The art and mystery of quilting .sx By VIATOR .sx QUILTING IS A TRADITIONAL ART IN MOST PARTS OF EUROPE and Asia .sx In Siberia was found some years ago coloured quilted material bearing a fine design of reindeer , and dating from the first century A.D. In Britain the craft reached its peak in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries ; and it has survived as a peasant art until today in Wales and the North .sx The depression between the two wars resulted in a great revival of quilting , due to efforts to find employment for women in the distressed areas .sx This really began with the showing of some beautiful Durham quilts at the Women's Institutes handicrafts exhibition in London in 1927 .sx The Rural Industries Bureau then set to work to foster the craft by forming training centres :sx quilt wives were found still working in four of the Welsh counties and were engaged to train others .sx A depot was set up in London for the sale of the work , in which Queen Mary took a great interest .sx The simplest kind of quilt such as can be seen in many a Welsh home , consists of two layers of material , sometimes one of them of patchwork , with a layer of unspun wool in between :sx the whole stitched all over with criss-cross lines to keep the wool in place .sx During the centuries skilled quilt wives have evolved the most intricate patterns in this stitching , thus making the quilt a work of art .sx As a rule no patterns are kept , each quilt is evolved afresh , so that no two are ever exactly alike .sx They are made up of different combinations of simple units of design , the heart , rose , feather , tulip , chain , fan , and so on .sx The feather motif is peculiar to Durham ; the chain is used both in the North and in Wales , where you may hear that it was derived from the ships' cables of the ancient Phoenicians .sx Also Welsh are the circles and spirals , recalling the Celtic crosses , which in turn were partly derived from the art of the ancient Britons .sx Leaf shapes are common to both regions :sx a Glamorgan worker added to her repertoire two new forms , based on a chestnut and a lupin leaf , which a neighbour happened to bring in while she was at work .sx Some of the designs such as the Tudor Rose are believed to date back to Tudor times , handed down in the family since those days .sx The materials are fixed in a frame , which is laid flat upon trestles for working .sx Often two friends will work at it together .sx A few chief points are marked out with chalk before the stitching begins , work usually starting at the centre , with that section fixed in the frame .sx All that is needed besides needle and thread is a ruler and a piece of chalk for drawing on the pattern .sx Sometimes a few household possessions may be used to help with the drawing , a tumbler for circles , or an oval dish- but nothing more .sx All the rest is done by the eye and hand .sx The best filling is lamb's wool :sx in the country this can be got ready combed and washed from the nearest of the little woollen factories that still survive in parts of Wales .sx This makes the warmest covering possible , and such quilts are easily washed when necessary .sx A famous Quilt Wife was Mrs. Catrin Evans of Bow Street in Cardiganshire .sx In her time , she made hundreds of quilts ; her work could be found all over the country and further afield , even in America .sx As a girl she had been taught the craft in a month's apprenticeship ; after that , she was a finished artist .sx In those days , Welsh quilt wives might go to work at a farmhouse .sx In her own words :sx " Many weeks before a farmer's daughter was to be married , I would be called to a farm .sx The farmer's daughter would require six and sometimes more quilts for her new home .sx Her mother would provide all the material .sx I would take my wooden frame to the farm and for weeks I would be making quilts for the bride .sx " I was paid a shilling a day and had my food and lodging .sx I worked from seven in the morning till nine at night .sx Most times they would be patchwork quilts , farmers' wives kept all the old clothes to be cut up for quilts .sx I've been days and days doing nothing but cutting out and matching pieces .sx " All that was nearly a century ago .sx In recent years the workers have been helped to adapt their old designs , formerly found only on bedspreads , to such intricate shapes as dressing gowns , coats and cardigans , as well as to rugs and cushions .sx The idea of quilted motor rugs , with cushions to match , the colours harmonising with the colour of the car , was one that appealed to many buyers in the days of the revival after the first war .sx IONA TREVOR JONES tells of .sx Making the most of Spring flowers .sx MOST OF OUR SPRING FLOWERS ARE GROWN FROM BULBS OR corms , and all such flowers prefer to be arranged with stems standing in shallow water .sx So when considering the designing of spring flowers it is not surprising to find that modern line or Japanese styles are popular with floral artists .sx These arrangements generally call for shallow dishes and trays , etc. Some cleverly executed modern designs can completely transform a very ordinary earthenware meat dish or soup plate into loveliness .sx Even the simplest design of catkin sprays and daffodils can look most effective .sx During the early part of the year when flowers are both difficult and expensive , economy is important , thus the design chosen must aim at making the best possible use of each flower .sx The uncluttered simplicity of clean-cut lines echoes the freshness of spring itself , while the yellow " King Alfred " trumpets herald the coming of summer sunshine .sx It is essential that all flowers and foliage appear to be growing from one root or indeed from one bulb .sx Although not difficult to achieve , many newcomers to floral art fail to give this point sufficient importance .sx All stems should be placed so that they radiate from the centre of the container