Here are a couple of pictures of my wholecloth quilt. It's about half done. I haven't worked on it for over 4 years. I hope to get back to it someday.

I checked the stitches and there are 5 per inch. Not great, but consistant.

Just thought of a few more things. I started my quilt from the center of the medallion. I had it on one of those pvc pipe frames from JoAnn's. Works great by the way. But in order to make sure that I had it centered and did not move in addition to pinning it, I started in the center. Also make sure that you buy enough matching thread at one time. Use hand quilting thread and make sure that the dye lots are the same. Ask me how I know. LOL I used alot of 'betweens' needles. They bend fairly easily. And I used a leather thimble. It's very relaxing and you see results fast.

I looked at the first link but not the 2nd. I'll do that now. I don't know the history of wholecloth quilts, that's why I was curious. Thanks for enlightening me!

I'm going to take a gander and guess that, like crazy quilting, it was a way for upper class ladies to show off their needlework skills. The quilts were still functional, but didn't look as utilitarian as a tied/pieced bed quilt.

And the differences between Welsh and traditional (American) patterns/motifs are cultural. But the actual stitching is the same.

Anyone else? Close? Way off base? :mrgreen:

As MTS already mentioned the design of Welsh wholecloths are very different to other quilts of this type. I would distinguish between the terms "Welsh" and "North Country". North Country wholecloths are also called "Durham". Both types are traditional. As the name indicates Welsh quilts were originally made in Wales, North Country or Durham quilts came from the Northern counties of England (Durham, Northumberland, Cumbria). Both quilt types have typical designs and arrangements of patterns:

Welsh wholecloths are more graphic. The quilt top is clearly devided in "sections" like the center circle, wide borders, corner fans etc. These sections are often surrounded by double lines of quilting. Typical patterns are the Bent Leaf, Spirals, Welsh Pear, Welsh Tulip and others. Welsh quilts bear a likeness to Amish Quilts!

The North Country wholecloths show a more floating intricate desgin with a big center medaillon, background quilting like crosshatching and a wide border. Feathers are the most famous patterns typically used in these quilts.

Well, I am quite sure there were upper class ladies who did that - but these quilts were also made in rural areas by women of the labouring classes. Sometimes these women in the North of England made a small living for their families with quilting when their husbands were injured at work in the coal mines. In Wales quilters travelled from farm to farm and stayed as long as they needed to finish enough quilts for the farmers family's beds. You can imagine that these quilts were quite simple and didn't show such intricate desgins like the ones made for special occasions. But when you look back in British quilting history it's full of examples for quilts in all classes of society.

I like this history lesson!

Ah, I was talking more about American traditional whole cloths. They look so "fine" and elegant with the wreaths and feathers, etc.

I don't see the Welsh quilts like that at all. And that's what I prefer about them, and the designs. Show me a whole quilt of spirals and I'm in heaven! ;-) Also, the fact that the cloths were made from these fabulous colors.

It's like the difference between the elaborately painted silk kimono in Japan from 100+ years ago and the hand woven kasuri kimono of the same era. I personally prefer the kasuri.

I think what I meant by earthy was more rustic, more of the common man, more utilitarian. Not so fancy.

I gotta pull out that book again and make something. ;-)

Me too!

Janet

This is really neat. I have always loved these types of desings, and it is really cool to hear some of the backstory on them.