Quilt No.651TRM - The Temora Rural Museum

The Temora Rural Museum
Owner: 
The Temora Rural Museum
Location: 
NSW Riverina
Maker
Maker: 
Sylvia Schleibs
Made in
AUSTRALIA NSW
Date: 
1941 - 1970
Description: 
All cotton hexagon quilt using a wide variety of colours and patterns. The hexagons were hand stitched by Sylvia Schleibs in the same style she and her daughter, Norma Gilchrist, had previously made 3 hexagon quilts. There is a calico border and backing.
2000 x 1450mm
History: 

This quilt was part made by Sylvia Schleibs in the Temora district NSW in the 1960s. In 1981 Sylvia's daughter, Norma Gilchrist, gave the hexagons to the Temora Rural Museum and in 1996 Marj Brown (the curator) completed the quilt by stitching the hexagons together and adding a calico border and backing.

Story: 

Sylvia Schleibs was a typical farmer's wife with many interests and commitments including milking the cows and tending a large flock of chooks. She sold butter and eggs and violets, sewed, was a good cook and was practical and thrifty. She and Norma (daughter) only made hexagon quilts.
Marj Brown grew up on a farm and also married a farmer. Her interest in needlework was a great help to her in making her own and the children's clothes. She retired to Temora in 1982 where she became interested in the Rural Museum and became curator in September 1995. Her knowledge of needlework was a great help to her in repairing and finishing articles that were in storage. She likes doing tatting, crochet, knitting and embroidery of all types.

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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