Patchwork Quilt

This double-sided patchwork quilt was made by Ruth Bright (1893-1975) for her grand-daughter Irene's 16th birthday in 1967.

Irene Middlemiss recalls that her grandmother fashioned the quilt 'from leftover fabrics from all the clothing that was made for us as children'. As such it provides a 'catalogue' of fabrics popular in the 1950s and 60s. The patches have been sewn onto a base of recycled cloth flour bags, and a flannelette sheet has been placed in the centre for warmth.

Irene recalls that when Ruth first began making bed-covers for her family she used sugar bags as her base, and added new or second hand fabrics as they came to hand. Her earlier quilts were relatively plain, for as a working woman and subsequently mother of 13, she did not have time to spend on fancy stitch work. In her later years, however, she was able to dedicate more time to quiltmaking. She stitched the sections by day and in the evening, as a form of relaxation, embellished the joins with fancy stitchwork. This quilt features bright yellow feather stitching around each patch.