Quilt No.454RCH - Red Cliffs Historical Society

Red Cliffs Historical Society
Owner: 
Red Cliffs Historical Society
Location: 
VIC Northern
Maker
Maker: 
Florence Beaton
Made in
AUSTRALIA VIC
Patterms
Patchwork, Pieced Repeat Block
Date: 
1941 - 1970
Description: 
Quilt with hexagons forming lozenge or honeycomb pattern. Predominantly greens and pinks in brocatelle (rayon brocade). All hand stitched. The backing is lime green rayon. The padding is probably dacron.
1800 x 1630mm
History: 

The quilt was made by Florence Beaton of Sunshine Farm in the 1950s or 1960s. It is now owned by the Red Cliffs Historical Society at Red Cliffs, Victoria. The society also has a fine collection of Florence and Clara's needlework.

Story: 

Florence (Flo) Beaton (born McNabb) 1920-1996 was the daughter of Clara and Frank McNabb who selected block 46 at Carwarp in the harsh mallee country of north western Victoria in 1913. They called it "Sunshine Farm". Florence was one of 4 childrten (3 boys). She recalled* that her Mother Clara once won a nail driving competition, was an expert with a shotgun, worked on the farm driving a team of horses, had a wonderful garden and was a fine needlewoman as was her mother Ellen before her. Flo carried on the needlework tradition of her mother and grandmother and was accomplished in many types of needlework including making quilts. Flo did not have any children.
*Ref: "A Woman's Work" By Florence Beaton. The story of a Mallee farmer's wife from 1913. Published by The Sunnyland Press, Red Cliffs 1985.

Related Quilts:

National Gallery of Australia
Quilt No.979NGA - National Gallery of Australia
" Reversible patchwork quilt of woollen suiting/upholstery fabrics in khaki, greys, blues and browns. Both sides have different designs. The front of the quilt has 13 rows of 12 vertical rectangles flanked on either side by a column of 22 horizontal rectangles. The reverse has a more interesting and complex design of small and very large rectangles, squares and triangles; with khaki contrasting with the duller greys and blues. The patchwork layers are joined at the edges with machine stitching and the quilt is machine quilted along 3 horizontal lines following joins in the patchwork; therefore not being totally straight. These lines are more noticeable on the reverse. The reverse face has been on display at the NGA." [NGA] There is a cotton blanket used as padding. 2054 x 1451mm
Patchwork, Mosaic, Rectangle, Typically Australian, Tailors' samples
The Pioneer Women's Hut
Quilt No.622PWH - The Pioneer Women's Hut
Patchwork top with a centre frame of a mauve cross outlined in black within a square bordered with pink. The rest of the top is rectangles and squares in a wide variety of materials. There is no padding. The backing is brown, possibly curtain material.
1910 x 1480mm
Patchwork, Frame
Margaret McMillan
Quilt No.571MM - Margaret McMillan
Cotton log cabin double bed quilt. Each square has 52 pieces (i.e. 13 pieces x 4 to make a square). There are 192 squares so a total of 10.092 pieces. There is probably no padding. The backing is calico with a floral pattern done in running stitch.
2200 x 2200mm
Patchwork, Pieced Repeat Block, Log Cabin, Pieced Random
Phyllis Dowling
Quilt No.550PD - Phyllis Dowling
Hand pieced cot quilt made from small rectangular shapes of a great variety of materials including cottons, silks, wools and velvets. The backing is cotton sateen in 3 colours and is brought to the front to form a border of pink, cream and yellow.
1170 x 920mm
Patchwork, Mosaic, Rectangle
Wangaratta Historical Society
Quilt No.488WHS - Wangaratta Historical Society
9 large blocks of crazy patchwork in silks and velvets. The blocks are divided by strips of deep ruby coloured silk. There is a wide ruby border with peaks to which is attached cream lace. The backing is beige silk. The main blocks are outlined with feather stitch in gold thread and many individual patches are outlined in fancy stitches and have embroidered motifs some of which are Australian eg centre patch has Sturt's Desert Pea flowers, parrots, wattle. There are also English flowers, Japanese motifs, flags, domestic objects and Marianne's initials. Embroidery is in a variety of threads including chenille.
2250 x 2180mm
Patchwork, Pieced Random, Crazy, Typically Australian
Robert O'Hara Burke Memorial Museum
Quilt No.470BMM - Robert O'Hara Burke Memorial Museum
Miniature crazy quilt either for a baby or a doll. Plain and patterned materials including velvet, satin, sateen and brocade. 4 patches are embroidered and the central patch has a hand painted flower. Each patch is embroidered around the edge with a variation of feather stitch. It has a brown binding and lace edge. The backing is twill cotton.
490 x 390mm
Patchwork, Pieced Random, Crazy