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Take a peek into our collections! – Signature quilts

Slideshow of embroidery samplers and pattern books

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Signature quilts:

Our collection houses a vast array of decorative textiles, as forms of art, education and craft. The practice of quilting has long been used across continents as forms of protection, insulation and decoration.

One of the quilts we displayed was used to garner donations for the NSPCC as an artwork in 1895. It was made by Mrs Marianne Worth, funded by Mr J. T. Worth and had over 200 signatures of Rochdale citizens embroidered across the quilt, including notable MPs of the age, such as John Bright MP and George Kemp MP. This was displayed in the Rochdale Town Hall before the bazaar in Manchester.

Taking this quilt as inspiration, artist Lynn Setterington created a response to the original quilt by recording who lives in the borough today. Using old pillowcases from charity shops, Lynn worked with community venues across the borough to ask residents to embroider signatures onto the cut-up pieces of fabric. These were sewn together to create one large piece of fabric and turned into a quilt. Both quilts offer snapshots into who was living in the borough at the time.

Take a closer look at signature quilts on our Instagram page.

Embroidery samplers and pattern books:

The art of embroidery was an activity aimed at girls, particularly in schools, when they were restricted to what subjects were available to them and which hobbies were deemed socially appropriate. The embroidery samplers in our collection date back to the beginning of the 19th century from young girls, aged 7 and upwards. These samplers often showcased the alphabet, motifs and imagery.

It was common practice for people to embroider at home to decorate tablecloths, linens, pillowcases etc. We shared a pattern from the magazine Kashmir Youth Project Community Voice which ran in the 1980s in Rochdale. This magazine promoted a community centre that provided a space for all aspects of life for young, South Asian residents in the borough. It also included pieces written by young people about their experiences, cultural awareness, a flower motif which could be used to embroider tablecloths and much more.

We also showcased embroidery patterns which would have been used for slippers, along with slippers made using this technique.