Quilt No.3GW - Gladys V. Williams

Gladys V. Williams
Owner: 
Gladys V. Williams
Location: 
NSW Riverina
Maker
Maker: 
Gladys Williams
Made in
AUSTRALIA NSW
Patterms
Patchwork, Mosaic, Hexagon
Date: 
1921 - 1940
Description: 
Grandmother's Flower Garden, also known as French Bouquet. The quilt comprises 181 flowers. No padding is used. Each flower has seven hexagonal patches, cut from a metal template pattern. Floral and plain silk materials are used and mounted on pale blue moire taffeta.
3050 x 2031mm
History: 

Made by Gladys V. Williams who started the patchwork in 1937. The quilt completed in 1957. It won second prize in the Royal Sydney Show 1958, first prize Albury Spring Show 1958. The quilt is in regular use in summer months.

Story: 

"This quilt in the beginning was to be a cushion. I was visiting my parents in Launceston, Tasmania, Christmas 1936, when I acquired the first offcuts from my sister, who was a dressmaker, & was making Evening Gowns at the time.
We had two small sons, who were both asthmatics, and it was necessary to spend a lot of time with them. Our mother was an expert needlewoman and had passed on the interest to her daughters. From her Craft Books I became interested in Patchwork.
However, progress was slow and also there was the chase for the off cuts from different sources. When there was enough flowers for a cushion, I had the 'Bug' and kept on.
In 1939 the Second World War began and my husband enlisted in 1941. Before my marriage I was with the Commonwealth Public Service and was called back to work for War Years. So everything was packed away and stored.
The two boys were at school and as you may guess there was not very much spare time.
My husband was discharged September 1945 with War Disabilities, after service in the Middle East & Northern Aust. He took over the management of the family business, with which I was also involved. In 1948 a third son was born and it wasn't until the 1950's that I started up the Patchwork again.
The quilt was finally finished at the end of 1957. I have to thank my sister and many friends for the scraps of beautiful fabrics they collected for me.
I enjoy all kinds of needlework. At present I'm working on Textured Tapestry, using many of the 100 or so different stitches that are available. However, my real love is Hand Knitting and I always have a piece of knitting on the needles."
[Gladys Williams, NSW, 30.1.96]

Related Quilts:

National Trust of Australia (NSW)
Quilt No.886NTNW - National Trust of Australia (NSW)
" Double bed size coverlet made of white cotton 'blue bags' fabric (white cotton squares used to hold a measured amount of blueing agent used to keep linens white during the laundering process). Patches are sewn together in the 'Suffold Puff' style - a circle of fabric is gathered up to make a puff. Patches are joined by a few stitches on four sides. Coverlet is edged with a deep crochet fringe, to a depth of approx. 18cm on all four sides���On lining is written in black ink: 'C.Bleagard Baby Ken'. " [NT NSW]
2570 x 2380mm
Patchwork, Suffolk Puff
Euroa and District Historical Society
Quilt No.501EHS - Euroa and District Historical Society
Handsewn cotton hexagons in a wide variety of patterns. Centre oval of hexagons with 2 outer rings. There is no padding and the backing is white cotton.
2490 x 2200mm
Patchwork, Mosaic, Hexagon
National Trust of Australia (QLD)
Quilt No.115NTQ - National Trust of Australia (QLD)
Crazy patchwork quilt with mainly patterned pieces in a wide variety of designs and colours. Backing is wholecloth patterned cotton. The quilt is edged with a checked bias binding. Machine construction.
2299 x 1449mm
Patchwork, Pieced Random, Crazy
Sue Batzloff
Quilt No.328SB - Sue Batzloff
Patchwork quilt for a child made from suiting pieces from the Castlemaine Woollen Mills in Victoria. One side has dark rectangles in greys and navy, the other side uses pieces in light browns, cream and rust, with dark grey. The edging is also made from suiting. No padding Machine sewn.
1347 x 1271mm
Patchwork, Mosaic, Rectangle, Typically Australian, Tailors' samples
National Trust of Australia (WA)
Quilt No.949NTW - National Trust of Australia (WA)
Frame quilt of dress cottons, including some glazed cottons. The centre is 4 triangles pieced to make a rectangle. This is surrounded by a plain border, a border of triangles, plain border, triangles border, plain border, border of triangles pieced to form squares, square and triangle border, then rows of squares. The outer border is of glazed floral chintz with a brown background. The backing is cream linen pieced lengthways in 3 sections. There is no padding. It is quilted all over in a large clamshell pattern. The top is covered with netting.
2615 x 2280mm
Patchwork, Frame
Arapiles Historical Society Museum
Quilt No.183AHS - Arapiles Historical Society Museum
Patchwork quilt, reversible, with log cabin blocks on one side, with central red square in each block. Colours predominantly light greys, browns and pastels, and dark grey and blue. Reverse side is made of squares constructed from 2 triangles, in black, patterned pastels, pale blue and dark red. There is a black border along 2 edges on this side. It is quilted.
2058 x 1829mm
Patchwork, Pieced Repeat Block, Log Cabin, Pieced Random