Quilt No.239KW - Kathleen White

Owner: 
Kathleen White
Location: 
SA
Maker
Maker: 
Kathleen White
Made in
AUSTRALIA SA
Date: 
1941 - 1970
Description: 
Patchwork quilt (one of a pair) made from hexagons in cottons, rayon, and taffeta, to fit a single bed. The quilt has a pleated ruffle or flounce of pale green fabric. Patchwork machine sewn onto backing, flounce sewn by machine.
History: 

Made by the owner, Kathleen White (born Smith), with her mother Mary Smith and sister Rosemary Smith. Used in Kathleen's house at Kingston (SA).

Story: 

"I read a book called 'Aunt Jane of Kentucky' & each chapter was about a different quilt or scrap & I got inspired so sewed lots of bits onto an old blanket and made a Wagga. �
My mother had been away & when she came home she told me it was a Wagga & as an experienced C.W.A. Handicraft worker decided to show me how to do Patchwork with Hexagon. We always did our own sewing & had scraps & as soon as our friends & neighbours found out what we were doing they gave us more pieces.
I am sending you a photo of one of the quilts � they are the same.
The photo of my mother was a little older than when we made our first quilt but she kept on doing Hexagons & random patchwork until she was 95. All her life she made cushions & pot holders using Log Cabin which she learnt from her grandmother in about 1900.
The photo of my sister & I we are a year or so younger than when we started quilting.
I am the one with the bow. Sister Rosemary still does patchwork but mainly random by machine.
My second sister Vida has a slightly crippled hand & can't manage Hexagons so in 1985 when it was her 50 Birthday a lot of family & friends made [hexagon] 'flowers' from apricot shades & I put them together with a plain apricot in between on the back I embroidered a little verse which Vida had written for Mum several years ago �
I had a bit of difficulty finding photos of the home we lived in when the quilts were made, but have one of it as an empty ruin. It was a very old place when we lived there & it was surrounded by garden.
The � photo with water in front was where I lived when I was first married in 1954, my husband was a Soldier Settler & with my mothers help I finished the quilts & they were used on spare beds & later childrens beds etc.
I have now retired & we live in Kingston & the quilts are still treasured & odd hexigons replaced as they perish but they are mostly stored in a draw.
I have 3 daughters who are all keen on Patchwork but only 1 has time, or makes time, to carry on the skills. �"
[Letter from Kathleen White June 1995]

Related Quilts:

Wendy Springbett
Patchwork quilt made from alternate squares of light green and medium green cotton headcloth. The light green squares are hand embroidered with Australian native birds, the medium green squares are decorated with pulled thread designs. No padding. Backing and binding of medium green headcloth. Made from patterns published in The Adelaide Chronicle.
2650 x 1573mm
Narelle Grieve
Silk quilt in diamonds with hexagon border. "Toward the edge of the quilt, the design of diamonds made into blocks offers an optical illusion, where the diamonds can be seen to form stars. The border is made up of these stars and half-diamonds, and the entire quilt is trimmed with lace and triangular flaps made of tiny hexagons." [extract unidentified magazine article supplied by quilt owner.]
The backing is maroon cotton. 1600 x 1600 mm.
Marie Thomas
150mm squares of old material scraps, mostly cotton, including some curtain material. There is no padding and the backing is brown lawn.
2540 x 2370mm
The Pioneer Women's Hut
The quilt is constructed from machine pieced diamond shaped striped flannel materials. The backing is the same. The padding is not visible but is thought to be worn out woollen clothing, unpicked and ironed flat.
1520 x 970mm
Albury Regional Museum
Patchwork cot quilt, machine pieced, rectangular, 5 x 4 squares. Assorted fabrics including seersucker, corduroy, printed and plain cottons. White ric-rac braid and zigzag machine stitching accentuate rows. Edge of white cotton tape. Backing is single flour bag, calico, with maker's printing visible through patchwork: 'Tiger. Best Australian Roller Flour. Mala Foot. Sole Supply. Part of Kuala Lumper' and Chinese characters.
674 x 540mm
Rozanne Andrew
Patchwork crazy quilt of late 40s and early 50s. Pieces are from curtains, tablecloth,other kitchen type fabrics in cotton, seersucker and linen. Colours are mainly reds, greens, blues, and pastels, in prints and plain. Herringbone stitch is worked around the edge of each patch. No filling. The backing is calico with one edge in a piece of coloured cotton from the front; the calico was a little small for the top.
2020 x 1400mm