Quilt No.776CC - Cecelia Clarke

Cecelia Clarke
Owner: 
Cecelia Clarke
Location: 
NSW Sydney
Maker
Maker: 
Cecilia Clarke
Made in
AUSTRALIA NSW
Date: 
1941 - 1970
Description: 
Infant's quilt of diamond pieces in a random pattern made from floral polished cottons in green, blue and white. There is a floral border and binding, no padding and the backing is a polyester pre quilted material. The quilt is hand pieced using the English piecing method.
900 x 900mm
History: 

The quilt was made in 1972 by Cecelia Clarke when she was pregnant with her daughter Anna. It is now owned by Anna.

Story: 

"Anna's Quilt.
Anna's quilt combines a, floral cotton print with blue, green, and white cotton fabrics. The last three fabrics were purchased from Nock and Kirby's hardware shop. The Fabric Department, located on the upper levels of the shop, was situated next to Birds and Gold Fish. As well as dedicated fabric departments in department stores, at this time, haberdashery shops still featured in many Sydney suburban retail areas. However, I do not recall shops dedicated to quilting fabrics or materials.
To my knowledge, the revival of quilting as a 'craft' had not yet begun. I could find no one to teach me. I believe I rang the Embroiderers' Guild to enquire and was told that they knew of no one who was teaching patchwork. As I could not find a teacher, I borrowed a book from the public library. The book taught the English Piecing Method, requiring templates.
There were no pre-cut templates or template plastic, so I made the master from cardboard, which my husband had ruled up. I used company reports for the remainder of the papers. After I had finished piecing the top, I then discovered that 'batting' was an unknown quantity. So I skipped that bit and looked for a suitable backing. I used a polyester backing material, which was already machine quilted. By this time, the baby was due and I had returned the book to the library. Not remembering the instruction for quilting, and being too big and too vague to waddle up to the library again, I made a binding/border of sorts from the printed fabric. I used ordinary cotton thread to hand sew the pieces.
The baby quilt is well-travelled (NZ and USA) and well used (dolly's pram, tent, picnic blanket). The 36 inch square quilt has had many washings, and some of the stitching has come undone but otherwise remains in fairly good condition."
[Cecelia Clarke 15.12.2000]

Anna Clarke 1972
Anna Clarke 1972
Anna Clarke 1973
Anna Clarke 1973

Related Quilts:

June Johnson
Hand sewn cotton cot quilt with pattern of red and white lozenge shaped hexagons measuring approximately 65mm from top to bottom. A centre flower is constructed from 2 circles of 19 hexagons in red and white. This is surrounded by 8 smaller hexagon flowers. Additional single red hexagons are scattered at random on the white background around the rows of flowers. The quilt is not quilted or tied but is attached at all 4 edges. Writing on the back of the quilt (probably added later) reads "Made by Sarah Hodge, Newport, Wales UK for her first child John." There is no padding and the backing is white cotton. 1000 x 1250 mm.
National Gallery of Australia
" Reversible patchwork quilt of woollen suiting in grey, blue, navy, maroon and brown. The fabrics appear to be new tailor's sample pieces (the sizing is still present on the fabric, signifying it has never been washed). The patches are rectangular and vary in size. Both sides have different designs. The front of the quilt has 4 rows of 12 vertical rectangles then below this are 4 rows of 7 horizontal rectangles followed below by 4 rows of 11 vertical rectangles. The reverse of the quilt has a section at the top and bottom composed of 5 rows of 9 horizontal rectangles. The central area is made up of a centre section of 6 rows of 5 vertical rectangles; flanked on either side by a column of 10 horizontal rectangles and two columns of 8 smaller vertical rectangles.
The patchwork layers are joined at the edges with machine stitching. The patchwork layers and padding are machine quilted on the front down 2 vertical lines following joins in the patchwork; therefore not being totally straight. The lines are more noticeable on the reverse as the 2 sides do not match. The front face is displayed at the NGA.
Between the patchwork layers is a striped cotton blanket in black, sky blue, white and cream." [NGA]
2082 x 1386mm
Catherine Ringwood
The top of this quilt is 6 x 5 alternating squares and rectangles of check woollen material in 12 or more colour ways. Herringbone stitch in yellow stranded cotton is worked along each join and border.The border is plain grey wool. There is no padding and the backing is light blue crepe.
1118 x 814mm
Giuliana Bond
Log cabin quilt, machine pieced and assembled. Some fabrics are pieces from family dresses, with mauve crepe used throughout. The pale side of each block is silk taffeta and other silk pieces. Padding is flannelette, and backing is cream muslin from a petticoat of the present owner, worn when she was bridesmaid to an aunt and uncle. 1000 x 630 mm.
 Dianne Gorringe
Patchwork quilt/cloth with strong overall design of very small squares. The colours are navy, red, cream, green (khaki) and fawn. There is a wide fringe on all sides. There is no padding. The backing is cotton sateen.
1240 x 126mm
The Pioneer Women's Hut
Machine pieced crazy patchwork quilt in plain, floral and striped cotton materials. Some pieces are seamed and others are sewn direct on to calico backing. Each piece is outlined in red stranded cotton in herringbone stitch.
2150 x 1770mm