Pink and blue patchwork arranged in borders around centre.

Antique quilts: Frame quilts

In Frame quilts, pieced borders (which may be narrow or quite wide) are arranged around a central unit.

A lovely example from end of the eighteenth century is the Dorset Frame Coverlet. Click on the link to see more detailed photos.

Centre section of Dorset frame coverlet

Another one which probably dates from a little later is this rather damaged one with “Puss in the Corner” nine-patch blocks arranged in an Irish Chain around the small central section.

Red and White frame quilt with Irish Chain

A more recent example is this late Victorian quilt made in Cumbria:

Red triangles within blue & pink border
Centre panel

Around the single quarter square triangle unit at the centre, some frames are just strips, while others are pieced from triangles.

As is typical for many Welsh quilts, the quilting also flows over the patchwork in this pretty example:

Whereas in this English frame quilt, the quilting patterns follow the borders:

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Or go to Mosaic Patchwork antique quilts