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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.













Monday 3 June 2013

Welsh Quilted Nightdress Case

Here is a small item that I bought online recently - it is a quilted pyjama case from Wales. As you know, after WWII sewing classes were popular, but generally only small items were made. Bed quilts were not considered a desirable or suitable project, instead the emphasis was on making beautiful items for the house.

This nightdress case is from Swansea in South Wales. It is quilted with traditional Welsh fans and a rose. Wool is used as the padding and some ends are making their escape through the fabrics.

 The lining is a light pink and there is a pink braid around the flap.


These cases were a simple patterm - just a single piece of quilting folded over and fixed. You can see that the quilting on the back is squares on point infill.

Pam the seller said "I had two wonderful aunts, one was a spinster who lived with the other and her husband in Swansea. They both belonged to sewing classes and would make all sorts of things including my Welsh costume. They didn't have any children themselves but treated myself and my other cousins as their own, and would try and teach us to sew. I have kept a lot of their things, but now is the time for me to pass them on.

I don't know which aunt made it, they were both such special ladies and they would be delighted to know their work lives on with someone new.

My spinster aunt was Martha Williams, and her sister was Caroline Emmanuel."

You might like to compare the Welsh nightdress case with the North Country one that I featured earlier - othb are typical of their areas and have a different "feel" to them....

4 comments:

  1. How special to know the history of the nightdress case - so interesting! Thanks for sharing.

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  2. I really like those little thingies. They have style and somehow they are a part of a special way of life. Furthermore they show the skills of the maker! Thank you for posting, Pippa!

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  3. These patterns are wonderful. Any way you transfer designs and make a sew a long project?

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  4. Very beautiful quilting. I have to learn do it.

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