About Jane Beck & Welsh Blankets

Welcome to my website, I hope that you find something in these pages that will bring back fond memories of childhoods & holidays In Wales or Inspire you to create a contemorary Welsh style for your home.

Whilst this site may give the impression of a large organisation, there is just me. I strive to deliver a professional, efficient & personal service & am always happy to advise on new projects. Please do not hesitate to contact me for any information either by email or telephone.

You will see from my descriptions of vintage & antique textiles that this is where my passion lies. I have a personal collection of treasured nineteenth Century & early Twentieth Century Welsh blankets, shawls & quilts from all over wales. I am a member of The Welsh Mills Society & in my spare time I am attempting to document the remaining Mill buildings & patterns to preserve this information for the future.

I am not a quilter or a weaver, my interest is predominantly the social history associated with the industry. Sourcing my blankets & quilts privately,spending my time bumping up muddy farm tracks & visiting terraced houses alike & hours spent with friends in the mills discussing old patterns & methods. The best way to find out about people & a way of life long passed is over a cup of coffee.

I have met some fantastic people in this way, like Malcolm Black in Swansea whose family backpacked Woollen goods round the Town until they bought their first van in 1940 & Ken Cole who worked for almost 30 years as a weaver then engineer at DERW mill. John Uzzell Edwards, Methyr artist who has become a dear friend & has used several of my flannel quilts as inspiration for his Quilt series of exhibitions. Some of the nicest people I have ever worked with are those involved in the woollen Industry & I am grateful for their help, patience & the sharing of their knoweldge & expertise.

Made in Wales.
Just as important as the history is the living industry served by a handful of Mills still producing cloth. Still using age old looms & traditional methods : Rock Mill in Capel Dewi run by my good friend Donald Morgan, Teifi Mill run by Raymond & Diane Jones who produce my range of replica blankets, Elfed Mill run by Mike Tolputt & his daughter Alison Thomas still producing Tapestry bedcovers on Dobbcross looms & a range of bags for me. Anna & Tom Grime at Middle mill, Roger Poulson at Curlew weavers keeping spinning & dyeing in Wales & creating some fabulous cloth too. Solva weaving rugs & carpets & Elaine at Trefriw in Conwy who will be sharing some exhibitions with me over the next year.

Contemporary woollen products from these all mills can be found on my website.

I am probably the only person to be able to accuratley identify these old patterns & am happy to share my knowledge. My collection is available on loan for exhibition purposes.

Please get in touch to discuss your ideas, whether you are adding a little welsh accent to your home or embarking on an entire interior design project, planning an exhibition or magazine feature. Cushions, curtains & cloth can be made to order as well a bespoke upholstery service in Welsh cloth.

My new collection for the coming season will include some fabulous bags & baby changing bags made for me at Elfed Mill. Vintage baby blankets made up for me at Teifi mill & a range of traditionally knitted Welsh socks from Corgi in Ammanford.

Keep an eye on my fairs & events diary for something near you & if you are this way on holiday give me a ring to arrange a time to call. Mill accomodation can be arranged too.