Quilt No.701WR - Susan Shannon

Susan Shannon
Owner: 
Susan Shannon
Location: 
VIC Melbourne
Maker
Maker: 
Wendy Ritchie
Made in
AUSTRALIA VIC
Date: 
1941 - 1970
Description: 
This hand pieced and hand quilted hexagon quilt is in a pattern often called 'Grandmother's Flower Garden'. The background is white and there are concentric rows of double rosettes each with a yellow centre. The colours start in the centre of the quilt with pink and then follow the rainbow. Paper templates were used. The padding is cotton (American) and the backing is cotton floral poplin.
2360 x 1730mm
History: 

The quilt was made by Wendy Ritchie in 1966 in Melbourne for her daughter Susan Jane (now Shannon). Many of the cotton florals used were scraps left from dresses Wendy made for her daughters. Susan was born in 1961 and has always owned the quilt. It was on her bed from 1966 until 1978 when she left home and is not used now.

Story: 

"I (the maker of the quilt) embroidered from the first grade at school. Joined the Embroiderers Guild Vic in 1962. Served on the committee and was President from 1980-1983 inclusive. I have taught many techniques starting with English Patchwork in the late 1960s and including a variety of creative techniques in both design and painting/dyeing, machine embroidery and hand stitchery. I was born in Geelong in 1933."
[Wendy Ritchie Melbourne 9.10.00]

Quilt maker Wendy Ritchie 1960s
Quilt maker Wendy Ritchie 1960s
Susan Jane, for whom the quilt was made, 1964
Susan Jane, for whom the quilt was made, 1964

Related Quilts:

Narelle Grieve
Silk quilt in diamonds with hexagon border. "Toward the edge of the quilt, the design of diamonds made into blocks offers an optical illusion, where the diamonds can be seen to form stars. The border is made up of these stars and half-diamonds, and the entire quilt is trimmed with lace and triangular flaps made of tiny hexagons." [extract unidentified magazine article supplied by quilt owner.]
The backing is maroon cotton. 1600 x 1600 mm.
National Trust of Australia (SA)
Hand stitched unfinished crazy quilt with patches placed around a centre hexagon pieced in log cabin type strips. Materials are mainly silks and satins and pieces are mounted on grey cotton material. Seams are overstitched in herringbone stitch. 1520 x 760mm
Gwen Cordinglay
Patchwork quilt made from hexagon patches in silks and rayons, in pinks, blues, red, yellow mainly, with pastels. No padding. Bordered and backed with green satin.
1829 x 1372mm
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
Mary Robertson
Suffolk puff quilt with each puff approximately 4cm x 4cm. The puffs are small squares rather than the more usual circles. Materials are mainly cottons and satins in a wide variety of colours and patterns. The backing is striped flannelette and is hand stitched to the top.
1660 x 1140mm
Amanda Smith
Unfinished crazy parchwork quilt using a wide variety of mainly cotton scraps in patterns and plains. Machine sewn on to calico base.
1956 x 1677mm