Podcast Summary: Haptic & Hue – "Reviving Rocking Stitch and Saving Wholecloth Quilting"

Introduction

In the surprise extra episode of Haptic & Hue's Tales of Textiles, host Jo Andrews and guest Bill Taylor delve into the rich history and current state of whole cloth quilting. Released on July 3, 2025, this episode explores the recognition of whole cloth quilting as a critically endangered craft by UNESCO and the Heritage Crafts Council. Jo Andrews introduces the special episode, highlighting the importance of community support through memberships and the absence of advertisements to maintain the podcast's integrity.

The Significance of Whole Cloth Quilting

Whole cloth quilting, recognized by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage, is a traditional British craft with roots dating back to the 16th century. Unlike patchwork quilts that combine various fabric pieces, whole cloth quilts use a single piece of fabric for the top layer, emphasizing intricate quilting stitches to create complex patterns.

Jo Andrews explains:

"Whole cloth quilting makes very little play of the fabrics that are used for the top... It focuses on what happens with the quilting stitches and what kind of patterns are made with those."
(00:08:45)

The Efforts of Deb Maguire and Jess Bailey

Deb Maguire and Jess Bailey have been pivotal in advocating for the preservation of whole cloth quilting. Their 18-month campaign successfully placed whole cloth quilting on the red list of endangered crafts in the UK and secured its status on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list.

Bill Taylor remarks:

"This is really the most incredible achievement by Deb Maguire and Jess Bailey."
(00:06:29)

Deb's Journey into Whole Cloth Quilting

Deb Maguire shares her personal journey, detailing how her initial attempt to quilt an American-style quilt led her to discover and develop a passion for whole cloth quilting.

Deb Maguire narrates:

"I managed to find a local quilt shop... It did take me two years to quilt that quilt. And it became very quickly a complete labor of love."
(00:10:09)

She emphasizes the beauty derived from the simplicity of plain quilting stitches and the deep emotional connection to the craft.

Revival of Quilting Frames in the UK

One critical aspect of preserving whole cloth quilting is ensuring the availability of quilting frames. Deb and Jess discovered that quilting frames were no longer being manufactured in the UK. Through historical research and collaboration with furniture designer James Torbal, they successfully reconstructed and introduced affordable, high-quality quilting frames back into the market.

Jess Bailey highlights:

"James has really produced a very beautiful version of this core historical object... It's been like this for hundreds of years."
(00:29:11)

This revival allows quilters in the UK and beyond to continue the tradition using authentic tools.

The Importance of Community and Networks

Deb and Jess underline the significance of building a supportive community to sustain whole cloth quilting. They have connected with remaining quilters, archived family histories, and ensured that personal and public histories intersect to validate and preserve the craft.

Deb Maguire notes:

"It's about validation. It's about saying, this was an important skill. It can still be an important skill today."
(00:21:55)

Their efforts have not only preserved the technical aspects of quilting but also the emotional and communal values associated with it.

The Cultural and Emotional Significance of Quilting

Whole cloth quilting is portrayed not just as a craft but as a manifestation of deeper emotional and communal networks. The process embodies values of communality, creativity without heavy commercialization, and care practices that strengthen community bonds and connections to the land.

Deb Maguire explains:

"Quilting is really just the manifestation of... networks and friendships and family and your neighbors and the place where you live and your care of the land."
(00:26:41)

Future Aspirations and Call to Action

Looking forward, Deb and Jess aim to ensure sustainable intergenerational knowledge transfer, allowing both the hands-on skills and the intellectual histories to be passed down. They encourage listeners to engage with available resources, such as their free lecture on YouTube, and to consider supporting the craft through purchasing quilting frames or becoming members of the Haptic & Hue community.

Jess Bailey urges:

"I really encourage everyone to go find that recent lecture via our website within the Frame."
(00:36:19)

Conclusion

The episode concludes with Jo Andrews and Bill Taylor expressing gratitude to Deb and Jess for their invaluable contributions to preserving whole cloth quilting. They tease upcoming episodes that will explore other fascinating textile stories, emphasizing the ongoing mission to celebrate and sustain the myriad ways textiles shape and reflect human history and community.

Jo Andrews summarizes:

"Enjoy whatever making you were doing at the moment. It's goodbye from me."
(00:41:14)

Notable Quotes

• Jo Andrews (00:08:45): "Whole cloth quilting is something that was completely functional and very beautiful. And we know we can prove that it dates back to the 1500s."

• Deb Maguire (00:15:59): "It's about validation. It's about saying, this was an important skill. It can still be an important skill today."

• Jess Bailey (00:26:56): "Everything else that we've done since then has been about building this community, finding all the other people who are sitting out there thinking, I seem to be the only person left doing this."

Additional Resources

Listeners interested in exploring more about whole cloth quilting can access the dedicated lecture by Deb and Jess on YouTube via the Haptic & Hue website, order historic quilt frames through James Torbal, and listen to the detailed episode "Whole Cloth from the Hills North Country Quilts" (Episode 21) for an in-depth look at the history and significance of whole cloth quilts.

For more information and to support the preservation efforts, visit www.hapticonhue.com.