Welsh Quilt with Unusual Quilting Patterns

Here is a Welsh quilt which is a bit puzzling.....it has some interesting quilting patterns, but does not seem to have been especially carefully made.

At first, I thought that this was the top or "best" side....the flowered sateen is attractive, but an odd bit of beige fabric has been used to complete the top, here placed in the middle, almost like a frame.....

But, looking at the edges and the frill, it is apparent that this side was the underside...you can see that the frill has seams and turned under edge facing this lower side, making it the reverse...

The edge with its frill was not very carefully sewn....the fabric edges were not carefully turned in, and in many places where the turn in was not caught by the line of stitching, the two selvedge edges are just sticking out....

Turning the quilt onto the plain side, one can see that this pink side was the uppermost side....the frill is nicely gathered on this side...no seams showing....the thread also matches this side...

The quilting patterns are also more apparent on the "better" side....there is a central coin with four hearts..surrounded by circles....with four fans at the corners...you can see that the usual bordered format is not followed...on either side of the central coin are two more half circle designs....

Another look at the center hearts...

At either end are some triangular designs....the two ends are not quilted in the same manner, however....this one has two daisies...with a paisley shape at either side....

While this one had a half daisy or fan and a leaf and paisley pear.....

The corner fans have teardrop motifs...

Another corner, this one with a fan...

Some unusual linked spirals, which look like eyeglases? These are seen in several areas, including the side triangles and in between the central hearts.

This quilt came from a family in Newport, South Wales. The quilt measures 72  x 81 " with a 5" frill.

Durham Club Quilt with Spring Flowers and Ribbon Edging

Here is a quilt which makes use of a very attractive fabric....it is cotton sateen with bright and colourful spring flowers. The quilting design is fairly simple, and I suspect that this is an example of a club quilt. There is a central wheel, infill of diamonds and then two borders, a twist and a square petalled flower...

I have not seen this treatment before, the edge of the quilt has had an attractive ribbon with matching colours, top sewn to the edge.

The reverse of the ribbon....

Although an attractive quilt, the stitching is not very fine...only about 4 or 5 stitches per inch...

The plain side of the quilt....you can see the central wheel or flower...

....some of the threads have popped or broken with use....

...a closer look at the flower quilting pattern...

And another look at the bright fabric, with tulips, daffodils, jonquils, irises, bluebells and other spring flowers. 

This quilt came from a house in Oxfordshire and has no provenance.

Welsh, but Durham-style Quilt

Here is a bit of a puzzle - a quilt definitely made in Wales by a Welsh woman, but with a north country flavour. It seems to be another example of a marked top in the Durham style. North Country marked tops were available commercially and could be purchased by post or through stores. This quilt was made of blue and salmon satin by the seller's great aunt. The size is 80 x 90 inches and the quilt dates from about 1920.

The centre has an emblem that resembles a simplified lovers knot.

There are some nice scrolls and some leaves...not feathers, I think, as they are too pointy...notice the prairie points at the edge. None of this looks very Welsh!

A view of the whole quilt...

You can see that the design is marked with a dark pen....which makes me think that it was either done by someone who did not know too much about marking, or by someone who did not want the markings to disappear before it was quilted. The stitching is large and not especially good...

The corner, showing the prairie points...attractive colours....

The quilt was made by the seller's great aunt, who lived in South Wales. The quilt would have been made in either Abersychan or Sebastapol, as she lived in both places. They are both in the eastern valley travelling north from Newport. The seller didn't think it appropriate to give the great aunt's name.

More Molas

 I enjoy molas, they are very lively with a lot of detail! They are often brought back as tourist souvenirs from Panama. Formerly they were made as panels in clothing for the Cuna people of the San Blas Islands, now they are an important source of income.

I am not sure what this creature is! He was sold as a mythical animal, it is gathering something to put in his basket...great colours....

Again, not sure what this means..it may be a logo or a brand of an item? This mola was bought very inexpensively, I was interested to see that it was professionally framed in Brixton....it has anti-glare glass. It has now been hung on my wall....