Quilt No.92JM - Jeanne Mims

Jeanne Mims
Owner: 
Jeanne Mims
Location: 
QLD South West
Maker
Maker: 
Nancy Melvina Kelso
Made in
USA
Date: 
1921 - 1940
Description: 
Quilt top is 35mm squares of white, pink, green and blue plain cotton set asymetrically within blue diamonds. The back is plain white cotton. Each square is hand quilted. There is a blue binding.
2591 x 2160mm
History: 

The quilt was made in Iowa or North Dakota in the 1920s by Nancy Melvina Kelso who was the great aunt (on the paternal side) of the present owner. It was brought to Australia in 1975 by Jeanne Mims Mother on one of her visits to their sheep property near Winton, Qld.

Story: 

The maker, Nancy Melvina Kelso, was born in 1874 in Wayne County, Iowa, and died in 1964 in the same place. She was one of 8 children of Daniel and Fannie Kelso. Nancy was the daughter who stayed at home to look after aged parents. In north Dakota she worked for many years as a secretary in a flour mill (Minot) and made quilts in her spare time.

The Kelso family c.1895. Nancy back row left.
The Kelso family c.1895. Nancy back row left.
Nancy Melvina Kelso c.1888
Nancy Melvina Kelso c.1888

Related Quilts:

Colleen Whitaker
Quilt top, all cotton. Center frame is 600mm square of calico on to which is appliqued red material in an elaborate cut out design. Radiating rows of mainly red and blue triangles. Other materials include, white with abstract plants scattered across it, pink with pin print white dots, white and maroon herringbone with small white flowers with maroon leaf sprays spread 25mm apart. The border is a strip of red not hemmed but with selvedges on the long sides. The quilt is all hand sewn with small back stitch, running stitch and hemming.
Fran Williams
Frame quilt with the centre frame featuring stars. These are English pieced and then appliqued on to the background using straight stitch on the machine. Borders are squares, rectangles and truangles. Mainly cottons. There is no padding. The backing is an old white bedspread similar to a Marcella.
1900 x 1930mm
Mare Carter
Patchwork quilt, all cotton including cotton padding. 'Tree of Life' pattern. All 'Trees' are on white squares and are red or blue. Alternating squares are fawn or white. Simple diagonal quilting. Hand stitched.
1880 x 1728mm
National Trust of Australia (NSW)
Quilt in frame style patchwork with applique and broderie Perse applique in printed cottons and linens with silk embroidery. The centre frame has an octagonal shape of floral printed material appliqued on to cream linen surrounded by pieced and appliqued triangles and sashing of printed cotton. Above the frame is embroidered in dull gold silk in cross stitch 'Mary Moxey 1818 Emma Tremlett Born Decr 16th 1837'. Outer borders are pieced and appliqued diamonds and hexagons separated by printed sashing. The quilt is backed with cream linen.
2405 x 2373mm
Lorna Calder
Patchwork quilt of multi coloured silks and brocades. Crazy patchwork borders, mainly rectangular fabrics pieced together in diagonal patterns, radiating from a central frame embroidered with flowers. Many pieces are extensively embroidered in a great variety of stitches and motifs; butterflies, sunflowers, cats, daffodils, crown, pawn broker's symbol, 'money to lend', 'good night', the initials of family members and 'mater 1890'. The quilt has a deep border of maroon sateen. There is no padding visible but it is possibly a blanket. The backing is green/gold silk with a self stripe with red cotton damask showing underneath, possibly an earlier backing.
2165 x 2165mm
Fleur Margaret Lehane
Unfinished cotton frame quilt. The centre square is 4 triangles and this is surrounded by a border of smaller triangles. Most of the other borders are of triangles in a wide variety of materials, printed and plain.
2286 x 1829mm