Quilt No.347AL - Alice Lemon

Alice Lemon
Owner: 
Alice Lemon
Location: 
NSW Riverina
Maker
Maker: 
Vera Ellison
Made in
AUSTRALIA NSW
Date: 
1941 - 1970
Description: 
Patchwork quilt made from hexagon patches on one side, and squares and rectangles on the reverse. Cottons are used, mostly from dressmaking, in bright and light colours. The hexagons form an indented edge on all sides; on the back the rectangles have been cut at the edge to match the hexagon shapes. Hand sewn, the edge machine sewn.
No padding.
1551 x 1373mm
History: 

Made around 1958 by Vera Ellison, at the Wombat (NSW) Church Hall at meetings of the Anglican Church Women's Union. Owned by Alice Lemon.

Story: 

"The maker (Mrs Vera Ellison) was a true country woman rearing a large family & joined our Church group about 1956-58. I used to pick her up & take her to meetings. All our members took materials to make 'dilly bags' for missions. Any scraps too small were cut into shapes to make the quilt all hand stitched except the end pieces.
I lived in the country until five years ago and it was during these years that Mrs Vera Ellison was a neighbour (a country neighbour can be miles away). I would pick her up & take her to our meetings & Church. She was a gentle person & a great Sewer & cook. Each member would bring scraps of a frock they had made & each shape stitched together would remind Vera herself and other members of each other.
� The Wombat C.W.U. is no longer as most members have left the district or passed on to a higher life."
[Letter from Alice Lemon 1997]

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
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
The Queensland Women's Historical Assoc.
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3759 x 2286mm
Friends of the Hawkesbury Art Society
Patchwork Quilt consisting of diamond shapes forming a Tumbling Block pattern. All cotton, mainly patterned pieces, with signs of blotting paper templates. Hand sewn. The outer border of patches consists of off-cuts from nurses' uniforms of the times as 2 of the maker's daughters were nurses. It is thought most other squares were probably from material samples from large city stores such as Anthony Horderns. Backing is red cotton in a paisley design.
2030 x 1890mm
Molly Palmer
Patchwork quilt with repeat blocks of Log Cabin pattern in cottons. One side of the square has blue fabrics, the other side has pink. Blocks are separated by a floral and a blue strip. The quilt is finished with a dark blue border on 2 sides, and a light and dark blue border on the other 2 sides. Dark blue binding around edge. Hand quilted with a cable pattern on the borders. Padding is probably synthetic. The quilt is backed.
Annette Gero,
Wholecloth quilt originally covered with cretonne and recovered with orange satin. Machine quilted. Padding of wool.
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