Quilt No.164MC - Marion Coleman

1626 x 1271mm
Made by the owner Marion Coleman in 1956 -1957, in Maffra (VIC). Used as a car rug, picnic rug, camp rug, bed blanket and knee rug.
"I made it about 1956-7 when I was only a new wife and mother, living in Maffra away from my family & friends who we had left in Melb. In those years housing was impossible to obtain in Melb. & my new husband liked working in the country, so we made our move (have never regretted it) but money was tight.
This Wagga quilt is still used but now more appreciated than it has been over the years. One of the first 'Time Payment' purchases we made was a PHOENIX sewing machine which did zigzag, had cams for fancy stitches, was a portable model semi industrial.
As money was tight, time was available and pure wool sample books had been given to me by my tailor maternal grand-father. I sewed them together, some smaller than other larger samples so making a sort of pattern - prob. so they would 'fit' together.
My g'father, a Scot, had his Tailor's shop in Glenfeerie Rd, Malvern, Vic. for many years. He made suits - jacket & trousers or jacket & skirts as ordered & fitted personally. I went to his shop on Sat. mornings to 'help' - probably my company was the only 'help'."
[Marion Coleman]
Related Quilts:
The coverlet is decorated with rows of pieced work surrounding appliquéd and embroidered scenes. A panel down the LHS of the quilt and a smaller panel lower RHS depict animals and floral images. In the centre RHS an elderly couple sit beneath a tree. In the upper left a bride and groom accompanied by three flower girls are showered with petals from a wicker basket carried by a very large angel. Glass beads, sequins and a button have been used to highlight the appliqué and embroidery.
As with all of Mary Jane Hannaford's quilts, the work is stitched by hand and quite crudely, but the naivety of the images is overwhelming with their charm." [NGA] The quilt is not padded or lined. 1950 x 1690mm
2180 x 1500mm
1620 x 1200mm
2300 x 1880mm
1960 x 800mm