Quilt No.581LC - Lorna Calder

Lorna Calder
Owner: 
Lorna Calder
Location: 
NSW Central West
Maker
Maker: 
Jane Calder
Made in
AUSTRALIA VIC
Patterms
Frame, Motifs or Names, Patchwork, Typically Australian
Date: 
1881 - 1900
Description: 
Patchwork quilt of multi coloured silks and brocades. Crazy patchwork borders, mainly rectangular fabrics pieced together in diagonal patterns, radiating from a central frame embroidered with flowers. Many pieces are extensively embroidered in a great variety of stitches and motifs; butterflies, sunflowers, cats, daffodils, crown, pawn broker's symbol, 'money to lend', 'good night', the initials of family members and 'mater 1890'. The quilt has a deep border of maroon sateen. There is no padding visible but it is possibly a blanket. The backing is green/gold silk with a self stripe with...
History: 

The quilt was made by Jane Calder (born Bennett) in Melbourne probably just before the turn of the century. Jane was known as 'Mater' in the family. It descended through the maker's family and came to Lorna Calder on the death of her mother-in-law in 1948. The quilt was found in an old tin trunk in the cellar of her Melbourne home in Grey Street, St. Kilda. In 1980 Mrs. Calder had the quilt repaired for her daughter Morella's return to Australia and it was used in her Balmain home. Additional initials relating to Mrs. Calder's family had been added by the Austrian needlewoman, Soula, who did the repairs. The quilt came back into Lorna Calder's hands on the death of her daughter. It is not used.

Story: 

The Calder family were from Edinburgh. Jane Bennett married William Henderson Calder in about 1860 and they went to New Zealand. She had nine children in New Zealand and they returned to Scotland in 1875. After a year or two the family came to Australia and settled in St. Kilda in a large house that still stands in Grey Street. Unfortunately much of the information about the quilt died with Lorna Calder's mother-in-law.
[Based on informal interview with Lorna Calder by Kylie Winkworth 15.9.99]

Jane Calder
Jane Calder
The house is St. Kilda where the quilt was made
The house is St. Kilda where the quilt was made

Related Quilts:

Julie Bos
Quilt No.640JB - Julie Bos
Allover pattern in woollen dress materials in blue, grey, navy, black and pink. Hand stitched. The owner suggests it was made in the 1950s or earlier. It is not used.
910 x 1250mm
Patchwork, Mosaic
Hazel Jarmyn
Quilt No.284HJ - Hazel Jarmyn
Patchwork quilt made from cotton hexagon patches in the 'grandmother's Flower Garden' pattern, in bright prints and plains, with cream 'paths' made from dress material. Padding is flannel sheeting, and backing is the same cream material as the 'paths'. The centre of the 'flower' patches are autographed with friends' names and dates, as are some 'petals' and cream patches, in black ink.
1550 x 1400mm
Patchwork, Mosaic, Hexagon
Euroa Historical Society
Quilt No.439EHS - Euroa Historical Society
Crazy patchwork quilt with patches of velvet, satin and silk joined in 12 blocks. Each seam is embroidered and many patches have embroidered flowers. There is a 140mm maroon velvet border. The backing is maroon silk. There is a sachet that belongs with the quilt.
1800 x 1400mm
Patchwork, Pieced Random, Crazy
The Embroiderers' Guild of S.A.Inc Museum
Quilt No.926ESA - The Embroiderers' Guild of S.A.Inc Museum
4 Pieces of a patchwork quilt which was formerly a whole quilt. It is pieced in cottons in blues reds and browns in many prints. There are whole circles and pieced circles against a plain cream calico background. It is wool lined and is quilted. There are the initials 'A.B.' and '1828' on a central piece. The 4 pieces are various sizes.
Patchwork, Pieced Random, Wholecloth, Quilting as major design element
Ida Blenkiron
Quilt No.269IB - Ida Blenkiron
Rectangular quilt with front and back made of rectangles of cotton samples of shirt materials, in checks, stripes and plains. Colours are soft muted reds, greens, blues, yellows and browns, and pastels. Construction is 3 to 4 rows of rectangles joined across the quilt. Padding is probably an old blanket. There is a row of hand quilting approximately the width of one patch in from the edge, holding the layers together.
1870 x 950mm
Patchwork, Mosaic, Rectangle, Typically Australian, Tailors' samples
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