1890s Quilts

'Curllusion' quilt in Blanc de Vert colourway by British artist-maker, Emily Campbell. Emily’s knowledge of sewing combines with the formal and visual principles she learned as a two-dimensional designer to re-imagine the patchwork quilt. She has interpreted traditional patchwork geometry, dispensing with floral prints in favour of bold combinations of solid colour. Emily quilts all her designs for us by hand. Bespoke sizes are therefore possible. An accomplished undergraduate dress and costume maker, Emily progressed from an English degree to a diploma in Clothing Technology and became a pattern maker for the fashion designer Jean Muir. After completing her Master of Fine Arts at Yale School of Art she practised as a graphic designer at Pentagram in New York before embarking on a series of national and international programme director roles in the arts, design and education. In 2012, a quilt made from old denim and canvas work clothes featured in an exhibition about Gee’s Bend (the famed quilting community in Alabama). This prompted Emily to up-cycle the family’s old jeans into her first patchwork quilt. She studied rhythm, rule and variation in Anni Albers’ pattern drawings. She took inspiration from Gustav Klimt, Victor Pasmore and Ellsworth Kelly, and many more artists besides. Emily is the founder of Pemberton Qwilts. This takes its name from Sheila Frances Hayes, née Pemberton, who first taught Emily to sew. Three of Emily’s ‘TV Quilts’ were commissioned by Anya Hindmarch for her concept store at London Fashion Week 2023. These bear a single word of personal significance (see images). Emily was also among the textile artists selected for a group show at David Parr House, Cambridge that year.  Helen...

For this woven blanket We work closely with a 300 year old mill in Sudbury, Essex, UK. We have the utmost respect for their approach to making fabrics, their knowledge and experience...

This amazing early fabrics crib quilt is in pristine condition. This nine patch quilt is from Berks County, Pennsylvania.

Starbursts are just the beginning of the patterning of this exciting quilt. Diamonds are filled with Robbing Peter to Pay Paul type circles that look quite different when used in hal...

This super amazing wool plaid pieced stars is in mint condition. The surround stars have embroidery around the blocks. The backing is a floral wool backing.The border is a teal blue ...

This fine 19thc mini pieced blue & white quilt in a corn & beans pattern is in fine condition.The piece work is superb and also very fine stitching as well. This quilt was found in O...

Ohio Amish blue & pink broken star quilt in pristine condition. Very fine quilting and piece work. Notice the fine hand stitched saw tooth binding.

This fine comforter quilt is made from Indian beacon blankets and fine piecework. The condition is very good.

19th C Applique quilt from Pennsylvania in good condition with swag floral border.This is quite unusual and unique.

This pastel postage stamp quilt is such an unusual pattern and fine barber pole sliding border. The condition is very good and minor fade on one edge or border to the right of the ph...

19th century Mennonite bars quilt red and green bars quilt. The condition is very good and crisp. This quilt is very pristine with no fade or damages.

There is no overarching color composition to either the square sections nor to their associated six-point stars on this richly toned antique quilt. The stars are not perfectly orient...