Quilt No.239KW - Kathleen White

Owner: 
Kathleen White
Location: 
SA
Maker
Maker: 
Kathleen White
Made in
AUSTRALIA SA
Patterms
Patchwork, Mosaic, Hexagon
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:

National Trust of Australia (SA)
Quilt No.225NTA - National Trust of Australia (SA)
Double bed patchwork coverlet of pieced blocks in a pinwheel or dresden plate pattern of prints on a cream ground, each block with a 1 3/4" border or sash. Each pinwheel has 10 pieces, and the quilt is constructed 8 blocks by 6. Cotton fabrics are in florals, checks and stripes, in blues, greens browns, pinks, purple. The quilt was in poor repair and has been reduced in size. Conservation work has been done by the State Conservation Centre.
Backing or filling unknown.
Patchwork, Pieced Repeat Block
Barbara Levy
Quilt No.202BL - Barbara Levy
"The quilt is made up of many cotton hexagons of various colours, patterns and designs, finely sewn by hand, making a very attractive bedspread. Each patch is lined with lawn. It is quite a heavy quilt, with its plain border, and backing of home-spun cotton or cesarine. The family always called it a 'cottage design'."
No quilting.
2312 x 1905mm
Patchwork, Mosaic, Hexagon
Robyn Gallaway
Quilt No.479RG - Robyn Gallaway
Machine made cotton quilt with 100mm cotton squares placed diagonally with peaks running around the edge. The colours are mainly autiumn tones and the patterns include checks, tartans, florals, geometric and plains. Materials were scraps left over from sewing projects such as children's clothes. There is a matching valance.
Patchwork, Mosaic, Square
Sallie Cross
Quilt No.57SC - Sallie Cross
Patchwork quilt of pieced repeat blocks in 'T' pattern,mainly cottons. Quilt is constructed with 12 blocks across and 12 blocks down. Some fabrices have been reused from clothing, some blocks have patches which have been pieced from scraps to make enough fabric for the pattern. Padding is' pellon', quilt is backed, bound and quilted.
1600 x 1500mm
Patchwork, Pieced Repeat Block
The Pioneer Women's Hut
Quilt No.602PWH - The Pioneer Women's Hut
The top is machine pieced patches of used clothing. The backing is large pieces of dress materials and either end patches similar to the top. The padding is a chaff bag or similar with patches of worn, matted children's jumpers sewn directly on to it.
1400 x 1150mm
Domestic Wagga, Utilitarian, Wholecloth, Patchwork, Typically Australian
Annette Gero
Quilt No.853AG - Annette Gero
The top is mainly squares of flannel machined together with patches of dress materials stitched randomly on top. There is no padding and the backing is calico. The top and backing are held together by a binding only. It is one of a pair.
2010 x 1680mm
Patchwork, Mosaic, Square