One of the reasons we visited the Sunderland area so quickly again was because we discovered too late that there was a quilt exhibition on there, we had to go home before we could see it. So we drove back down there before the exhibition ended in late November. As you can see from the photo above the museum is very grand, and built in the French style as the architect was French.
The top floor of the museum housed the quilts. When I think of quilts from the North-East of England it’s the one piece of fabric Durham quilts which are decorated with all over stitching that I envisage, so I was surprised that they also have what they call strippy quilts. The quilts date mainly from the early 20th century.
And the more traditional patchwork quilts. I must admit that I started to make a patchwork quilt about 40 years ago, using hexagons, I didn’t get very far with it and bits are still languishing at the bottom of one of my many craft baskets!
So I am filled with awe when I see patchwork quilts, I suspect that they would be easier to make if it was a communal effort though.
The quilts below are proper Durham quilts – I believe. No patching together but still an awful lot of sewing involved.
Below is an intricate quilt design and matching curtain. Pink,blue and orange seem to have been very popular colours, I suppose they brightened up what was otherwise quite a dark existence.
I must admit that I thought that the exhibition would have been bigger than it was, but it was worth seeing and there is an interesting permanent exhibition of period women’s clothing from the 16th century to Mary Quant and Laura Ashley. I took lots of photos of the clothes, but they have all disappeared from the camera somehow, quite spooky really.
I love to look at quilts. I was in a quilting group about 40 years ago when I first got to Santa Barbara. I took several classes in Adult Education and a few of us met regularly. I enjoyed all of it but not enough to get serious about doing a serious project, even the size of a small quilt. But I can appreciate quilt exhibits when I see them because I know how much work goes into it.
And that museum is so impressive.
tracybham,
I think I would have got on further if I could have gone to a sort of communal thing where I could chat and socialise too. I also realised I wasn’t precise enough in my sewing!
Those quilts are amazing! I’m not familiar with the history of quilting in the UK, but some of those look similar to some of the styles and patterns from the US. I took up quilting about 35 years ago and absolutely loved it, but the ones I made were very basic and simple compared to the ones displayed at this museum. I don’t really get motivated to quilt these days except for the occasional one for a grandchild. The ones you saw are such works of art. I especially admire those that are made of one piece of cloth with lots of intricate stitching.
Paula,
I have a book on American quilts and those designs are amazing, I don’t think many ever reached such artistic heights in the UK. I love those all over sewn Durham quilts too but even drawing out the design on the cloth before stitching it would be beyond my patience!
Lovely images! Bowes sounds fascinating, and I believe they have quite a collection of French Revolutionary art!
kaggsysbookishramblings,
They have a great art collection, unfortunately something happened to our camera and those photos have disappeared too, in fact I have no more to put on the blog. It looks like we’ll be going back again to take more photos, and visit the great cafe again!
Gorgeous quilts! Were those Durham quilts hand or machine sewn, do you know? My great-grandmother was a quilter and I have several of her patchwork quilts. I have a good friend who also makes lovely quilts and she has given me a couple. I tried making a quilt with triangles year ago and never got past cutting out all the pieces. Like your attempt, they are languishing in the bottom of a basket. Maybe I will try again one day.
Stefanie,
The Durham quilts are all hand sewn, a machine in those days wouldn’t have been able to cope with all those intricate turnings. How lucky you are to have some quilts from your great-grandmother and others. I thought I might try quilting again when Jack retired and we moved – but I haven’t done it yet and it has been almost eight years!