Frame Quilts

The traditional British quilt design was based around a central medallion contained within a clearly delineated series of frames or borders. With the exception of simple all-over quilting patterns, this held true for all designs whether they were patchwork, appliqué or quilted. Frame quilts could be simply a plain piece of fabric with a contrasting border, or a more complex patchwork arrangement of borders and cornerstones arranged around a centrepiece (often a commemorative square or a valued piece of material). Similar to strippy quilts, the frame style was an excellent way of using up fabric left over from other projects. Plain fabrics were typically used, though their fibre content could range from homespun linen to finest silk. Many of the very striking and much coveted Welsh flannel quilts are variants on this style and used woollen fabrics left over from making traditional Welsh red flannel petticoats and other items of clothing.