Quilt No.984VD - Virginia DeFriest

Description:
One of a pair for twin beds. Frame quilt entirely in rectangles of squares radiating from small central rectangle. Alternating rows of plain and patterned cottons. All squares are on edge. Padding is cotton and backing is plain white muslin. 2220 x 1540 mm.
History:
The maker is unknown but it is thought the quilts were made in Arkansas USA. They were owned by Mr. and Mrs. Homer DeFriest and now by their daughter-in-law. Both quilts are still used and each is kept at the foot of the twin bed in the owner's home.
Story:
The quilts were given to the present owner and her husband in 1955 and went with them to the various countries in which James Ellis DeFriest worked: Kenya, Sierra Leone, New Zealand, Ghana and Australia.
Related Quilts:
"English patchwork pieces. 1110mm x 1500mm. Hand pieced by at least two people. Made from scraps, cut down clothing and sheeting. Backing made from shirtings, dress fabrics, furnishing fabric and ticking. No synthetics. Machine quilted. Condition, fragile�.." [Dubbo Museum]
The quilt consists of a central field within a main field within a narrow border a main border and then an outer border. The centre field consists of embroidered Prince of Wales feathers with 4 embroidered motifs, parrot, duck, open fan and 4 playing cards within an appliqued sunburst border. The quilt has many embroidered and appliqued motifs, some just abstract shapes, many with a Chinese Japanese theme. It is quilted and padded but the type of padding is unknown. The backing is red cotton sateen.
2280 x 2240mm
2280 x 2240mm
This double sided quilt has a centre frame with an appliqued circle feather stitched on. This is surrounded by blocks and strips of mainly rectangles. It is hand pieced. The other side is very broad strips of rectangles mainly in florals some the same as other florals in quilts in the collection. The padding is a cotton blanket and some pieced shapes
The circle motif is common to other quilts in the 'Craigmoor' collection.
1650 x 1500mm
The circle motif is common to other quilts in the 'Craigmoor' collection.
1650 x 1500mm
Utilitarian quilt made from large pieces of wool, flannel and cotton. Machine construction and the padding is wool.
1570 x 152Omm
1570 x 152Omm
Double sided quilt. One side is frame with borders of wool rectangles mainly offcuts of men's suiting from tailors' shops. The other side is mainly flannelette in stripes and patterns similar to pyjama material. The padding is pieced patches of worn jumpers that were too matted to be unpicked. Machine construction.
1700 x 1490mm
1700 x 1490mm
Almost square top made of military colour patches of woollen material machine sewn on to blanket pieces, then each piece hand stitched together. The top is a frame style with central group of patches in a star motif with colour patches set in borders around the centre. There is no padding and the backing is the blanket pieces.
2143 x 2090mm
2143 x 2090mm