Sara Dreyer wat hierdie kwilt gemaak het, is gebôre in 1768 en oorlede op 21 Oktober 1850. (Vir haar volledige stamboom, sien die skakel onderaan.) Haar ouers Thomas Dreyer en moeder Christina (Frank) Dreyer was die eerste eienaars van die plaas Dreyersdal aan die voetenend van Constantia in Kaapstad. Die oorspronklike opstal is vandag nog in takt en word uitgehuur aan besighede.
https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Dre%C3%BFer-634
Sara is op 2 Mei 1790 getroud met Jan Albertus Munnik. Dit is nie bekend hoeveel kinders hulle gehad het nie, maar wel dat hulle dogter, Christina (Munnik) Hertzog die ouma was van Genl. JBM Hertzog.
Die kwilt is gemaak van effe satyn, brokaat, damas en skadutafsy. Waarskynlik was die brokaat, gebruik in die middel en op die hoeke, afkomstig uit tabberts van haar moeder. Sara het geen susters gehad nie en het waarskynlik ook sysakdoekies van vriendinne of ander familie geky om die blommetjies in die middel van die ster te vorm.
Die kwilt is uitgelê in die vorm van ’n ruit om die middelstuk. Sy het afwisselend donker en ligte rye gemaak. Van elke ster is daar (waar moontlik) vier van gemaak, wat dan in elke kwart herhaal is. Die vlieër is soms ook weer onderverdeel. Die grote van die heksagoon se synaat is ’n ¾ duim. Sy het interessant ook “fussy cut” toegepas op party van die vlieërs.
Na vermoede, is die rand van skadytafsy later van tyd aangesit. Die kwilt is nie gevul en deurgestik nie, maar eintlik net ’n “Coverlet”. Dit is in ’n goeie toestand en is te sien in die Drostdymuseum in Swellendam (indien vooraf gereël).
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Sara Dreyer, who made this quilt, was born in 1768 and passed away on 21 October 1850. (For her full family tree, see link below). Her parents, Thomas Dreyer and Christina (Frank) Dreyer were the first owners of the farm Dreyersdal, at the foot of Constantia in Cape Town. Today the original farmhouse is a monument and is rented out to businesses.
https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Dre%C3%BFer-634
Sara married Jan Albertus Munnik on the 2nd of May 1790. We do not know how many children they had, but we do know that her daughter Cristina (Munnik) Hertzog was the grandmother of Genl. JBM Hertzog.
The quilt is made of satin, brocade, damask and shaded taffeta. The brocade in the quilt centre was probably left-over pieces from Sara’s mom’s dresses. The embroidered flowers used in the hexagons of the pattern came from silk handkerchiefs. She must have sourced these from friends and family!
The quilt is laid out in the form of a diamond around the centrepiece. She alternated dark and light rows, making four of each star (where possible), repeated in each quarter. The kite is sometimes subdivided again. The size of the hexagon’s side seam is 3/4 inch. She also interestingly applied fussy cutting to some of the kites. Hexagons were used in quilts for the first time at the end of the 17th Century, showing people were up to date at the Cape of Good Hope!
The quilt’s edge of taffeta was probably added later. The quilt is not filled and stitched but is essentially a coverlet. It is in good condition and can be seen in the Drostdy Museum in Swellendam with prior arrangement. It will also be on show at the 2022 National Quilt Festival.
Address:18 Swellengrebel Street, Swellendam, 6740, South Africa
Tel. No:+27 (0)28 514 1138
Fax No:+27 (0)28 514 2675
Email:info@drostdymuseum.com