The well-travelled quilt

There's been a exhibition of wedding dresses in the local church for the past week, mostly heirlooms and treasured garments belonging to local families.

This kind of thing is not any particular interest of mine. I'm no needlewoman and I've never had any desire to embrace the state of matrimony: the nearest I've got to a wedding was as a bemused and reluctant bridesmaid at the age of 6. However, I couldn't pass up the possibility of gleaning something of historical value from the frills and flounces on view and it was instructive to find that many of the wedding dresses had been preserved and indeed worn from generation to generation.

What did capture my imagination was this marriage quilt. Welsh quilting is an old tradition and often took this form of densely patterned stitching over a single piece of material rather than patchwork or strips. Women's work of course, and young girls would labour over their marriage quilt long before they were even betrothed. This one, the label said, was probably made in the Gwaun valley - not far away - in the 1820s or 30s. Later, it was given to a local couple who after their marriage in 1875, emigrated to the North Island of New Zealand and brought up a family of nine at Castlepoint on the coast near Masterton. One of the sons inherited the Welsh home when his grandmother died in 1892 and the quilt returned to Wales with him. It has continued to be handed down upon the marriages of descendants.

I like the thought of the quilt's travels through time and space: halfway around the world and back, and down almost 200 years. Its colours are somewhat faded but the pattern of leaves and flowers, the texture and the contours, reminded me of the landscape of the north Pembrokeshire valley where the quilt was created so long ago.

Thanks to all who commented on my 300th blip yesterday. I was bowled over by the quantity of congratulations and compliments and am truly grateful for all the good will. I'm trying to reply to everyone personally but I haven't got round you all yet. I'm working on it!