probably made from fabric remnants, as both the back and front are pieced.

The quilting patterns are fans  and a worm pattern ( I hope that is the right name!)

I love these baby quilts, the small size requires a little bit of planning due to the small size, but here it looks as if the quilter just used templates for larger quilts that she had to hand. 

Saturday 23 January 2021

Mola of a Man and a Woman


A mola from South America. This was bought in 1987 at the end of Operation Raleigh. This shows a man and a woman, with bow and bird, and shovel and plant, demonstrating their roles in society.

 

A detail showing  the applique, reverse applique and embroidery.


A Welsh sampler, Hannah Oliver 1885, from Cardigan.

Monday 9 November 2020

House for Retirement


My retirement house, bought with the money left to me by my mother. The small house is in a very convenient and quiet location in a thriving village.


As the house had been empty for about two years, the garden was very overgrown. The previous owner was a keen gardener, and  I was attracted by the garden. As I plan to rent it out for the time being, I just hope that we can find tenants who also like to garden.


The entire garden was overtaken by an aster and other rampant weeds, so nearly twenty bin liners of plant matter were pulled and taken away by me.


I bought replacement curtains on Ebay to cheer the place up.


 I also repainted two bedrooms and the kitchen. Plus, I had the garage reroofed, the garage rewired, the front door rehung and I repainted the green house . Plus getting electric and gas certificates. So I hope that all goes well with finding tenants!

Saturday 17 October 2020

North Country Bed Jacket

Here is a very nice hand quilted bed jacket, which comes with a history. It was made by Mrs Herbert, pub landlady from Todhills, Byers Green, Bishop Aukland in Co. Durham. This was given to the sellers grandmother  Ruth of Sleights House Farm as a wedding present by her mother in law Mrs Herbert.  In 1973 it was then given in turn to her daughter in law Jennie Wearmouth of Hunwich, Bishop Aukland when Jennie was pregnant with her first child.  Through all this time, the bed jacket was kept safely in a box, so has never been worn.


The bed jacket is fully reversible. the front has daisies and twists, with a running feather up the sleeves.


 The collar has a twist, and the back has a rose surrounded by two feathers. Liz Nally has a similar bed jacket from another maker living nearby, and once Covid is over, it will be interesting to compare the two to see if there was a locally used pattern.