Quilt No.440EW - Elizabeth Williams

Elizabeth Williams
Owner: 
Elizabeth Williams
Location: 
VIC Northern
Maker
Maker: 
Celia Aitken
Made in
AUSTRALIA VIC
Date: 
1941 - 1970
Description: 
Cotton quilt of plain and patterned hexagons, 6 joined to make a flower. The flowers are arranged in rows with single motifs filling the spaces. Hand sewn. The backing is heavy red cotton material. There is no padding.
2490 x 1803mm
History: 

The quilt was made by Mrs. Celia Aitken, aunt of the present owner, as a gift in the early 1960s. Mrs. Aitken, now deceased, made it when she lived in Berwick Victoria The quilt has been in constant use since it was made.

Story: 

"The maker of the quilt was the daughter of a pioneer family who farmed land out of Monbulk Victoria then were forced to move as their property became the site of the now Silvan dam. They then moved to a property at Trafalgar Vic where Celia Aitken met and married Jack Aitken also from a pioneering family."
[Elizabeth Williams 4.6.98]

Celia and Jack Aitken
Celia and Jack Aitken
The house where the quilt is kept and used
The house where the quilt is kept and used

Related Quilts:

National Gallery of Australia
"This quilt follows the traditional hexagon patchwork pieced pattern, which are then joined and sometimes edged with a contrasting border. The edges of the quilt have been turned and then scalloped edges made of identical patches to the main body of the quilt have been attached to the edge. The quilt is fully lined, and the lining is visible front the front face through the gaps between the scalloped edge. The lining is attached to the patchwork with a row of stitches along the edges; there are no stitches in the centre field. The fabrics of the quilt are plain weave cotton in simple floral and geometric designs. Most of the fabrics are monochromatic. Several different colour ways of the same fabric are evident which could suggest some fabrics were from manufacturer samples. The lining is a William Morris print.
Each of the patchwork pieces (there are several thousand present) are sewn together with very fine overcasting stitches. The quilt is entirely hand sewn. There is some evidence that templates from the hexagon pieces possibly blotting paper, remain in situ���The quilt is not padded or quilted. The lining is fine twill weave cotton printed in pink and pale purple. The design follows William Morris's 'Strawberry Thief design'." [NGA] 2075 x 1911mm
Annette Gero
This domestic Wagga is two layers of woollen army blankets with the top layer in rectangles joined in rows. The backing is hessian bags that originally contained meat meal.
11650 x 1130mm
Doncaster-Templestowe Historical Society
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2400 x 1500mm
Red Cliffs Historical Society
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2050 x 1530mm
Jindera Pioneer Museum
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11900 x 1870 mm