Quilt No.495TD - Tess Davidson

Tess Davidson
Owner: 
Tess Davidson
Location: 
VIC North East
Maker
Maker: 
Teresa Blennett Hassett
Made in
AUSTRALIA VIC
Date: 
1921 - 1940
Description: 
Hand stitched quilt of suiting materials. Centre rectangle also suiting materials but arranged with a smaller scale, is edged with a cord of red fabric covering string. The outer red border has been renewed by the owner and closely matches the original. The backing is ticking. There is no padding.
2390 x 2110mm
History: 

This quilt was made by Mrs.Teresa Blennett Hassett (1876-1948) in Northern Victoria in 1940. It was made for her grand-daughter Tess when her first child was born. It is not used now.

Story: 

This is Tess's story. "My Grammie was born in 1876, died aged 72 buried in Devenist cemetery. She was Mrs.Teresa Blennett Hassett.
I was very young and always interested in her making this Wagga as she called it. The name seemed so strange to me, (why Wagga? I have never found out). Gran always was sewing, stitching by needle and thread, I never seen a sewing machine,ever. As children every Sunday we always went up to her farm, it was always delightful to my two elder sisters and myself at Devenish, Vic. Then she came to live in Benalla in the late forties, with my mother and our family. Now this is where the lovely story of the Wagga starts. She gave it to me, what a surprise to get such a lovely gift, she put it in my new baby's pram. I have always treasured it so much. Over the years, the red binding was getting tattered and not looked as I liked, then the problem began, how and where could I get red to match, it seemed such a big job to do and had to be all be needle and thread." [Tess Davidson 16.9.1999]

Rust marks on the quilt indicate it has been under a mattress and on top of the wire base of the bed at some time.

Teresa Blennett Hassett
Teresa Blennett Hassett
Tess Davidson 1998
Tess Davidson 1998

Related Quilts:

Mary Elizabeth (Beth) Burnett
Tumbling Block quilt made from pure silk ribbons, patterned and plain. The quilt edge follows the block shapes. The backing is polished cotton printed with flowers.
2743 x 2439mm
National Gallery of Australia
"A medallion or framed quilt in design. There is a central field of small patchwork diamonds, and from this radiates plain stripes of fabric bordering areas of patchwork panels. The edge of the quilt carries bands of red cotton, which are slightly larger at the top and bottom edges, and here the band is additionally decorated with appliqué diamonds. The fabric of the patchwork is cotton in fine plain weave of pale coloured florals and small geometric designs. The framing and border stripes are of bright red twill weave cotton. The small diamonds of the central field are hand sewn, with more use of machine stitching around the outer edge of the quilt.
The quilt is not padded. The patchwork is fully lined with a printed plain weave cotton fabric with a design commemorating Queen Victoria's Jubilee. The design is based on a repeated grid of circles. In the centre of each circle is a cameo of Queen Victoria, surrounded by images of the national flowers of England, Scotland and Ireland: the rose, the thistle and the shamrock. The edge of the front face of the quilt is trimmed with a red and white cotton braid." [NGA] 2380 x 2220mm
Ida Blenkiron
Patchwork knee rug made from maroon wool cut up from a garment into different sized rectangles. Pieced by hand, then all edges crocheted with coloured wool thread. The top was then machined and quilted to a pale blue wool backing. No padding.
1080 x 780mm
Margaret-Anne M Thomas
Cotton quilt hand pieced and hand quilted. Eigth pointed star on a white background. 7 rows of 7 stars with a 70mm border. There is a padding or interlining. The backing is plain off white cotton twill.
2040 x 2030mm
Win Adcock
The quilt on longer exists, just the label, but the quilt was squares of flannelette shirt material, velvets and woollen pieces. The backing was calico. The label was sewn to the backing and it reads: 'Red Cross Killarney Manitoba'. It is embroidered in red and is on a white piece of sheeting.
Ida Blenkiron
Patchwork quilt of square and rectangular patches, mainly in cotton fabrics, in plains and prints. Colours are predominantly yellow, pinks, blues and prints on white. Backing is the same except there is a piece of patterned curtaining material as a patch across the middle width. Padding is old blanketing.
1830 x 1140mm