Quilt No.231KHS - Kapunda Historical Society

Kapunda Historical Society
Owner: 
Kapunda Historical Society
Location: 
SA Country
Maker
Maker: 
Miss Donnellen
Made in
IRELAND
Date: 
pre 1850
Description: 
Patchwork quilt made from cotton fabrics in stripes, small prints, and plains. Centre block is pieced red and white triangles within a blue and white striped frame, with a row above and below of triangles in a flying geese pattern. Two rows of triangles in the flying geese pattern are on either side the full length of the quilt. Quilt is bordered with red cotton. Colours are red, white, pink, blue and yellow. Padding is probably a woollen blanket, the backing is linen. Closely quilted all over.
2180 x 1930mm
History: 

Made by a Miss Donnellen in Ireland c.1820. Owned by her grandson Thomas Michael O'Brien and remained in the O'Brien family, now owned by the Kapunda Museum (SA).

Story: 

Miss Donnellen came to Australia from Ireland in 1844 & bought the quilt with her. For many years the quilt was stored under her grandson's bed until he & his wife Edna donated the quilt to the museum.

Related Quilts:

National Gallery of Australia
"The quilt consists of 12 blocks of crazy patchwork with an embroidered border. The quilt is made of 167 different fabrics; most of these are silk. These velvets, printed silks and satins are beautifully embroidered with flowers, household items and Kate Greenway images of children at play. Many of the motifs have a strong influence from the Aesthetic Movement. The edge of the quilt carries a border in maroon silk decorated with tendrils and daisies in very fine embroidery.
The patches are joined with hand sewing and embroidery, however the 12 panels are joined with machine stitching (chainstitch machine stitching). The blue silk lining was hand sewn into position with silk thread." [NGA]
"The quilt does consist of three layers but the central layer is not padding. The crazy patch pieces were sewn together and this was lined with white cotton fabric prior to the embroidery at the edges of the 12 panels being placed. This in turn was lined with a fine blue silk." [NGA] 1810 x 1460 mm
Eileen Dinning
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Marie Thomas
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Pioneer Settlement Authority
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1580 x 1510mm