Ann West and the Impact of Patchwork
Written By: Amayah Meas
Dating back to medieval times, the craft of quilting has been practiced for both domestic and economic use. Described as the art of combining two or more pieces of fabric together with a variety of stitches, usually with a padding in between known as wadding, quilting is a form of intricate needlework or embroidery that is used to make a wide range of products including bed covers, clothes, and pin cushions. Quilted products serve both a practical and sentimental or commemorative purpose. As described by the Victoria and Albert (V&A) Museum in London, which holds one of the largest collections of historic quilts and patchwork fabrics, the word ‘quilt’ has semantic origins linked to the Latin word ‘culcita,’ meaning bolster or cushion. The earliest quilting dated around the 13th century was used to make bed covers that doubled as family heirlooms in England. These quilts were passed down generations, which allow them to be preserved and studied (Victoria and Albert Museum 1). Although the association of quilting has evolved over time to be considered more of a domestic women’s hobby, the needlework techniques incorporated in quilting from its earliest findings indicate high levels of craftsmanship, intricacy, and detail. Often made primarily of scraps, the composition of stitches and fabric allows the artist to tell a pictorial narrative with high emotional resonance that provides tangible documentation of the time period and region it was made, showing its potential impact equating to that of other forms of high art such as painting and weaving.
Quilting is a versatile craft that can create a multitude of utilitarian and decorative pieces. During the medieval period, it was used to make light yet warm clothing that could be worn under armor for added comfort, or even worn as armor itself for those who could not afford metal protection. The lines of stitching that hold the fabric together usually follow a specific pattern or design and can be made up of basic running stitches or backstitches, both basic stitches that serve as the foundation for creating a variety of other complex stitches. Each stitch is made individually to ensure it catches all layers of fabric in the quilt, and can become extremely fine when used to create detailed patterns or illustrations. Popular complex stitches include the hanging diamond, broken plaid, twisted rope, and ‘true lovers’ knot, all of which are used in knitting and hand-embroidery (Victoria and Albert Museum 1).
By the 17th century, quilting had become most popular in Britain. Used for making silk doubletes, petticoats, jackets, and waistcoats, quilts were also produced professionally in major cities like London, which helped popularize quilting as a serious and versatile form of craftsmanship. Early settlers from England established quilting as a craft in North America, where many different traditions were born. As described by the V&A Museum, the “Bee” tradition required a bride-to-be to stitch a whole quilt in one day. The “sunburst” or “rising sun” pattern is used to symbolize the dawn of a new day, as shown on the Bride’s Quilt (Fig. 1), a bed cover created to honor the marriage of John Haldeman and Anna Reigart in 1846. The motifs created with this technique show its potential to convey symbolic messages through pictures. Since bed covers cover large surface areas, they are typically made with multiple sewists and are associated with a specific life or social occasion such as marriage or birth. As a domestic craft, women would create quilts for their own use or out of necessity for these special occasions. However, pieces known as military quilts were made by male soldiers in the second half of the 19th century, showing its range of accessibility for production.
Figure 1. Bride’s Quilt
Quilted Bed Cover
1846-7
United States of America
Maker unknown
Similar to quilting, patchwork (also known as pierced work) is another needlework technique with its own history and implications. This craft involves sewing pieces of fabric together to form a flat design, often pictorial. These pieces were often secondhand scraps used to extend the life of working clothes. Also described by the V&A Museum, the highly intricate British method of ‘piecing over paper’ requires an initial pattern to be traced onto paper. This paper is accurately cut into individual pieces, and small scraps of fabric are then cut over the paper pieces and basted using long, temporary stitches that tack the fabric into place and are eventually removed. The fabric pieces are then joined together from the back using whipstitches. Using a variety of fabrics like fine silks, velvets, and even cheap cottons made during the Industrial Revolution, this intricate process produced highly distinguishable motifs and patterns that identify scripture, biblical scenes, world events, and casual objects such as playing cards. Popular in 19th century England, this needlework technique played an important role both inside and outside the home. Compared to quilting which is often used for warmth and protection in a variety of products, patchwork was often created domestically, but was produced for public exhibition and display. Some patchwork quilts were made with specifically bought fabrics and illustrate political events, honor military heroes, or promote Victorian values of perseverance and hard work, each showing the craft’s ability to communicate stories and messages like any other form of art. By the end of the century, quilting and patchwork is seen as women’s work, attributed to middle class women who make quilts for pleasure rather than necessity. The patchwork technique broadly declined in the 20th century, but was later popularized in the 1960s when it was adopted as a look for hippie culture in America.
One of the most important records of patchwork in the 19th century is Ann West’s work, specifically a patchwork wall hanging from 1820. Made from offcuts of coats and military uniforms with cut woolen appliqué sewn on top, this piece depicts individual scenes across 64 brightly colored panels. Including a combination of scenes selected from both the Bible and everyday life in rural England, the patchwork reveals what the community was like during this time period (Fig. 2, Victoria and Albert Museum 2). It also reveals the extent of Christianity’s integration in society through its storytelling. In the center lies the largest panel, the biblical scene of Adam naming all the animals in the Garden of Eden, accompanied by Eve and the serpent under the Tree of Knowledge. One can infer that its level of pictorial representation indicates its intended use as a wall hanging, rather than a bed cover, possibly in a nursery or Sunday school. The hand of the scenes are similar to that of illustrations used in schoolrooms, suggesting it may have been used as a teaching aid for children.
