Quilt No.265NPW - National Parks & Wildlife Service of SA

National Parks & Wildlife Service of SA
Owner: 
National Parks & Wildlife Service of SA
Location: 
SA Country
Maker
Maker: 
Louisa Fanny Catt
Made in
AUSTRALIA SA
Date: 
1881 - 1900
Description: 
Patchwork quilt of square and lozenge patches of silk, taffeta and ribbed silk patches in purples, greens, blues and reds, and pastels, in brocades, stripes, checks and plains. The block pattern is four lozenge patches around a centre square patch. A group of these patches in the dark bright colours form a central diamond, with pastel groups around. The darker colours are used to form the border of 'square' patches. Hand sewn, machine quilted. Backing of [silk], padding is cotton.
2450 x 2100mm
History: 

Believed to have been made by Louisa Fanny Catt (1841 - 1930), of Meadows (SA) around 1887. Previously owned by Mrs Catt's grand-daughter, Mrs J. Steuart, who donated it to Old Government House, Belair National Park (SA). Owned by the National Parks & Wildlife Service of SA, at Old Government House, Belair National Park. Displayed at Old Government House.

Story: 

The pattern appeared in 1882 in Caulfield's 'Dictionary of Needlework', as Pattern Mosaics 4.
The quilt was made for the Adelaide Jubilee Exhibition of 1887. As one of her 12 children owned a drapery shop, the fabrics may have come from there.
[More information available from the Display Co-ordinator, Friends of Old Government House, Box 2, Belair SA 5052]

Related Quilts:

Art Gallery of South Australia
Patchwork quilt in the Tumbling Block pattern in light and dark silks in bright colours. On both sides and at the bottom is a wide border in Tumbling Blocks, the pattern vertical at the sides and forming a triangle centre bottom, with an edge on both sides of two black bands with pieced diamonds between. Made for a poster bed. Hand sewn.
1790 x 1750mm
Bev Johnston
Patchwork quilt made from squares and rectangles of pink, blue and white fabric set with a frame of pink and white print around a centre rectangle made of 4 pink triangles. Four corner squares of blue and white stripes, Many squares are pieced from smaller scraps. The Material is a crepe type, possibly used for underwear. Handsewn and machined. Backing is made from cotton scraps, possibly lawn or similar. Padding is flanellete or similar. Edges are bound in a striped material. Quilt shows signs of wear.
620mm x 520mm
Margery Smith
Patchwork quilt made from hexagons 63mm across in a variety of cotton prints and plains. The bright coloured patches came from children's clothes and dressmaking scraps. The 'set included a large cot cover, a pillow cover and a circular stool cover. No padding. Backing of unbleached calico. Hand sewn.
2300 x 1840mm
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.
National Trust of Australia (VIC)
Double sided patchwork quilt. One side has small 'Tumbling Block' pattern. The other side has larger pattern of pieced stars. It is made of silks, some printed, some solid colours mainly blues, greens cream and black. There is no padding.
2100 x 1800mm
Shelley Cameron
Cotton scrap quilt with shapes of squares and diamonds and strips. There is no padding and the backing is calico.
2125 x 1440mm