Quilt No.183AHS - Arapiles Historical Society Museum

Arapiles Historical Society Museum
Owner: 
Arapiles Historical Society Museum
Location: 
VIC North West
Maker
Maker: 
Mary Keyte
Made in
AUSTRALIA VIC
Date: 
1881 - 1900
Description: 
Patchwork quilt, reversible, with log cabin blocks on one side, with central red square in each block. Colours predominantly light greys, browns and pastels, and dark grey and blue. Reverse side is made of squares constructed from 2 triangles, in black, patterned pastels, pale blue and dark red. There is a black border along 2 edges on this side. It is quilted.
2058 x 1829mm
History: 

Made by Mrs Mary Keyte in the Natimuk area (VIC) in the 1880s. Handed down through the Keyte Families, now owned by the Arapiles Historical Society.

Story: 

Letter from Arapiles Historical Society:
"Mrs Mary Keyte made the quilt from hand me down clothes, and any scraps she was able to collect, mostly used materials. Mrs Mary Keyte passed away on 23-3-19 at the great age of 95 years. A typical English woman she was born at Harbury England 1819, and came to Australia with her husband in 1855, landing at Adelaide, and settling later at McLaren Vale. They came to the Natimuk area in 1872, when most of the early settlers arrived. Her husband conducted a Blacksmith Shop. He died two years after their arrival, so she went to reside with her son Charles, and stayed there until her death. As we can see, Mary was an industrious woman, and could turn her hand to anything., as she would need to be thrifty in that era.
She and her husband are both buried int eh Natimuk Cemetery. Keyte in our area is pronounced at (Keet) Jennifer on TV has a different pronunciation pronounced as (Kyte).
The Keyte families still live in this area. They were highly respected residents, and were ever willing to give a hand where needed.
Mr Keyte had other brotherand sisters, and these folk farmed their land successfully. Mrs Keyte regularly visited Natimuk until 2 or 3 months prior to her death. �"

Related Quilts:

Annette Gero
This quilt is of hand pieced hexagons randomly placed and stitched on to a linen backing. They are mainly dress fabrics and chintz with some hexagon flowers in the centre and corners in broderie perse. There is no padding.
2600 x 2600mm
Muriel Thompson
Hexagon quilt in pattern known as 'Grandmother's flower garden'. Hexagons of prints and plains with yellow centre to each flower, and plain pink outlines. It is hand pieced and hand quilted. Padding is cotton, backing is cream cotton. 2200 x 2000 mm.
Narelle Grieve
Folded log cabin, foundation pieced. Machine constructed. Materials are cotton, wool, rayon, flannelette, silk and twill. There is no padding and the backing is cretonne. 2700 x 2100 mm
Alicia Murdoch
Cotton quilt with central frame and radiating borders mainly in squares in pinks and blues, printed materials and plain. The padding is cotton wool and the backing is off white cotton.
2040 x 1800mm
National Gallery of Australia
"This quilt follows the traditional hexagon patchwork pieced pattern, which are then joined and sometimes edged with a contrasting border. The edges of the quilt have been turned and then scalloped edges made of identical patches to the main body of the quilt have been attached to the edge. The quilt is fully lined, and the lining is visible front the front face through the gaps between the scalloped edge. The lining is attached to the patchwork with a row of stitches along the edges; there are no stitches in the centre field. The fabrics of the quilt are plain weave cotton in simple floral and geometric designs. Most of the fabrics are monochromatic. Several different colour ways of the same fabric are evident which could suggest some fabrics were from manufacturer samples. The lining is a William Morris print.
Each of the patchwork pieces (there are several thousand present) are sewn together with very fine overcasting stitches. The quilt is entirely hand sewn. There is some evidence that templates from the hexagon pieces possibly blotting paper, remain in situ���The quilt is not padded or quilted. The lining is fine twill weave cotton printed in pink and pale purple. The design follows William Morris's 'Strawberry Thief design'." [NGA] 2075 x 1911mm
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