Quilt No.783CN - Charlotte Nattey

Charlotte Nattey
Owner: 
Charlotte Nattey
Location: 
ACT
Maker
Maker: 
Frances Donaldson
Made in
IRELAND Ballycastle
Patterms
Patchwork, Frame
Date: 
1881 - 1900
Description: 
Quilt in cottons and linens with the centre frame featuring an eight pointed star surrounded by borders of pieced diamonds, squares, stars and long sashing pieces. The entire quilt has been overstitched in a chevron running stitch 15mm apart. If there is padding it has flattened completely. The backing is heavy twill weave linen.
2020 x 1830mm
History: 

The quilt was made by Mrs. Frances Donaldson in Ballycastle northern Ireland c. 1900. Frances was the great grandmother of the present owner, Charlotte Nattey. It was previously owned by Charlotte's grandmother, Mrs. Millington and then her aunt Miss Mildred Millington. It is not used now.

Story: 

"My great grandmother was a wonderful needlewoman - mind you she did nothing else! She was in a position to have all the staff she required and spent her life indulging her passion! She made beautiful Carrickmacross lace - collars, cuffs, wedding veils etc and I understand was involved in that cottage industry. She also embroidered prolifically - from babies dresses to blouses, hankies, nightdresses etc. One amazing piece I have is about 2.5 metres of heavy broderie anglais of about 70cm deep which I understand was my grandmother's tennis dress!! ����
After her husband (a bank manager) died she divided her life into 2, 6 months at a time with each of her 2 daughters.
She obviously retained control of the family's sewing, as my aunt remembers that no one else was allowed to do a buttonhole, as she could do them so much better! My aunt also told me that during the 'Great War' she put her energies into knitting and could turn 4 pairs of sock heels a day - her maids finished off the tops! My aunt also remembers having to keep up the balls of wool and winding them from skeins draped over chair backs. My aunt was born in 1910, she must have been quite small.
I am the present custodian of the lace, embroidery and quilt."
[Charlotte Nattey 6.4.97]

Franmces Donaldson and her daughter, Edith Mary Millington
Franmces Donaldson and her daughter, Edith Mary Millington

Related Quilts:

Josephine Curtis
Quilt No.1006JC - Josephine Curtis
Taylor's sample quilt made from men's suit swatches, mainly greys and blues. Edging is 6cms wide, of blue flannelette. Padding is an old grey blanket, and the backing is of printed pattern corduroy. 1680 x 920 mm.
Patchwork, Mosaic, Rectangle, Typically Australian, Tailors' samples
West Australian Quilters' Association
Quilt No.1101WAQA - West Australian Quilters' Association
Repeat block in Dresden Plate pattern using various cotton fabrics from the 1920s. Quilted with a flower in the purple/pink centre and squares elsewhere. Border is furnishing fabric. The padding is cotton that is disintegrating and the backing is calico. 1980 x 2100mm
Patchwork, Pieced Repeat Block
Wangaratta Historical Society
Quilt No.488WHS - Wangaratta Historical Society
9 large blocks of crazy patchwork in silks and velvets. The blocks are divided by strips of deep ruby coloured silk. There is a wide ruby border with peaks to which is attached cream lace. The backing is beige silk. The main blocks are outlined with feather stitch in gold thread and many individual patches are outlined in fancy stitches and have embroidered motifs some of which are Australian eg centre patch has Sturt's Desert Pea flowers, parrots, wattle. There are also English flowers, Japanese motifs, flags, domestic objects and Marianne's initials. Embroidery is in a variety of threads including chenille.
2250 x 2180mm
Patchwork, Pieced Random, Crazy, Typically Australian
Mrs. L. M. Chick
Quilt No.477LC - Mrs. L. M. Chick
Hexagon quilt made by hand from a wide variety of cotton materials. There is no padding and the backing is calico.
2286 x 915mm
Patchwork, Mosaic, Hexagon
Art Gallery of South Australia
Quilt No.299ASA - Art Gallery of South Australia
Rectangular patchwork crazy quilt pieced in squares (3 across by 4 down), in silks and wool, with red sashing between blocks and red border, quilted. Colours are dark, with red and light blue. Embroidery includes double feather, rope, herringbone, satin, cross, sword edge, buttonhole and coral stitches, and French knots. Embroidered flowers include lily of the valley, rose, daisy, and sunflower, also butterflies. Backing is pieced in the frame style, with a large centre red square, within 10 frames or borders. Embroidered "In Most Loving Memory of My Darling 1883", "V.H.B." Hand sewn.
1900 x 1500mm
Patchwork, Pieced Random, Crazy
National Gallery of Australia
Quilt No.960NGA - National Gallery of Australia
"A medallion or framed quilt in design. There is a central field of small patchwork diamonds, and from this radiates plain stripes of fabric bordering areas of patchwork panels. The edge of the quilt carries bands of red cotton, which are slightly larger at the top and bottom edges, and here the band is additionally decorated with appliqué diamonds. The fabric of the patchwork is cotton in fine plain weave of pale coloured florals and small geometric designs. The framing and border stripes are of bright red twill weave cotton. The small diamonds of the central field are hand sewn, with more use of machine stitching around the outer edge of the quilt.
The quilt is not padded. The patchwork is fully lined with a printed plain weave cotton fabric with a design commemorating Queen Victoria's Jubilee. The design is based on a repeated grid of circles. In the centre of each circle is a cameo of Queen Victoria, surrounded by images of the national flowers of England, Scotland and Ireland: the rose, the thistle and the shamrock. The edge of the front face of the quilt is trimmed with a red and white cotton braid." [NGA] 2380 x 2220mm
Patchwork, Frame