Decline and Revival

  • Hexagon Cot Coverlet, c.1960s
  • Ray Marshall Quilt

Quiltmaking is a craft that has had its ‘ups and downs’ especially during the first half of the 20th century when two world wars impacted on the supply of fabrics and other necessary supplies. Add to this the advent of the manufactured quilt and fashionable whims about interiors and bedcoverings and you find a dearth of domestic quilt productivity.

However, by the 1960s and 1970s the pendulum began to swing the other way. Books about patchwork were being written, classes started, andpeople were actively engaged in learning more about this traditional craft. The new enthusiasm resulted in the formation of The Quilters’ Guild of the British Isles and elsewhere in the world similar groups were formed, making the craft truly international in its appeal.

'Decline and Revival' takes the viewer through the difficult years for quiltmaking, looking at the types of quilts being produced through different phases of the 20th century.


Above: Hexgons Cot Coverlet, c.1960s. The Quilters' Guild Collection.

Below: Ray Marshall's Quilt, c.1960s-70s. Made by Ray Marshall. The Quilters' Guild Collection.