Small Welsh patchwork quilt

Here is a small patchwork quilt by a known maker. It was made by Margaret Jesse Barnett (nee Jones), who died in 1992 when she was in her 80's. She was born on a farm in the South Wales valleys at Llantrisant. At age 14 she was apprenticed as a seamstress. She later married and they bought a farm at LLantrisant - Rhiwfelin Fach Farm. Margaret sewed by hand and also her trusty Singer treadle sewing machine. This quilt was bought from her granddaughter, Eira Edwards. Margaret was her Nain (North Wales Welsh for Grandmother).



The quilt measures 46 x 65 inches and is a utility quilt. I don't know the date of this quilt. Margaret made other, grander quilts - I was sent a photo of another green and red applique quilt that she made. This quilt seems to be made of all sorts of offcuts and was made for her family to use.

The quilting is an allover crosshatch pattern. Although made of remnants, Margaret has made an attempt to make the patches symmetrical.

The other side of the quilt, another frame pattern.

On this quilt, the binding appears to be a simple turned over binding. Not sure if this is the original binding - it could have been added when the quilt became worn. You can also see that one edge has a sewn binding in green added.

This quilt is very worn and the thinner woven fabrics have shredded. You can see here that there is a worn blanket inside the quilt - very common for Welsh utility quilts.

Most of Margaret's brothers worked in the mines, however one brother, Richard Jones ("Dic Dyffryn") was a carpenter and wheelwright, supposedly the last wheelwright in Wales. He was very pleased to have met the Prince of Wales at a special exhibition held at St Fagan's (Welsh equivalent of Beamish Museum).