Wednesday 27 April 2011

A Durham Quilt???

I have a quilt that just lies around on my couches in the lounge....I gave it a wash this week, just threw it in the washer like you do.... quilts are pretty tough really, while it was hanging outside on the line the light was just right and the definition of the quilting caught my eye.....I thought you would like to see it!


I bought this quilt ten or so years ago.....it doesn't have a centre medallion, it's hand quilted in bands with a 'double wedding ring' or 'orange peel' type pattern with crosshatching in the middle band and hearts with crosshatching on the outside bands.



This quilt doesn't have a binding, it has what I think is called a turned knife edge where the top and backing are both turned under and stitched together. The front is a pale peach and the back is a golden yellow.



I've heard it said that quilts made in the north of the country are commonly called 'Durham Quilts'...Well, I live very near to the Scottish/English Border but I am a Durham Girl born and bred ....so what do you think....Is this a Durham Quilt?

Update.....Apparently this is a 'Hawick' quilt...the hearts with thistles are distinctive of quilts made in the Hawick area in the 1920's ....isn't that wonderful!
See Pippa's comment below!

8 comments:

  1. What ever you call it, the first word has to be WONDERFUL!

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  2. Lovely quilt!
    Perhaps sending a picture to Bowes Museum or Beamish may give you a possible answer? The pattern is quite unusual isn't it?
    I have one that looks like a long third of a quilt that I spotted in the back of our removal van when we moved back from Co Durham to Cumbria. They were using it to protect mirrors in transit! I keep meaning to trace the quilting pattern from it.

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  3. What I think is you have a fantastic quilt. It is beautiful. If it is not a "Durham' quilt it certainly looks like it is in the Durham style.

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  4. Hi Kaye - you have got a Hawick Quilt there - the heart with thistle is pretty distinctive. These were made in Hawick in the 1920's as church fundraisers, the church having burnt down, I can send you a copy of the Quilt Studies article if you want a copy. I have a green one - it cost me over £200. So you should take good care of that quilt, there aren't that many around, its not just an ordinary Durham quilt!! Pippa

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  5. I think if it's not a Durham quilt, then it's certainly a North Country quilt

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  6. Which ever it is - its beautiful work

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  7. Wow! It is gorgeous! The sun caught the quilting just right. Let us know if you find out more about the quilt. It's always exciting to find out that something you find special is also special to the rest of the world!!
    Deb from clutteredquilter.blogspot.com

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  8. Have been reading books on North Country and Welsh quilts. Quilting is more like patterns illustrated for Welsh Quilts.

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