Turkey Red Panel Quilt

I am very interested in Turkey red paisley fabrics - especially the printed panels that were sometimes used in quilt tops.

Here is one of the fabric panels that I salvaged from a throw that I bought on EBay for very little (the seller didn't think that they were vintage, as they were so colourful!)

Well, here is a Durham quilt that has also been made using preprinted red paisley panels. This quilt is rectangular and measures 78 x 96 inches. It is a rather worn quilt, as it was in regular use by the owners family until I bought it, having been in the family for many years. You can see that the centre is a printed panel, surrounded by more printed borders and plain turkey red fabric.

The quilting in the centre follows the lines of the printed panel - nothing new in what we do today, then...

The edges of the mitred corner has been top stitched using a sewing machine - it was probably easier to do it this way!

The quilting surrounding the central panel is cross hatching, then a twist, then a border design with a square enclosing a four petaled motif.

The reverse is a red paisley print.

The back is very colourful.

Notice that the mitre does not go directly into the corner!!

The quilt is worn and through one hole, you can see that the filling is cotton ( as is usual for north country quilts).

This quilt has had a lot of use in its days, and one end is particularly rubbed.

This quilt was bought from its owners, the Beveridge family who live at Mains Farm House in Ebchester near Consett, County Durham - two sisters who, to the delight of their husbands, were clearing their lofts after the children had flown the nest. The quilt probably dates from the 1900's but as the red fabrics were manufactured for some time it is difficult to tell.