Quilts Museum and Gallery for Quilters

Sadly now closed York was the UK home for the Quilters Guild and their museum. There is always a good selection of varied quilts on display in the gallery. When you visit my experience is that there will be quilters and staff available to discuss all aspects of the art of making quilts. The Quilters’ Guild has a unique collection of over 700 antique and contemporary quilts and augment this with regular quilt exhibitions.

Based in St Anthony’s Hall, one of the medieval guild halls in York, you will find the environment is peaceful. The old building St Cuthberts Church and an art gallery are tucked away under the protection of York’s wall on Peasholme Green.

Quilters Guild
‘In 1990 The Guild embarked on the `British Heritage Quilt Project` to document items of patchwork and quilting dated prior to 1960, resulting in the publication of `Quilt Treasures` in 1995. In June 2001 we opened a small Resource Centre in our previous offices in Dean Clough, Halifax and this provided a stepping stone to our current home in York which opened just seven years later in June 2008’

Quilt Museum and Gallery – St Anthony’s Hall, York is the national headquarters of The Quilters’ Guild of the British Isles and its extensive collection of quilts and quilt related artefacts.
The Quilt Museum and Gallery is Britain’s only museum dedicated exclusively to quilting and textile arts based in historic St Anthony’s Hall, York. The hall was originally built as the headquarters of a religious guild in the 15th century, and has had a colourful past – as a workhouse for the poor, a hospital, prison, and a school and archive. The beautiful medieval spaces have been restored and adapted to accommodate the Museum and its wide range of displays and activities. It is not cheap to visit but members of the guild get special deals and there are regular exhibitions. The current exhibition is ironically called ‘The Celtic Fringe’ (I wondered when the Fringe would come to York).

For a full and fascinating review of the exhibition by a British Quilt History List member who has visited the exhibition, read more on Textile Hunter blog

Not all quilts are rectangular ‘Triangle Tilt Quilt – For The Love of Solids Swap – Round Two by Sarah @ pingsandneedles CC BY-SA 2.0’ proves that ‘Turquoise linen, klona & kona solids, perle embroidery thread …. foundation paper pieced from own pattern.’

Quilt Styles Old and New

Quilts made of a solid piece of fabric as the top layer are referred to as Whole Cloth Quilts. The three layers of top, batting and backing were quilted together, and the quilting itself became the decoration.
Trapunto is the technique of slipping extra stuffing into certain areas of a quilt to bring out the quilting in that area.
Broderie perse refers to the applique of cut out motifs from printed fabric onto a solid background. This form of quilt making has been done since the 18th century.
Medallion quilts are made around a center. The central area is surrounded by two or more borders. Although some borders were solid, many were pieced or appliqued.
The latter years of the nineteenth century the best know quilt style was the Crazy Quilt made of abstract shapes sewn together.
To promote excellence in the art and status of quilt making and, through education, to extend knowledge and understanding of its heritage.
Quick scrappy quilts are usually made from many different bits of fabric or leftovers.
Nine patch is based on a pattern of square block designs three units by three.
Log Cabin patterns have a narrow strips around a central square often sown on to a foundation cloth of paper or fabric.
Four patch is a block 4 by 4 or multiples of 4 in rows

Pam Linott was also the author of The Quilt Room: Patchwork and Quilting Workshops.

Scrap Quilts offers lots of ideas and tips for both experienced and beginner quilters.

Quilt Romance is the 11th book by Kaffe Fasset who settled in England in 1964. He has exhibited at the V&A museum in London and is highly regarded for his knitting, patchwork and needlepoint books.
Click on book covers to purchase them from Amazon.

Other Sites of Interest for Quilters

Quilting at the Victoria and Albert museum has its own blog with good photographs.
Quaker Tapestry museum Kendal
Rag Rugs and Ragging in Yorkshire
If you are looking for other craft hobbies why not try making your own soap. There are some ideas on ‘Craft Your Own Homemade Soap’.
Quilt history an American site where quilting is very popular.
Quilting Magazine
Knitting for Yorkshire.