Casgliadau Arlein

Patchwork quilt from St David's, late 19th century/early 20th century. Found by the donor in 2011 while removing an old single mattress from a bedstead. The quilt was found folded in half and wrapped around the bed's board. The board was used as a buffer between the springs and the mattress.

Patchwork top cover, plain black. Carded wool filling. Through holes in the quilt it is possible to see other fabrics underneath and lines of quilting that do not match up with the top layer. It appears that another quilt has been used as filling for this quilt. Patchwork: main fabric is a coarse grey wool flannel, plain weave. In the centre are four burgundy squares (cotton warp, wool weft) and two more on either side. At the top and bottom there are strips made up of burgundy and yellow squares (wool). One edge has a patch of yellow fabric, (cotton damask with a gold coloured metal thread running through it). The back is made from the same yellow wool as used on the front and is pieced in two with the seam at the centre back. The quilting is done in a cream cotton thread. Pattern is as follows: central spiral, inside an eight point star. Diagonal cross-hatching in main body. Border of double wave.