Quilt No.963NGA - National Gallery of Australia
Owner:
National Gallery of Australia
Location:
ACT
Maker
Maker:
Christina Brown
Made in
AUSTRALIA NSW
Patterms
Date:
1881 - 1900
Description:
"The quilt consists of 12 blocks of crazy patchwork with an embroidered border. The quilt is made of 167 different fabrics; most of these are silk. These velvets, printed silks and satins are beautifully embroidered with flowers, household items and Kate Greenway images of children at play. Many of the motifs have a strong influence from the Aesthetic Movement. The edge of the quilt carries a border in maroon silk decorated with tendrils and daisies in very fine embroidery.
The patches are joined with hand sewing and embroidery, however the 12 panels are joined with machine stitching (...
The patches are joined with hand sewing and embroidery, however the 12 panels are joined with machine stitching (...
History:
Christina Brown made the quilt. The National Gallery purchased the quilt from a family living in New South Wales in 1989.
Story:
"Christina Brown (United Kingdom born 1815 - Australia died 1895) made this quilt. Mrs. Brown immigrated to Australia with her husband from Scotland in 1842. The Brown family had a property 'Cooerwull' at Bowenfels near Lithgow, New South Wales. Christina raised 3 children in the 1840's but did not produce this quilt until she was in her seventies, around 1890." [NGA]
Related Quilts:
Machine made cotton quilt with 100mm cotton squares placed diagonally with peaks running around the edge. The colours are mainly autiumn tones and the patterns include checks, tartans, florals, geometric and plains. Materials were scraps left over from sewing projects such as children's clothes. There is a matching valance.
150 x 210mm pieces of bound suiting samples overlapped and machined together then herringboned with gold/yellow thread. Each piece has an embroidered motif, using single thread, mainly non Australian birds and animals. '1903' is embroidered on a centre piece. It is hand quilted. The backing is a black floral print. There is no padding.
1800 x 1940mm
1800 x 1940mm
Cotton scrap quilt with shapes of squares and diamonds and strips. There is no padding and the backing is calico.
2125 x 1440mm
2125 x 1440mm
Double sided quilt machine made from clothing scraps. Shapes are mainly rectangles in corduroy and wool blend. The padding is an old grey blanket.
1524 x 1372mm
1524 x 1372mm
Patchwork top with a centre frame of a mauve cross outlined in black within a square bordered with pink. The rest of the top is rectangles and squares in a wide variety of materials. There is no padding. The backing is brown, possibly curtain material.
1910 x 1480mm
1910 x 1480mm
" This is an unfinished section/piece of crazy quilting. Ribbons divide the piece horizontally into three sections; between these are bands of pastel fabrics and embroidery in the crazy quilt tradition. The fabrics and threads employed are very luxurious: laces, satin ribbons and silk velvets. The embroidery is very fine, employing a wide variety of stitches and threads. This patchwork piece is padded with cotton wadding and backed with tarlatan." [NGA] 1170 x 1020mm