or the pinholder , and not placed soldier-fashion , all in a row .sx Tender , hollow stems such as those of daffodils or narcissi sometimes split when placed on pinholders , but if the base of these stems are [SIC] first tied lightly with a little cotton or wool , it will prevent further trouble .sx Thin stems such as those of freezias , violets , primroses , etc. , that are too fragile or thin to stand on the pinholder can be grouped and placed inside a natural hollow stem ( like the cow-parsley stem for instance) .sx This is an excellent way also of giving length to very short stems that are required high up in an arrangement .sx The hollow stems should first be filled with water to make sure that no air bubble gets in and so prevent the water from reaching the flower head .sx Crescent-shaped designs are often favoured for spring flowers and for this purpose stems of such things as willow-catkins and green broom can be persuaded to curve or bend by first soaking them in warm water and then using firm pressure of warm hands .sx The natural curving or bending action of the tulip stems on the other hand has always presented a problem to the flower arranger .sx Stems of the early-forced varieties are especially tender , owing to the unnatural atmosphere in which many of them are grown .sx Many words of advice have been written on this subject- a teaspoonful of sugar or starch added to the water , we are told , helps to keep tulip stems straight .sx Florists use stub wires twisted around the stems when a rigid stem is required for use in wreath or bouquet .sx You may also have noticed that all bought tulips have rubber bands tied around the stems ; the more tender the stems the more rubber bands are used .sx This is essential for quick handling by the florists and also to ensure the minimum of damage during display .sx Some varieties of tulips have stronger stems than others .sx Your seedsman usually indicates this in his catalogue .sx Occasionally I arrange some of the weaker-stemmed varieties so that they flow naturally and gracefully from the container .sx They show to best effect when the container is placed on a stand or pedestal .sx Few flowers offer a wider range of colour and shape than the tulip .sx Two varieties which I favour are the graceful , pure white lily-flowered " White Triumphator " and the exciting wierd-shaped , [SIC] black Parrot .sx Last year in Paris it gave me great pleasure to use both varieties together in the one arrangement .sx The subject I had chosen to illustrate was " Jekyll and Hyde .sx " An unusual one for a flower arrangement .sx The idea came to me as I wandered in the garden one day when the contrast in the colour and shape of these two flowers impressed me very much .sx The required effect for the exhibition was gained by grouping all the pure and angelic-like white flowers on the one side , reaching upwards , while on the other side the black ones were grouped , dark and almost sinister , to hang and creep down as if in despair .sx The final touch was added to this dramatic interpretation , by placing it to stand on a base of misty grey tulle , representing the mysteries of the human mind .sx Another Spring flower , the iris , is sometimes called " The poor man's orchid .sx " It is not the colour or the texture of iris petals that fascinate me , but the fine detail of their exquisite shape .sx I love them all , the Dutch and English varieties , and later on the Flag and Bearded types among which there are such exciting colour combinations .sx My favourite , however , is a small green and black variety sometimes called " The Widow " , undoubtedly because of its subdued colouring .sx To the keen gardener it may appear dull and uninteresting but one is not expected to foresee the dignity it portrays when arranged with the right kind of flowers .sx Another iris which I would not care to be without is a species called Foetidissima ( Gladdon) .sx Although its flowers are small and rather insignificant , it is well worth growing for its brilliant scarlet berries and bright green foliage .sx The latter persists almost throughout the year .sx Iris were often favoured in old Dutch and Flemish flower portraits and are even more frequently found in Japanese pictures and designs .sx Illustrated here is the typical " Florist's half-dozen " iris used in Japanese style .sx The arrangement is in two separate parts and so is known as " The divided kenzan " design , kenzan being the Japanese word for pinholder .sx The container in the photograph is a blue " Denby Ware " meat dish , and the small pebbles in the water add considerably to the decorative effect of the completed arrangement .sx Some leaves of the purple decorative kale are conveniently used to tone in with the general colour scheme , adding weight to the base of the design , and to hide the pinholder from view .sx The purple and white variegated varieties of kale are easily grown .sx The seeds can be planted in open ground and later transplanted like other members of the cabbage family .sx This method ensures that only the best coloured specimens are given garden space .sx The leaves are at their best during the winter months when all other foliage is scarce .sx They last for weeks in water .sx To prevent the water fouling , a chlorophyl tablet should be added .sx Farmers' wives need never worry about growing too much of this kale because what is not needed for decorative purposes can always be thrown over the garden fence for the cows .sx Many varieties of shrubs blossom during April and May .sx The bushes are dressed overall in jewel colours .sx Brilliant pink camelias [SIC] are about the earliest , closely followed by scarlet rhododendrons , cerise azalea , creamy magnolias and best of all , the garden lilacs .sx Alas , how often have we all hopefully filled jugs and vases with the freshest , sweetest lilac only to find that after a day or so the flowers have wilted sadly and the leaves seem fresh enough ?sx