Quilting British Soldiers

Quilts from the 19th Century are fairly commonplace both in the USA and UK, but there are some quilts that have a mystery about them, like the quilts once believed to have been the work of recovering soldiers, stitched in a far off corner of the British Empire.

It was said that the fabric for the quilts came from the uniforms of fallen comrades (a way to remember them) and the skills from the occupational therapy received in the clean environment of the well-maintained army hospitals. The quilts have been referred to a 'convalescence quilts', showing that the injured soldiers of Queen Victoria were well looked after.

That is what the story used to be, but after further investigation, Annette Gero, an international quilt historian has found out the real story behind the quilts. It is not know who actually made each quilt, apart from the fact they were, indeed, soldiers, but why or what they were used for and how they had the skill nobody really knows.

The quilts were made using many tiny squares and triangles of thick woolen of military uniforms in rich primary colours. Sometimes a hem or buttonhole and outline of pocket can be found. Whether the material is from scraps left by the military tailor or they are from discarded uniforms we do not know.The quilts are geometrical and stitched together with whip stitch. No two have been found with the same design, making it less likely that they were the product of occupational therapy. Some are crude while others are very complicated- the work of a professional, such as the military tailor. Some are from the Crimean War (more drab fabrics, less bright) while others are from time served in Indian (colourful and brighter).

There is evidence that injured soldiers did stitch in their beds as paintings from the time show this, but they also show the patient in a clean, well ordered environment, something totally different from the truth. The paintings were to reassure the public the that the troops received good care. Conditions in the areas where the fighting was, such as the Crimea, South Africa and India were far less sanitary and soldiers often died from infections due to the poor conditions.

There is also no evidence that the fabric came from the clothing of fallen soldiers as none of the quilts show the signs of having distressed fabrics in them. They are too clean to have been made from cloth retrieved from the battle fields. If they were made by bed ridden soldiers they would have to have been taught by the military tailors and supervised.

It is more likely that the quilts were made by soldiers who were bored and needed something to do when not off fighting. The only choices were drinking and gambling after drill practice, which in India took place in the early morning and evening due to the heat. Although that doesn't explain where the skill to make the quilts came from as most men could sew very little. They were supplied with a 'housewife' (hussif) sewing pouch with needles and thread, but to make such wonderful quilts they would have needed to be taught. It might be that they did receive some training to help relieve the boredom and keep the drinking and gambling to a minimum as

idleness was thought to lead to disobedience-not a good thing in your fighting troops.

Unfortunately it is the story of the wounded, recovering soldiers used for propaganda that is documented rather than the real story of the men who actually made the quilts.