Quilt No.985VD - 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:
Utilitarian quilt. The top and backing are machine pieced scraps of curtain material and clothing pieces. The centre is an old blanket and possibly clothing pieces.
2033 x 1525mm
2033 x 1525mm
Double sided patchwork quilt. Both sides have central frame surrounded by borders. Side 1 has diamond of squares set in a square frame 490mm. Borders are squares and triangles. Side 2 is central frame of squares on point surrounded by plain grey velvet border then marroon border. Materials are cottons, silks, velvet, crepe, rayons in a wide variety of colours and apperned and plain. Machine construction. No quilting. Padding is a cream wool blanket.
1440 x 1420mm
1440 x 1420mm
The top is machine pieced patches of used clothing. The backing is large pieces of dress materials and either end patches similar to the top. The padding is a chaff bag or similar with patches of worn, matted children's jumpers sewn directly on to it.
1400 x 1150mm
1400 x 1150mm
Quilt top of hexagonal patches in silk and velvet in colours of brown, black, soft green, maroon, light yellow and blue. Some materials self patterned. Blue backing papers can be seen at edges behind some patches.
One side of this quilt is large pieces of check and striped material surrounding a small patterned supper cloth with a border of scrap pieces. The other side is small, floral, check, spotted, striped and plain cotton pieces surrounding a tablecloth. It is machine sewn and is not quilted. The padding is an old woollen blanket.
1825 x 1625mm
1825 x 1625mm
Patchwork quilt made of 1 inch hand paper pieced hexagonal patches (English technique), with plain and floral patterned blue fabrics in clusters at regular intervals throughout the taupe coloured patches. Centre of quilt has a cluster or 'flower' of 4 rings of patches, the centre group embroidered in blue satin stitch: 'MW 1938'. Border consists of 3 rows of medium, light and dark blue hexagons. No padding. Backing is of blue cotton sateen.
2185 x 1372mm
2185 x 1372mm