Quilt No.786CN - Charlotte Nattey

Charlotte Nattey
Owner: 
Charlotte Nattey
Location: 
ACT
Maker
Maker: 
Mildred Millington
Made in
ENGLAND London
Date: 
1941 - 1970
Description: 
Cotton quilt of pieced hexagons and some diamonds made for a baby's basket. Colours are mainly blue and pink and two 'Punch and Judy's' are appliqued in the centre. There is no padding and the backing is a cotton floral in blues and greens.
760 x 660mm
History: 

The quilt was made in London by Miss Mildred Millington in 1966 for the birth of the first child of her niece Charlotte Nattey who still owns it. It is stored for the next generation.

Story: 

" To tell you of the quilt is to tell you of the person.
My aunt joined the ATS in 1938. She felt war was inevitable and wanted to do something practical. She became an officer in charge of an 'Ack Ack' battery that fired the first shots in the defence of London. In 1944 she was one of a very small detachment of women (all part of the 'Ack Ack') who were stationed in Belgium with the aim of shooting down V1 and V2 bombers. I believe these were the only women on active duty for the allies in Europe.
After the war ended she remained in the army - now the WRAC rising to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel before retiring in 1956.
She then held a position with the army benevolent fund. This quilt went with her to 'keep her busy' on many postings.
Finally I should tell you that although right handed she had an accident when she was about 10 and had to always use her left hand. She also had poor eyesight due to childhood cataracts so the fact that she always knitted and did tapestries and quilts was quite remarkable."
[Charlotte Nattey 6.4.97]

Mildred Millington
Mildred Millington

Related Quilts:

Yass & District Historical Society
Patchwork quilt made from diamond patches in the 'Cotton Box' pattern, in a wide variety of cotton fabrics, including plains, checks, stripes and florals. The patches have blotting paper templates. The quilt is edged with diamond shapes in a red floral cotton. The backing is of the same red floral pattern, featuring yellow, turquoise and white flowers and leaves. Hand sewn.
2135 x 2033mm
Ankie King
Small square piece of crazy patchwork in silks and taffetas. Many of the seams are oversewn with decorative embroidery stitches. There is a calico backing.
550 x 550mm
Mare Carter
Patchwork quilt of pieced repeat blocks in cotton in white, blue, green, orange and red prints, plains and checks. Blocks are set between green sashes with white corner blocks. The pattern is 'Saw Tooth Star' or 'Jacob's Ladder' variation. Backing is of cotton, padding of cotton. Hand sewn and hand quilted.
2058 x 1296mm
Euroa and District Historical Society
Handsewn cotton hexagons in a wide variety of patterns. Centre oval of hexagons with 2 outer rings. There is no padding and the backing is white cotton.
2490 x 2200mm
Sue Batzloff
Patchwork quilt for a child made from suiting pieces from the Castlemaine Woollen Mills in Victoria. One side has dark rectangles in greys and navy, the other side uses pieces in light browns, cream and rust, with dark grey. The edging is also made from suiting. No padding Machine sewn.
1347 x 1271mm
National Trust of Australia (WA)
Frame quilt of dress cottons, including some glazed cottons. The centre is 4 triangles pieced to make a rectangle. This is surrounded by a plain border, a border of triangles, plain border, triangles border, plain border, border of triangles pieced to form squares, square and triangle border, then rows of squares. The outer border is of glazed floral chintz with a brown background. The backing is cream linen pieced lengthways in 3 sections. There is no padding. It is quilted all over in a large clamshell pattern. The top is covered with netting.
2615 x 2280mm