Here is another quilt that was bought from Jen Jones. It measures 219 cm x 191 cm or about 86 x 75 inches. It was made by a Mrs Annie Davies who lived over a drapers shop in Chalybeate Street in Aberysthweth. You can see another quilt by the same maker in Jen's French book on Welsh Quilts - Les Quilts Gallois. That quilt is more obviously a scrap quilt, with green red and beige scraps organised in a rough medallion format and looking surprisingly modern - a Welsh Gee's Bend?
This quilt has a central pinwheel of purple,plus green and red stripes, surrounded by further borders of large triangles and squares. Although a scrap quilt, the quilt has been organised in a fairly symmetrical manner.
Here is the back - paisley red fabrics of two different sorts. The quilting is typically Welsh with chevrons and spirals.
A view of the two fabrics found on the reverse. It would be interesting to know more about Annie Davies. Generally, Welsh quilts which were made by professional quilters seldom have any provenance, possibly the family that owned the quilt - it is rare to know the name of the quilter.
I love this quilt Pippa. The striped fabric in the pinwheel is great and gives it the zany effect but as you say it is an organised quilt. Very inspirational! Would love some close-ups when you have time?
ReplyDeletelove the back. oh...I gave you a link the other day, hope this is OK
ReplyDeleteI will try to post some of my own photos - I know Jen's were not as detailed as the ones I usually post. Thanks for your link,,,Pippa
ReplyDeleteThis is one great, funky kinda quilt. I really like the sneaky backing - two prints so close in color and value. Very fun to look at!
ReplyDeleteLook forward to the photos. Love this quilt - in the small photo, the centre looks like it has quite a wild print.
ReplyDeleteIt would probably be fairly easy to find out some more about Annie Davies or at least the draper's shop. Some of the shops on Chalybeate Street in the 1980s had been in the same hands for generations (I lived very close by when I was at university in Aber). The Cambrian Museum has, as far as I know, Mrs Evan's collection (which used to be displayed in the first floor of Aber railway station and in various old closed shop windows around that area & towards High Street) - this included a treasure trove of ephemera about life in Aber, including a lot of stuff relating to retail history in town - logoed paper bags from shops, receipt books, that kind of thing.
Had a look at Chalybeate Street on Google streetview after seeing your post - looks like the hardware store that used to sharpen my sewing scissors 25 years ago is still there. Nice memories.