Northern Industries Workroom Quilt
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- Maker:
- UNKNOWN
- Date:
- 1930 - 1940
Green and Red wholecloth quilt made by women working at the Barnard Castle workshop of the Northern Industries Workroom (N.I.W). It is hand quilted with traditional North Country motifs including a central medallion of roses and leaves, square diamond infill and a border of leaves with swirls. ‘The N.I.W Barnard Castle’ woven label is still intact on the reverse (red side).
The Northern Industry Workrooms was a spin off scheme building on the success of the Rural Industries Bureau, which aimed to revive traditional quilting skills. The N.I.W was established in county Durham and provided two main workrooms as places of employment, at Langley Moor and Barnard Castle (which was established in 1933). Women made quilts and other items such as dressing gowns, tea cosies, cushions and soft toys, from luxurious fabrics which could command decent prices. Unfortunately, the success of the scheme was interrupted by the shortages and change in direction of effort that came with the start of the Second World War.
178cm x 211xm
