Quilt No.384LO'G - Lynette O'Grady

Lynette O'Grady
Owner: 
Lynette O'Grady
Location: 
NSW South Coast
Maker
Maker: 
Women of Reorganised Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
Made in
USA
Date: 
1901 - 1920
Description: 
Quilt with white background and blocks in blue and green. 'Robbing Peter to Pay Paul' pattern. Plain blue border. Hand pieced and quilted. Quilt was cut down, worn center piece discarded then quilt pieces rejoined. A cover for the pillow was made from scraps when quilt was cut down.
1930 x 1740mm
History: 

The quilt was made by the ladies of the Reorganised Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints for Lily Balmour in America (probably Salt Lake City) about 1915. Lily, who was the great aunt of the present owner, gave it to her sister, the owner's grandmother, probably in the 1930s when she had returned to Australia. On her death it passed to her daughter, Lynette O'Grady's Mother (1950s) and then to Lynette in the late 1970s

Story: 

"The quilt was made for my great aunt Lily Balmour (nee White). Lily was married to an American - Alma Balmour, who was an elder / Missionary in the Reorganised Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saint. She travelled with him for his work and after a period in America they were returning to Australia and the ladies of the church made her the quilt as a parting gift. My great aunt eventually gave the quilt to my grandmother (her sister). Because of her constant travelling she had to limit her luggage. The quilt was on the bed in the spare room at my grandmother's home for many years. My grandmother being a very 'practical' woman, as the quilt began to wear, cut it down the center to put the inside out. On her death my mother had it for a while and then she gave it to me. Thirteen years ago we had a house fire. It survived with some scorch marks. We are not sure of the age of the quilt. My Mother is now in a nursing home and is vague about its history."
[Lynette O'Grady 1.8.98]

Related Quilts:

Cobram Shire Historical Society
Patchwork quilt in Log Cabin pattern, arranged in 'furrows', and made from cottons, wool and suiting fabrics. Centres of blocks are pastel or dark; dark colours are black, brown, purple blue and red. Pastel side of blocks includes a bright pink. Quilt backing is pieced, with a centre rectangle of cotton surrounded by 5 borders of plain and alternate rectangular pieced strips, in wool and suiting fabrics. Colours are black, dark blue, brown, green, grey and pastels. Inner lining is of cotton pieces, to which the Log Cabin blocks have been machined.
1620 x 1360mm
Margaret Wright
Crazy patchqork quilt, handsewn, composed of six large squares of patches in brocade, velvet and silk in random shapes and sizes. Patches are stitched to others by blanket stitch in yellow thread. Some patches have surface embroidery, e.g. a dragonfly, flowers, music notes, and names, 'Minnie', 'Loyetta' (house in Ballarat), 'Diana'. There are also five small cream bobbles. Colours are red, gold, brown, pinks, greens and blues. Padding is flannel, and quilt is backed and edged with maroon or burgundy ribbed silk.
1461mm x 687mm
Mary Elizabeth (Beth) Burnett
Tumbling Block quilt made from pure silk ribbons, patterned and plain. The quilt edge follows the block shapes. The backing is polished cotton printed with flowers.
2743 x 2439mm
National Trust of Australia (WA)
Patchwork top made of cottons, constructed with 5 by 5 rows of squared 8 point pieced stars alternating with white cross-shaped blocks (made from 4 pieces). On all sides are borders of half stars. The outer border is of rectangles of cotton prints appliquéd on to cotton to form a plaited pattern. The border only is backed with a band of cream cotton. All patches are whip stitched together.
2645 x 2615mm
Jillian Towers
Hand pieced patchwork quilt with blue and black checkerboard central frame surrounded by 4 borders of irregular sized rectangles. Mainly dress materials with possibly some furnishing material. It is not quilted or tied. The backing is a large rectangular red check table cloth with 3 borders of irregular shaped pieces down 2 sides and 1 border down 2 sides. There is no padding.
1860 x 1730mm
Fran Williams
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