British Quilt Study Group - Gallery

(Private collection)

This lovely small silk patchwork (38" X 38") came from Sudbury in Suffolk which is a major silk manufacturing centre even today.

It is possibly made from offcuts and ribbons as there is such a wide variety of styles of fabric which besides the glowing plain silks includes checks, stripes and embroidered flowers as well as many different woven textures.

Some of the silks have shattered and some of these have been sewn over with embroidery thread in a random way presumably in an effort to stop further deterioration. The paper pieced diamonds are very neatly stitched together in a Tumbling Blocks pattern and the piece has a plain black crepe backing which is loose with no quilting and no wadding. It is edged with a black machine-made fringe which adds a further 4" to each edge.

Perhaps this was used a tablecloth for a sidetable as was fashionable in Victorian times as it wouldn't seem appropriate for use as a cot quilt with the all-round fringing.

For more details of Sudbury and its silk production follow this link https://virtualmuseum.sudburysuffolk.co.uk/recent-research/sudbury-and-silk/

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