Wholecloth Quilt

History

This quilt was made by Clara May Pitt (1892-1985), daughter of Matilda Pitt, probably during the 1950s. It has always been in the family and Clara was the great aunt of the present owner, Helen Sparkman. It is not used now. "Clara made many quilts mainly during the 1950s and 1960s, not out of need but because of her love of patchwork. Her quilts were mainly hexagons and suffolk puffs. Clara was a single lady who had five nieces and a nephew and quite a number of great nieces and nephews. As each quilt was completed it was presented to a family member. These family members now cherish her gifts, even though all have often smiled and queried her fabric selection, placement, neatness and her continual use of white thread over the years. Clara was over 80 years of age when she made her last quilt (Hexagons of course) for a private museum."
[Helen Sparkman, December 2000]

Description

Wholecloth quilt mainly made from material with a green and yellow leaf pattern on a black background. This material was also used in another quilt. The backing has a large centre panel of checked material with panels either side of the leaf pattern from the top. The owner wrote that the uneven thickness of this quilt may indicate that old garments were used as 'batting' similar to her mother's (Matilda Pitt) quilts.
1520 x 850mm