Patchwork is a centuries-old craft that involves sewing together small pieces of fabric to create a larger design. Its history is rich and global, with roots in both practicality and artistic expression. Evidence of early patchwork has been found in ancient Egypt, China and India, where small pieces of fabric were sewn together to make clothing or bedding. The oldest known quilted object is a patchwork canopy from ancient Egypt, dating back to around 980 BCE. Indian kantha quilting involves layering old saris and stitching them together with intricate designs, a tradition passed down through generations. Meanwhile, in Japan, a form of patchwork known as boro was used by farmers and fishermen to repair clothing and create durable textiles using scraps of fabric.
In the 17th and 18th centuries, patchwork became prominent in colonial America, as settlers needed to reuse and repurpose every bit of fabric for warmth in their extremely harsh winters. Quilting bees, where women gathered to create patchwork quilts, became social and community-building events. Patterns that were developed during this time, such as Log Cabin and Nine Patch, remain popular today.
We’ve recently seen patchworks of all varieties cropping up in some of our favourite houses, showing just how relevant and appealing this form of textile still is today. Wall hangings – whether patchwork, felt or tapestry – have had a similar return to prominence. The resurgence of patchwork quilts and fabrics is understandable and feels in keeping with our desire to incorporate sustainable, affordable and hand-crafted pieces into our interiors, to create richly layered rooms full of texture and pattern. Our growing interest in patchwork always reflects a nostalgic yearning for the kind of cosy, rustic schemes Ralph Lauren made popular in the 1990s.
This log cabin in Wyoming is firmly rooted in the Western, Ralph Lauren-esque design language. The quilt covering the round table feels like the perfect central summation of the house’s aesthetic. It harks back to the traditional log cabin aesthetic and Wyoming’s history of quilt-making, and ties in perfectly with the log walls, milking stools and the woven baskets and antique plates displayed on the walls and on the antique dresser.
However, patchwork quilts and fabrics can work just as well in tailored, elegant schemes as they do in more rustic, homespun ones. Take, for instance, the bedroom shown below, which is in designer Serena Williams-Ellis’s own home in Notting Hill. She chose this fine 19th-century Cumbrian ‘Irish Chain Design’, dating from around the 1870s, to complement the 18th-century English four-poster bed, the headboard in an old Hungarian heavy linen grain sack from an antique market, and a valance in Colefax and Fowler ticking. ‘I always love the fretwork cornices on these early beds so I keep the upholstery of four posters pared back and let the bed do its thing without festooning it in fabric,’ says Serena. She is particularly fond of antique quilts, too, and collects them for her own home, clients’ homes and her homeware collection.
Though we are are accustomed to seeing patchwork fabrics on beds in the form of quilts, there are other ways to incorporate them into our room schemes. Interior decorator Emma Burns used a hexagonal patchwork textile to upholster an unusually shaped headboard, pictured below in her London flat. The striking honeycomb pattern in a mix of reds and oranges brings bold colour and contrasting texture to the subtle off-white walls, and picks up on the curtains made from a textile found at Susan Deliss’ shop. It has a lovely personal connection, too. ‘The bedhead is covered in an ancient patchwork made from my mother’s old dresses,’ explains Emma. ‘I originally used it as a tablecloth.’ It is the perfect embodiment of the British ‘make do and mend’ philosophy, but executed in a refreshingly contemporary way.
Another interesting and creative use of patchwork can be seen in a Hampshire cottage designed by Max Rollitt, who is known for his skilled use of antique pieces. Much of the design throughout the house is rooted in the client’s own extensive collections, including this twin bedroom with its antique twin beds and textiles (pictured below). As well as using patchwork quilts on the bed, Max repurposed another vintage patchwork quilt as pair of curtains, trimming it with a blue velvet from Dedar. This is a fine example of how to use two different styles of patchwork to create an eclectic yet cohesive scheme.
Given the inherently creative and hand-crafted nature of patchwork, it is unsurprising that artists are often drawn to them when sourcing or making pieces for their own interiors. Artist and designer Catherine Cazalet has incorporated a few examples into her richly layered and colourful Cotswold house, including patchwork cushions on the sofa in the playroom (below left) and on the back of the sofa in the orange sitting room (below right). They are part of an eclectic mix of textiles seen throughout the house, all of which have been lovingly collected or made over the years.
Similarly, the painter Rachel Bottomley has selected beautiful vintage patchwork quilts for two bedrooms in her 17th-century cottage in Surrey. In the main bedroom, a vibrant combination of reds, pinks and blues in the quilt enliven the more subdued ‘Olive Sacking’ by Guy Goodfellow on the bed and the walls painted in soft pink ‘Jonquil’ by Edward Bulmer. Meanwhile, up in the attic bedroom – where a crumbling ceiling was taken down to reveal original wooden beams – the patchwork quilt is part of a much bolder mix of textiles and prints, alongside a traditional Welsh blanket, cushions in a Sanderson floral and geometric ‘Knurl’ linen by Howe at 36 Bourne Street, and ‘Herbarium’ wallpaper by Tess Newall.
As Rachel’s attic bedroom scheme demonstrates, patchwork can also be instrumental in unifying a potentially busy scheme. The same approach can be seen in the Peak District cottage of Royal Ballet principal Lauren Cuthbertson and antique jewellery dealer Matt Gerrish (pictured below). The Victorian patchwork quilt on the bed features all of the colours found in the textiles and prints throughout the room: the blue of the headboard and bed hangings, the earthier reds and ochres in the patterned rug and the yellow of the wallpaper. The overall effect is simultaneously lively and ordered, with a clear sense of visual harmony bringing everything together, and creating that traditional country-house aesthetic in a cottage setting.
The often thick, tactile nature of patchwork quilts and throws means that they lend themselves to settings where warmth and cosiness are paramount. In the bedroom below in Patrick Williams’ former Victorian flat, the patchwork quilt on the bed was made by his grandmother for a lovely personal touch, and is the perfect choice for this bed nook with its own curtains. Indeed, bed dressing is an art that’s not to be underestimated, and patchwork brings a richly layered feel that is otherwise hard to achieve.
At the other end of the spectrum, more muted patchworks can be used to give a flat colour a greater sense of depth and texture, acting as a more interesting alternative to a blanket. Cassandra Ellis, founder of specialist paint company Atelier Ellis, made all of the textiles seen in this converted schoolhouse in Battersea (pictured below), including the hand-dyed indigo linen patchwork bedspread. ‘I like the practical,’ says Cassandra, ‘from quilts to curtains to cushions – they’re all hand-made or hand-dyed, or both.’ The irregular pattern and gentle denim tones give the bed a rustic yet contemporary feel that would work just as well in a charming bothy as in a teenage boy’s bedroom.
So, whether you’re looking to add some texture, colour or pattern to your scheme, or you want to go for the full Western-inspired look, patchwork is back – and it has certainly shaken off its slightly musty past.
