Bed Cover
1860-1870 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
In 'piecing' or 'patchwork', small pieces of fabric are sewn together to produce a decorative design. The most enduring method in Britain is done by hand, and is known as 'piecing over paper'. The pattern is first drawn onto paper and then accurately cut. Small pieces of fabric are tacked round each of the shapes, and then joined together from the back using overstitch. This process is evident here, where the tacking stitches and paper template are still intact. Geometric shapes can produce some of the most striking examples, such as this 'tumbling block' design. A simple, repeating composition of light, dark and medium tone fabrics creates the effect.
In the second half of the nineteenth century, developments in the textile industry led to a new range of brightly coloured dress and furnishing fabrics. Chemical analine dyes, first discovered in 1856, proved particularly successful when used on silks of the period. By the 1860s, fashionable middle class women across the country were moving away from cottons in favour of silks for use in their domestic patchwork projects, including quilts, cushions, piano covers, table covers and sofa pillows, and for small articles such as theatre and work bags.
In the second half of the nineteenth century, developments in the textile industry led to a new range of brightly coloured dress and furnishing fabrics. Chemical analine dyes, first discovered in 1856, proved particularly successful when used on silks of the period. By the 1860s, fashionable middle class women across the country were moving away from cottons in favour of silks for use in their domestic patchwork projects, including quilts, cushions, piano covers, table covers and sofa pillows, and for small articles such as theatre and work bags.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Patchwork silk |
| Brief description | Bed cover of silk patchwork, England, 1860-1870 |
| Physical description | Bed cover made of an unfinished silk patchwork. Plain and patterned dress silks and ribbons form a cube pattern. A wide variety of colours and patterns have been employed, including analine-dyed greens, purples yellows, blues and reds, each cube containing a black diamond. The outer edge hexagons contain paper patterns, with large tacking stitches. The longest sides contain small triangles. |
| Dimensions |
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| Credit line | Given by Mr R W Hall |
| Object history | Pieced in the design now known as 'tumbling blocks'. Most of the textiles date from the 1860s. The tacking stitches and paper template are still intact. Given to the V&A in 1980 by Mr R W Hall [R.P. 80/2306]. The donor came from Worcester Park, Surrey. |
| Summary | In 'piecing' or 'patchwork', small pieces of fabric are sewn together to produce a decorative design. The most enduring method in Britain is done by hand, and is known as 'piecing over paper'. The pattern is first drawn onto paper and then accurately cut. Small pieces of fabric are tacked round each of the shapes, and then joined together from the back using overstitch. This process is evident here, where the tacking stitches and paper template are still intact. Geometric shapes can produce some of the most striking examples, such as this 'tumbling block' design. A simple, repeating composition of light, dark and medium tone fabrics creates the effect. In the second half of the nineteenth century, developments in the textile industry led to a new range of brightly coloured dress and furnishing fabrics. Chemical analine dyes, first discovered in 1856, proved particularly successful when used on silks of the period. By the 1860s, fashionable middle class women across the country were moving away from cottons in favour of silks for use in their domestic patchwork projects, including quilts, cushions, piano covers, table covers and sofa pillows, and for small articles such as theatre and work bags. |
| Bibliographic reference | Linda Parry, 'Complexity and context: nineteenth-century British quilts', in Sue Prichard (ed.), Quilts 1700-2010 (London: V&A, 2010) pp.81-2
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | T.427-1980 |
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| Record created | September 12, 2008 |
| Record URL |
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