Quilt No.247HS - Helen Sparkman

Helen Sparkman
Owner: 
Helen Sparkman
Location: 
SA Adelaide
Maker
Maker: 
Matilda Pitt
Made in
AUSTRALIA SA
Patterms
Patchwork, Pieced Random, Typically Australian, Re-used clothing or blanket
Date: 
1921 - 1940
Description: 
Patchwork quilt. An old sheet was used as the base for the quilt then garments no longer suitable for wearing were stitched to the sheet. Then pieces of old tablecloths, curtains and dressmaking scraps were used to make the quilt top and back. Hand stitched and quilted with long stitches. It is a heavy quilt.
1600 x 1120mm
History: 

This functional quilt was made by Matilda Pitt (born Bowman) (1860-1953) who was the great grandmother of the present owner. It is thought to have been made about 1920 and has always been owned by members of the Pitt family. It is not used now.

Story: 

"Matilda made these 3 quilts, probably in the early 1920s. Henry and Matilda Pitt and family lived at Stansbury S.A. until 1920 when they moved to a property at Balhannah S.A. The very cold winter in the Adelaide Hills created a need for extra night warmth, and so Matilda made 'rugs' for the family members, which by this time included grand children�����.As the description suggests , these quilts were quite heavy. The kitchen table provided an ideal work surface for these projects. These quilts represented very practical recycling, in an era when there was very little waste - even in the situation where there was no real need for thrift in this family. Matilda made quite a few quilts - the family members are fortunate to still have three of them."
[Helen Sparkman Dec. 2000]

Matilda Pitt (3rd from right) and family members 1946
Matilda Pitt (3rd from right) and family members 1946

Related Quilts:

Yvonne Renfree
Quilt No.694YR - Yvonne Renfree
One side of this wholcloth quilt is a single piece of cretonne or similar with a pattern of autumn leaves. The other side is patched pieces of curtaining. The padding is old clothing, mainly knits, tacked to random pieces of curtain material. The quilt is tacked together to hold all the padding in and machine stitched to the backing.
1850 x 1100mm
Wholecloth, Re-used clothing or blanket, Utilitarian, Typically Australian
Teona Smith
Quilt No.47TS - Teona Smith
Suffolk Puff or puff-ball quilt is made from scraps of dresses and pyjamas, mainly cottons, but also taffeta lining fabric, net, lurex, flocked organdie. The quilt is in bright clear colours, the fabric mostly in small prints, ginghams, different size spots, a few large prints, Chinese brocade, nylon. Puffs are 5cm across, and set 31 puffs across by 45 down. Puffs are squared off when whipstitched together, so corner holes are smaller than usual.
2180 x 1500mm
Patchwork, Suffolk Puff
Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery
Quilt No.818TMAG - Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery
Machine sewn reversible quilt. Side 1 is rectangles of men's suiting samples in mainly grey, navy and black, stripes and self patterns. Side 2 is men's suiting samples but also includes woollen rectangular pieces in plain blue and deep pink. There is a hand sewn binding of fine orange-brown wool. The padding is hessian and cotton.
1460 x 1100mm
Patchwork, Mosaic, Typically Australian, Domestic Wagga, Tailors' samples
The Pioneer Women's Hut
Quilt No.627PWH - The Pioneer Women's Hut
Cotton quilt in pattern commonly known as "Double Wedding Ring'. Probably an American McCall's pattern. Hand stitched, florals, checks and plain pieces. The backing is pink cotton. Scalloped edge.
2300 x 1880mm
Patchwork, Pieced Repeat Block
Yass & District Historical Society
Quilt No.357YHS - Yass & District Historical Society
Patchwork quilt made from diamond patches in the 'Cotton Box' pattern, in a wide variety of cotton fabrics, including plains, checks, stripes and florals. The patches have blotting paper templates. The quilt is edged with diamond shapes in a red floral cotton. The backing is of the same red floral pattern, featuring yellow, turquoise and white flowers and leaves. Hand sewn.
2135 x 2033mm
Patchwork, Mosaic, Diamond
The Pioneer Women's Hut
Quilt No.597PWH - The Pioneer Women's Hut
Continuous 'sleeve' of hand sewn small hexagons, many woollen, some joined, some darned, plain and patterned. Several bands of plain coloured hexagons. The padding is ticking, an old cream blanket and part of a bedspread.
1960 x 800mm
Patchwork, Mosaic, Hexagon