Quilt No.182RF - Ruth Flett

Ruth Flett
Owner: 
Ruth Flett
Location: 
VIC Melbourne
Maker
Maker: 
Lilian Boulton
Made in
AUSTRALIA NSW
Date: 
1921 - 1940
Description: 
Quilt is made of wool tailors' samples, each measuring 6 x 3 1/2 inches. The colours are predominantly navy and grey. Most pieces are striped but some more distinctly than others. Both sides are mad eof smaples, one side being mainly grey and the other almost exclusively navy. There doesn't seem to be another layer of material as padding. There is no added decoration. Made on a treadle sewing machine.
1703 x 1423mm
History: 

Made by Mrs Lilian Boulton, Condobolin (NSW). Owned by her daughter Ruth Fleet.

Story: 

"My mother was born on 11/12/1896 so would have been 100 years old this year. She was a keen needlewoman & enjoyed competition in local shows etc."
Letter from Ruth Fleet:
"You ask whether the quilt was in general use on beds in the house at Condobolin - I think it was used more as an optional extra, & is in very good condition. As to where my mother got the tailor's samples - as I recall it she found them in a strange old shop in Condobolin - known as Old Bill's Junk Shop to all and sundry. She was quite excited at her discovery & had plans for it at once. It was a time of 'make do'. There was always a section in the local show schedule for the best article made from a sugar bag!"

Mrs. Lilian Boulton
Mrs. Lilian Boulton
House in Condoblin
House in Condoblin

Related Quilts:

Nancy Stinson
The padding consists of layers of pieced used clothing including; part of machine knitted child's wool dress (Nancy had this when she was 3 or 4); part of father's cardigan; parts of 'neck to knee' bathers in light green and dark green wool. The padding is all hand pieced and machined around the edge. There have been 2 wholecloth cotton covers to this quilt. It is one of a pair.
1870 x 1020mm
Dianne Thompson
Patchwork quilt made from Suffolk Puffs in a mixture of bright and pastel prints and plains, mainly in cotton materials. Hand sewn. No padding or backing.
1630 x 1440mm
Leila Craig
Patchwork quilt of hexagon patches in a variety of colours and fabrics, including cottons, wool, lace, nylon. Edging is of yellow cotton. It is backed but there is no filling or padding.
2470 x 2100mm
Greg Davies
Patchwork quilt, log cabin with central patch plus 2 logs. Many different materials from 1950s and 1960s. Machine pieced. The padding is a woollen blanket and the backing is a flannelette sheet. The quilt is tied with yellow cotton at each corner.
2170 x 1880mm
Lurline Lydiard
Unfinished crazy patchwork quilt. Materials are mainly silk, velvet, woven ribbons, woven brocades. Hand embroidery using many different stitches also machine embroidery eg frog. Some individual patches have names, initials, dates probably relating to family members. There are also place names several of which may refer to Australia. Apart from the embroidery on individual patches there are overlaid a number of floral displays across parts of the quilt. Backing is flannelette with selvedges of blue and pink. 1300 x 1300mm
National Trust of Australia (NSW)
The body of this quilt is hexagons. This centre piece is surrounded by an applique border of birds and flowers and donkeys on see-saws. The flowers have been elaborately pieced from a great variety of materials. Some of the birds have pres studs for eyes.