Figure 2. Patchwork Hanging
Ann West
1820
England
In modern times, quilting and patchwork is typically associated with flowery cottons and repeating geometrics. However, as discussed in The Documentary’s podcast episode titled “Moving Pictures: Ann West’s Patchwork,” this patchwork quilt is more than just that, it tells a story. Held in the V&A Museum, this two and a half square meter wall hanging uses a diverse range of color, brightness, and pattern to portray a mix of scenes showing the good and bad of everyday things. The piece features a total of 71 scenes and 136 figures, each representing a multitude of ages, occupations, appearances, and activities (The Documentary 2018). The scenes are described as West’s personal sketchbook or diary in fabric form, showing what she saw in everyday society. There is much to infer from each scene. Lavish clothing is shown in great detail down to the last button on the front of a waistcoat, showing the dispersion of wealth across occupations. Similarly, certain scenes portray a master with his Black servant, showing the presence of slavery at the time (although buying and selling slaves was outlawed in Britain in 1807, owning slaves was not banned until 1833) (Victoria and Albert Museum 2). Military figures are presented in Cavalry uniforms wearing ornamental epaulettes, indicating their status as officers. The scenes are captioned with embroidered words, adding to its essence of storytelling. The “Pray Help a Poor Sailor” scene indicates the level of unemployment following the Napoleonic Wars ending in 1815, which led to an influx of returning soldiers and sailors seeking work in a period of recession. Additional scenes include “Jacob’s Dream,” “The Death of Abel,” “The Story of Joseph,” “Moses in the Bullrushes,” and “David and Goliath,” of the Bible alongside “Been a Fishing,” “A Play,” “Gipsy,” and “A Distressed Widow” of everyday life, among others. The mix of ordinary and biblical contexts reinforces the importance of Christianity in English society during the early 19th century. The quilt is finished off with scalloped edges incorporating decorative details including seashells, fish, turtles, fruits, hearts, flowers, and leaves.
Identifying the true Ann West as the maker of this patchwork quilt has proven to be difficult, as the name was very common in 19th century England. Historians have found evidence tracing her work back to the Wiltshire town of Warminster, with possible ties to a tailoress named Ann West of North Bradley, or an Ann West of Longleat who worked for the Marquess of Bath’s country estate (Victoria and Albert Museum 2). Despite this difficulty of identifying her true identity, her work reveals the artist’s thought process, social class, and possible desires while making this quilt. Stitched among delicate imagery on both sides of the quilt are the words “forget me not” and “remember me,” alongside “Ann West’s Work 1820,” indicating that she wanted to have a legacy, to be known as the maker of this patchwork. The embroidered handwriting reveals that she was likely a well-educated woman with access to a wide range of source imagery depicting exotic animals and biblical scenes. Her use of strong and sturdy wool, typically used for coats, presented in layers suggests that she also had access to many fabrics in a variety of colors, with a sophisticated understanding of how clothing is put together (indicating her possible position as a tailor or tailor’s wife) (The Documentary 2018). Additionally, West used a variety of techniques to manipulate the fabrics aside from just patchwork, which include the crumpling of lightweight fabrics to create textured roses that are stitched in place. She shows an intentional use of color for embroidery threads, which are the same hue and tone of the fabrics they are stitched onto. This adds more textural interest rather than a distinguished pictorial element. While historians have yet to pin down the true Ann West, her distinct illustrative style of patchwork has led other works to be “attributed” to her (McGuire 2019). Historians rely on clues from the age, patterns and dyes of the fabrics, the clothing or scenes depicted, and the embroidered text to reveal more implications of the maker and society of the time.
The possibilities of patchwork and quilting as embroidery techniques to tell stories are limitless. Like paint, fabric and thread are invaluable when it comes to making a timeless piece with a narrative. A quilt is a canvas, with both decorative and utilitarian potential. As quilts are passed down through generations, its durability allows it to stand the test of time to teach us about what life was like for the maker of a specific society and time period, and preserve memories with illustrations rather than words. Even today, quilting is practiced as a sustainable domestic craft, repurposing scraps to tell new narratives while also utilizing highly intricate techniques. Quilting and patchwork is a special craft that celebrates both the subject matter and the artist, and its storytelling capabilities will remain a timeless form of expression.
Primary Sources
Figure 1: Bride’s Quilt, 1846 - 7, United States of America. Maker unknown. V&A Museum, London.
Figure 2: Patchwork hanging, Ann West. 1820. England. V&A Museum, London.
Secondary Sources
“An Introduction to Quilting and Patchwork · V&A.” Victoria and Albert Museum, www.vam.ac.uk/articles/an-introduction-to-quilting-and-patchwork?srsltid=AfmBOooPxiudw 9ylDvapKpeasLakTHpwudgFIHPcfHIL229VRZTtnSVR. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
Museum, Victoria and Albert. “Bed Cover: Unknown: V&A Explore the Collections.” Victoria and Albert Museum: Explore the Collections, collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O97051/bed-cover-unknown/. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
“Ann West’s Patchwork · V&A.” Victoria and Albert Museum, www.vam.ac.uk/articles/ann-wests-patchwork. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
“The Documentary - Moving Pictures - Moving Pictures: Ann West’s Patchwork - BBC Sounds.” BBC News, BBC, www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/w3cswf9g. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
McGuire, Deborah. “Inspired by Ann: Pictures of My World. The 1820s Applique Quilt.” The Plainstitch Workroom, https://plainstitch.co.uk/2019/03/02/the-1820s-applique-quilt/. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
