The Cottage Orné Quilt

The Cottage Orné Quilt
Click the picture to visit my other blog

Thursday 31 October 2013

Country Medallions

I love many different types of quilts but am especially fond of Medallions or Frame quilts, with a special weakness for the unsophisticated ones which can look a bit unplanned.  I categorise them as Country Medallions and would like to share a few with you.

This is the one that started me thinking -


It's a fragment that was sold on USA eBay.  Not sure where it's from but I was inspired by it.  I am working on samples of Broderie Perse at the moment and this came up on my Google search.  I love the lovely faded look of the squares and if I didn't have so many projects on the go I would love to make up something similar and extend it.

Here are some more of my favourites -


This one I discovered recently, it's from Weardale in Yorkshire and it has a lovely folk art look -



The one below I particularly like but I don't know whether it is old or new.  It was a pattern from Patchwork at Stonleigh called the Cotswold quilt.  I don't know if it was based on an original old quilt or anything about its history.  If anyone knows, I would be grateful for any information.


Lastly here is one on a bed -


This is a bedroom in the country home in the Cotswolds of Stanley Falconer, who was a senior designer at Colfax and Fowler.  I found pictures of it in an American magazine and thought it was a dream house - I loved every room in that house!  Now when I look at it I am not so enamoured, my taste must have changed and I now find this bedroom a bit too fussy! The quilt probably wouldn't have been made for such a sophisticated room, it is Colfax and Fowler introducing a little bit of dressing down country charm into their rather expensive decoration - something of trademark of theirs! 



15 comments:

betty prins said...

ohh, my...what a beautyfull quilts you're showing us. I like them all!

beth said...

Great post Mary. The Cotswold quilt is one I've also admired and wanted to make. Always assumed it was a repro as it was a shop pattern but looking at it on your post today makes me wonder too. It is so aptly named, those soft mellow colors say "Cotswolds" to me. 2014 might be the year to make my own version.

audrey said...

So much eye candy! Great inspiration. I love the quilts that look unplanned.:)

Jan said...

Such beautiful examples - loved seeing them. They really spark creativity, too!

Linda in NC said...

What lovelies - every one of them! Thanks for sharing them.

Every Stitch said...

What a fabulous post - loved seeing all these medallions - thanks so much! I am making a medallion at the moment and trying to incorporate some of the inspiration I have had from looking at similar medallions in history books - not easy as it is so tempting to "tidy them up" when you make your own LOL
Hilda

Rose said...

Hello Mary, and thank you for these fabulous pictures of frame quilts. I too am very drawn to this style and had the pleasure of studying one at close quarters at the Quilt Museum in York last Saturday - I went on an introductory quilt research day. The centre of the quilt I looked at had a striking Turkey Red centre , an added interest to me as I recently discovered my grandparents worked in the industry in the Vale of Leven, Scotland.

Little Welsh Quilts and other traditions said...

Hi Rose, You may be interested in following this link (if you haven't already found it) which will lead you to a wonderful resource of Turkey Red patterns held in Glasgow!

http://www.nms.ac.uk/turkeyred/results.php?terms=Figures+and+objects&key=content.motif.general&mode=search&offset=0

susanhal said...

Hi Mary, I wrote a longish comment which has disappeared into the ether will try again later.
Love these quilts !
Susan

Supergoof said...

I'm in love with the first one,...
:o)

Cyndi said...

Thank you so much for posting the lovely photos of antique quilts! I may have some information about the original so-called Cotswald Quilt. I made a copy of this quilt using the Dargate Doubles fabric line by Margo Krager about 10 years ago, having been inspired by a photo in "Saved for the People of Pennsylvania" Quilts from the State Museum of Pennsylvania. The actual quilt seems to have been made from mostly browns and light colored fabrics. It is signed N. Virginia Robinson Drum. June 16, 1800 Pittsburgh PA. I will put a photo of my quilt on my blog for comparison soon. I really liked making each border as I went along...even enjoyed working out the math!

Little Welsh Quilts and other traditions said...

Thank you Cyndi! I would love to see a picture of your quilt. Is there a photo of the original online?

Cyndi said...

Just found your Reply! A photo of my quilt is on my blog......
www.busythimble.blogspot.com...(the 1800 quilt entry)
mine is much more colorful, with the 1830's Dargate Doubles fabric, than the original which looks to be a lot of brown and white.

I have looked for a photo of the Virginia Drum quilt but have not yet found one. Maybe I will try to photo my book (don't have a scanner)but probably should not post it on my blog as it might violate copyright.

Patchwork On Stonleigh said...

I see you were looking for info on "the Cotswolds quilt". The previous information is correct, and the quilt photo you have published is my quilt made about 18 years ago, in Australia.

Little Welsh Quilts and other traditions said...

Thank you for the information Cyndi - your quilt is lovely!

Thank you also to Patchwork On Stoneleigh! I have always loved your quilt and wondered about it. So it wasn't inspired by a UK quilt but a Pennsylvanian one?