Quilt No.549JL - June Loewenthal

June Loewenthal
Owner: 
June Loewenthal
Location: 
NSW Sydney
Maker
Maker: 
Unknown
Made in
AUSTRALIA NSW
Date: 
1941 - 1970
Description: 
Hand made cotton quilt in repeat block with appliqued Iris pattern. It is a kit quilt. "The Iris, Design "R" of the 'Mountain Mist Series' of Quilt Patterns" from The Stearns & Foster Company, Lockland, Cincinnati, Ohio. Copyright 1930. The backing is cotton and the filling also.
2439 x 1981mm
History: 

The maker is unknown but is said to have been a Scandinavian woman. The present owner purchased the quilt at Tinker Tailor, a shop in the Sydney suburb of Pymble, in the 1950s. It was used as a bedspread at Roberton Park, Kirkham Road, Glengarry NSW an early stone house. It is now used sometimes in the owner's Sydney home.

Story: 

June Loewenthal recognised the pattern in a magazine many years after she had purchased the quilt. She then sent to America for it.
The pattern gives detailed instructions and figures for the block in actual size.
"The charm of this beautiful and unusual Iris Quilt lies in the natural treatment of the design. The finished quilt is a veritable garden of bloom in actual Iris colous!"
"MOUNTAIN MIST PATTERNS are obtainable only with the purchase of Mountain Mist Quilting Cotton. One pattern, (no choice of design), is furnished free with each bat purchased, and also a coupon good for one other pattern at a very low price."
[Extracts from "The Iris, Design 'R' of the "Mountain Mist Series' of Quilt Patterns"]

Related Quilts:

National Trust of Australia (TAS)
Small rectangular bed cover, probably child's or even doll's, made from rectangles of cream linen stitched together with hand sewn french seams. The top surface is decorated with small squares and rectangles of coloured silk, velvet, wool and cotton attached approximately 25mm apart, with 3 stitches in centre of patch to attach to background. Bright pink wool patches stand out.
935 x 635mm
Alicia Murdoch
Cotton quilt entirely of hesagons. Some are formed into rostttes or flowers and have a print border of 12 hexagons, an inner circle of 6 hexagons in a plain colour and a yellow hexagon centre. The padding is cotton wool and the backing plain off white cotton.
2210 x 1430mm
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.
National Trust of Australia (TAS)
Patchwork quilt of cotton hexagons in a random mix of colours and prints, the predominant colours being blue, red, green, light yellow and pastels. Patches hand sewn. There is no padding and the backing is a grey wool blanket. The top is machine stitched around the edge to the blanket.
1645 x 1060mm
Thelma Lithgow
Repeat block quilt top based on hexagons, each 350 mm diameter. Six hexagons and a centre one make a 'flower' and these are set in rows against a plain calico background. Patterned cotton fabrics are used for the hexagons, small prints, fine stripes and tiny flowers. As it is a quilt top only, there is no lining or padding. 2100 x 1800 mm
Joanne Pedler
Crazy patchwork cot quilt made from a wide variety of materials, patterned and plain. Some seams are overstitched with feather stitch and herringbone. One of a pair. There is no padding. The backing is taffeta.
1500 x 2000mm