Quilt No.226NTA - National Trust of Australia (SA)

Description:
Patchwork quilt made from silks in hexagon shapes with dark silk triangles in between the hexagons. The centre of the quilt has a star design with an embroidered hexagon with six star points, with diamonds and hexagons, surrounded by a border of dark coloured diamonds on a cream ground. The quilt is edged with deep single scallops in alternate dark blue and white each with an appliqued six point star with a hexagon centre.
History:
Probably made by members of the Chester family, in the second half of the 19th century. The quilt was commenced at Balmoral, Scotland, but it is not known where it was finished. Previously owned by the Chester family, now owned by the National Trust of Australia (South Australia), at Millicent.
Story:
"The quilt has the unusual feature of having been used to record the initials and dates of members of the Chester family, ie 'W.C. Died Jan 15 1838' and 'A.J.C. Born July 24 1862'.
Legend has it that the central patch, which is a deep pink shade, and shows the Prince of Wales feathers motif, came from material used in Queen Victoria's trousseau."
[Irene Bishop, Millicent National Trust Museum]
Related Quilts:
Machine sewn reversible quilt. Side 1 is rectangles of men's suiting samples in mainly grey, navy and black, stripes and self patterns. Side 2 is men's suiting samples but also includes woollen rectangular pieces in plain blue and deep pink. There is a hand sewn binding of fine orange-brown wool. The padding is hessian and cotton.
1460 x 1100mm
1460 x 1100mm
Patchwork quilt made from rectangles and squares of woollen fabrics from dress making projects. Colours are mainly grey, blue, brown, green, with some red and yellow. Fabrics are plain, cheks and stripes. No padding or quilting. Backing is made of white flannelette sheets. The quilt has been lengthened after it was completed, and the backing sheet has been added to at the same place.
2470 x 1320mm
2470 x 1320mm
The quilt's construction is cotton patches about 170mm square joined in strips and then the strips joined. The border and backing are pale lemon coloured cotton lawn. The padding is an old woollen blanket. There is ric-rac braid around the border of the top.
2180 x 1420mm
2180 x 1420mm
Quilt top of hexagons in silks and satins, pieced over papers in the English tradition. Some paper templates still in place. One states: 'Semi - Monthly Regular Clipper packets to New Zealand, Port Phillip, Sydney�2nd of each month..Adelaide' suggesting it may have been from a shipping timetable.
1580 x 1830mm
1580 x 1830mm
Quilt of 2025 hexagons stitched together to form diamond patterns. Hand sewn using paper templates. Materials are cottons and plains typical of the thirties period. The backing is blue cotton and the quilt is bound with many rows of coloured bias binding through which is treaded window cord. There is no padding. The quilt is called 'Grandmothers' Flower Garden quilt'.
2439 x 1829mm
2439 x 1829mm
Repeat block in Ohio star pattern. Wide border of triangles, pieced blocks and stripes. Stars are in greens, pinks, mauves (all now very faded) and white. Wreath quilting in squares with smaller wreath quilting in triangles. There is padding and the backing is a poly/cotton sheet. 2500 x 2450mm