Quilt No.466MDH - Mildura and District Historical Society

Mildura and District Historical Society
Owner: 
Mildura and District Historical Society
Location: 
VIC Northern
Maker
Maker: 
Mildura CWA Members
Made in
AUSTRALIA VIC
Date: 
1921 - 1940
Description: 
Quilt of 2025 hexagons stitched together to form diamond patterns. Hand sewn using paper templates. Materials are cottons and plains typical of the thirties period. The backing is blue cotton and the quilt is bound with many rows of coloured bias binding through which is treaded window cord. There is no padding. The quilt is called 'Grandmothers' Flower Garden quilt'.
2439 x 1829mm
History: 

The quilt was made in the 1930s by the President and members of the Mildura C.W.A. In the 1970s it was donated to the Mildura and District Historical Society. It is now on permanent display at Langtree Hall, a folk museum of local history that is behind the Cottage in Walnut Avenue Mildura.

Story: 

This quilt was commenced in the 1930s by the members of the newly formed Mildura branch of the Country Women's Association. Mrs. Edie Lawn was the president. She did most of the assembling and was also a memebr of Mildura Branch of the Embroiderers' Guild. The quilt was completed in 1938 after which it was displayed on special occasions and was always used as a cover on the President's table at the monthly meetings.
Forty years later Alice Farmer, Secretary of the Mildura and District Historical Society, accepted the quilt on behalf of the Society. It was originally in the Historical Society's rooms in the old power house. It is now on permanent loan to Langtree Hall where it is displayed.

Related Quilts:

National Gallery of Australia
"The quilt consists of 12 blocks of crazy patchwork with an embroidered border. The quilt is made of 167 different fabrics; most of these are silk. These velvets, printed silks and satins are beautifully embroidered with flowers, household items and Kate Greenway images of children at play. Many of the motifs have a strong influence from the Aesthetic Movement. The edge of the quilt carries a border in maroon silk decorated with tendrils and daisies in very fine embroidery.
The patches are joined with hand sewing and embroidery, however the 12 panels are joined with machine stitching (chainstitch machine stitching). The blue silk lining was hand sewn into position with silk thread." [NGA]
"The quilt does consist of three layers but the central layer is not padding. The crazy patch pieces were sewn together and this was lined with white cotton fabric prior to the embroidery at the edges of the 12 panels being placed. This in turn was lined with a fine blue silk." [NGA] 1810 x 1460 mm
Barbara Levy
"The quilt is made up of many cotton hexagons of various colours, patterns and designs, finely sewn by hand, making a very attractive bedspread. Each patch is lined with lawn. It is quite a heavy quilt, with its plain border, and backing of home-spun cotton or cesarine. The family always called it a 'cottage design'."
No quilting.
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Sallie Cross
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Barbara McCabe
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Marion Coleman
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