Traditional Quilting in England and Wales is the main article, and serves to publicise the Rural
Industries Bureau, which provided the illustrations. General descriptions and instructions are given, as well as the address of Country Industries and the Little Shop in Sloane Street. Readers are told not to copy the RIB designs, "as they were shared on the understanding that they should not be copied, as they were created by quilters who depend on this work for their livelihood".
The RIB scheme, started in 1928, ceased to exist in 1939, when war work and a shortage of fabric made the scheme unworkable.
One of the illustrations shown for a commercial pattern is for a small nightdress case in a Welsh design....to be very finely worked in backstitch. I enlarged the design and then quilted this small cot quilt in polished cotton. The centre coin has a design of leaves, possibly horse chestnut leaves. This was a fun project to do, and gave me a chance to try out the small traditional frame that I had bought at a BQSG meeting several years before.
Your pictures have such great resolution. I can enlarge them easily and see the fine quilting designs. Beautiful quilt. Informative as always.
ReplyDeleteI recently bought an old Welsh quilt at auction which has very large leaves in the centre and elsewhere on the quilt. Sadly it is light-damaged, but I bought it for the pattern which I would like to emulate. But then, my ideas hang around a long time!
ReplyDeleteThis is a lovely cot quilt you have made - just stunning. What an interesting old book too.
Beautiful work Pippa. I so want to make a whole cloth cot quilt but have no idea where to begin. Born in Wales, but lived in Australia since I was 12, I would dearly love to make a traditional hand quilted Welsh whole cloth quilt. Maybe one day soon. Thanks for the inspiration Pippa.
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