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:

Barbara McCabe
Patchwork quilt made from squares of cotton fabrics, from curtains, left over from dress making projects, and new fabrics. Colours are bright primaries and some pastels, prints are checks, florals, stripes and plain. Pieces were stitched together without any particular order. No padding or quilting. Backing is a cotton bedspread in turquoise and blue stripes.
2520 x 1600mm
National Trust of Australia (QLD)
Quilt made of tailors' swatches, machine constructed around a central frame that is mainly mid brown pieces. This is surrounded by rectangles of mainly charcoal greys and the outer border is navy blues. The backing is a heavy cotton with random green and cream and grey stripes.
1651 x 1220mm
N.S.W. Parks and Wildlife Service
This double sided quilt has a centre frame with an appliqued circle feather stitched on. This is surrounded by blocks and strips of mainly rectangles. It is hand pieced. The other side is very broad strips of rectangles mainly in florals some the same as other florals in quilts in the collection. The padding is a cotton blanket and some pieced shapes
The circle motif is common to other quilts in the 'Craigmoor' collection.
1650 x 1500mm
The Queensland Women's Historical Assoc.
Quilt top of plain, floral and printed cotton hexagons in a diamond pattern, separated by plain white hexagons. Hand written letters have been used as templates and some are still in position but the ink is faded and the writing now illegible. Tacking stitches are still in place.
3048 x 2210mm
Marion Coleman
Quilt made of Tailors' wool samples in stripes, checks and plain,, rectangles in different sizes machined together in strips. Colours are grey, navy, brown, light grey and cream. Lining or backing is of patterned cotton, in three layers as it has worn and been replaced. Machine and zigzag quilting.
1626 x 1271mm
Margery Smith
Patchwork quilt made from hexagons 63mm across in a variety of cotton prints and plains. The bright coloured patches came from children's clothes and dressmaking scraps. The 'set included a large cot cover, a pillow cover and a circular stool cover. No padding. Backing of unbleached calico. Hand sewn.
2300 x 1840mm