Quilt No.226NTA - National Trust of Australia (SA)
Description:
Patchwork quilt made from silks in hexagon shapes with dark silk triangles in between the hexagons. The centre of the quilt has a star design with an embroidered hexagon with six star points, with diamonds and hexagons, surrounded by a border of dark coloured diamonds on a cream ground. The quilt is edged with deep single scallops in alternate dark blue and white each with an appliqued six point star with a hexagon centre.
History:
Probably made by members of the Chester family, in the second half of the 19th century. The quilt was commenced at Balmoral, Scotland, but it is not known where it was finished. Previously owned by the Chester family, now owned by the National Trust of Australia (South Australia), at Millicent.
Story:
"The quilt has the unusual feature of having been used to record the initials and dates of members of the Chester family, ie 'W.C. Died Jan 15 1838' and 'A.J.C. Born July 24 1862'.
Legend has it that the central patch, which is a deep pink shade, and shows the Prince of Wales feathers motif, came from material used in Queen Victoria's trousseau."
[Irene Bishop, Millicent National Trust Museum]
Related Quilts:
Dresden plate quilt with pointed pieces set around a white centre. Fabrics are checks, floral patterns and plains of the 1930s. The twenty blocks are sashed with plain mauve fabric which does not meet evenly in some places. The padding is two layers of cotton bedspreads. The backing is open weave rough quality cotton.
1860 x 1550mm.
1860 x 1550mm.
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.
2200 x 1720 mm.
Small patchwork piece possibly made from salesman's samples. There is no opening in the back so it is not a cushion cover. There is no padding. The backing is green polished cotton. There is a 40mm fringe around the edge.
520 x 520mm
520 x 520mm
Single bed quilt hand pieced from silk hexagons using the English method. The border, backing and central rosette of hexagons are black. All other hexagons are a mixture of plain colours, stripes and florals. They are randomly placed. It is quilted in a diamond pattern. The padding is a thin cotton woven material.
1550 x 1330mm
1550 x 1330mm
Quilt made of 9120 very small Suffolk Puffs, each one about the size of a 20 cent piece. "Each piece backed and the front of it drawn up like a reticule. It was not backed and was rather fragile, so I backed it on to a sheet, as it was heavy and in danger of tearing when lifted." [Gillian Sullivan]
2360 x 2230 mm
2360 x 2230 mm
"English patchwork pieces. 1110mm x 1500mm. Hand pieced by at least two people. Made from scraps, cut down clothing and sheeting. Backing made from shirtings, dress fabrics, furnishing fabric and ticking. No synthetics. Machine quilted. Condition, fragile�.." [Dubbo Museum]