Quilt No.249HS - Helen Sparkman

Helen Sparkman
Owner: 
Helen Sparkman
Location: 
SA Adelaide
Maker
Maker: 
Matilda Pitt
Made in
AUSTRALIA SA
Patterms
Patchwork, Pieced Random
Date: 
1921 - 1940
Description: 
Patchwork quilt made from very large pieces of cotton material on one side, with a 100mm yellow border, and on the other side it is almost entirely blue flannelette.
1660 x 1400mm
History: 

This functional quilt was made by Matilda Pitt (born Bowman) (1860-1953) who was the great grandmother of the present owner. It is thought to have been made about 1920 and has always been owned by members of the Pitt family. It is not used now.

Story: 

"Matilda made these 3 quilts, probably in the early 1920s. Henry and Matilda Pitt and family lived at Stansbury S.A. until 1920 when they moved to a property at Balhannah S.A. The very cold winter in the Adelaide Hills created a need for extra night warmth, and so Matilda made 'rugs' for the family members, which by this time included grand children�����.As the description suggests , these quilts were quite heavy. The kitchen table provided an ideal work surface for these projects. These quilts represented very practical recycling, in an era when there was very little waste - even in the situation where there was no real need for thrift in this family. Matilda made quite a few quilts - the family members are fortunate to still have three of them."
[Helen Sparkman Dec. 2000]

Matilda Pitt (3rd from right) and family members 1946
Matilda Pitt (3rd from right) and family members 1946

Related Quilts:

Fiona Gavens
Quilt No.1009FG - Fiona Gavens
Hexagon quilt constructed over papers; all seams oversewn with featherstitch embroidery. Materials are vyella and clydella scraps from childhood dresses of the maker's first four children, augmented with scraps from a dressmaker and a book of samples. There is no padding; backing is plain, pale blue, brushed cotton.
2200 x 1720 mm.
Patchwork, Mosaic, Hexagon
Joyce Lannin
Quilt No.1028JL - Joyce Lannin
Machine stitched quilt made from tailors' samples cut into squares. The colours are mainly greys, browns and fawns. There is no padding and the backing is a grey herringbone heavy woollen material with a white fleck. This is folded back to the front to make a 75mm border and finished with a dark grey braid where it meets the patchwork top. 1525 x 1225mm
Patchwork, Mosaic, Square, Typically Australian, Tailors' samples
N.S.W. Parks and Wildlife Service
Quilt No.560NPS - N.S.W. Parks and Wildlife Service
Double sided quilt. One side is different shapes including rectangles in various sizes in wools and men's suiting material. It is hand pieced. The pther side is mainly cottons in florals of different patterns joined in strips of varying width and machine and hand pieced. There is a 25mm binding. The padding is an old blanket.
Patchwork, Pieced Random, Typically Australian, Re-used clothing or blanket
Christine Barnes
Quilt No.486CB - Christine Barnes
Cotton quilt with rosettes of hexagons. There is a centre hexagon with a surround of 6 hexagons in a contrasting pattern and then an outer row of 12 hexagons in a different pattern. Between each rosette is a single row of hexagons in a print common to the whole quilt. The materials are typical of the 60s period. There is a deep aqua border. It is machine quilted. The backing is cotton.
2515 x 1829mm
Patchwork, Mosaic, Hexagon
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
June Dean
Quilt No.85JD - June Dean
Pieced hexagons, English paper method. Large hexagons form the centre with a border of smaller hexagons. The fabrics are all cotton in a wide range of colours and patterns. There is no padding. The backing is cotton, large white floral design on dark blue. The hexagons are hand pieced and the edges machined.
2480 x 1420 mm
Patchwork, Mosaic, Hexagon