Quilt No.203WO - Win Oliver

Win Oliver
Owner: 
Win Oliver
Location: 
VIC Northern
Maker
Maker: 
Elizabeth Curnow
Made in
AUSTRALIA VIC
Patterms
Patchwork, Pieced Random, Crazy
Date: 
1851 - 1880
Description: 
Crazy patchwork quilt made from silk, brocade and velvet pieces, the seams covered with feather stitching in yellow silk. Fabrics are plain, and patterned with tartans, woven spots, stripes and floral brocade. Colours are rich, mainly red, pink, blue, green and cream. Quilt has a patterned velvet or velour border with urns and flowers in pale olive green and black, edged with a fringe in these colours.
1090 x 1040mm
History: 

Made by Elizabeth Curnow (born Paynter) between 1855-1900, at Yarra St, Geelong (VIC). Owned by her daughter Ada Cox, then in succession Elsie Burrage (Elizabeth's grand-daughter), Winifred Burrage (Elizabeth's great grand-daughter) and Winifred Oliver (Elizabeth's great great grand-daughter), the current owner.

Story: 

"Elizabeth Curnow was born in 1827 and travelled to Australia in 1852, leaving St Ives, in Cornwall, England. She had been married at 18 to William Edward Curnow. When they left England they had 2 little girls, aged 6 and 4.
On the 5 month voyage she taught William to read and write, so that on arrival in Australia he was able to sign his name and state his trade and religion etc. Also on the long trip, Elizabeth completed a tapestry which remains in the family today.
When the ship arrived near Geelong on Christmas Eve, William went ashore. Upon returning, he commented 'I think we're in for some excitement, Ma.' - there had been shooting at the hotel he had visited.
William Curnow set up as a shipsmith near the docks in Geelong, moving to live in Yarra Street, where he and Elizabeth lived for the rest of their lives. Elizabeth had 10 children, with only 6 surviving to grow up - 2 boys and 4 girls. One grandson, Percy Curnow, was an original Anzac, who lived to return.
Elizabeth Curnow practised crafts from an early age. When a little girl, as a compulsory duty, she had to spend a certain amount of time each day knitting. All through her life she continued her craft work until she died in 1916, leaving tapestry and fine lace work as well as quilting, to her descendants."
[Win Oliver]

Elizabeth Curnow
Elizabeth Curnow
l to r: Elizabeth, Marion Hunter, Elizabeth Ayres, May Hunter
l to r: Elizabeth, Marion Hunter, Elizabeth Ayres, May Hunter
l.to r. Isobel Cox, Ada & Ben Curnow, Elizabeth Curnow, Elsie Cox
l.to r. Isobel Cox, Ada & Ben Curnow, Elizabeth Curnow, Elsie Cox

Related Quilts:

Fiona Gavens
Quilt No.1009FG - Fiona Gavens
Hexagon quilt constructed over papers; all seams oversewn with featherstitch embroidery. Materials are vyella and clydella scraps from childhood dresses of the maker's first four children, augmented with scraps from a dressmaker and a book of samples. There is no padding; backing is plain, pale blue, brushed cotton.
2200 x 1720 mm.
Patchwork, Mosaic, Hexagon
Gillian Sullivan
Quilt No.86GS - Gillian Sullivan
Quilt made of 9120 very small Suffolk Puffs, each one about the size of a 20 cent piece. "Each piece backed and the front of it drawn up like a reticule. It was not backed and was rather fragile, so I backed it on to a sheet, as it was heavy and in danger of tearing when lifted." [Gillian Sullivan]
2360 x 2230 mm
Patchwork, Suffolk Puff
June Johnson
Quilt No.1041JJ - June Johnson
Hand sewn cotton cot quilt with pattern of red and white lozenge shaped hexagons measuring approximately 65mm from top to bottom. A centre flower is constructed from 2 circles of 19 hexagons in red and white. This is surrounded by 8 smaller hexagon flowers. Additional single red hexagons are scattered at random on the white background around the rows of flowers. The quilt is not quilted or tied but is attached at all 4 edges. Writing on the back of the quilt (probably added later) reads "Made by Sarah Hodge, Newport, Wales UK for her first child John." There is no padding and the backing is white cotton. 1000 x 1250 mm.
Patchwork, Mosaic, Hexagon
National Gallery of Australia
Quilt No.977NGA - National Gallery of Australia
" A wide range of cotton fabrics have been used to make this quilt in the traditional log cabin style. The strips of the log cabin are joined by rows being hand sewn onto a small square backing fabric, each square of strips has then been hand sewn together to form the quilt. The work is backed with a sateen printed fabric decorated with paisley design. A strip of the lining trims the edge of the front face of the quilt. The lining is attached with machine stitching. There are numerous tacking stitches that remain in the front face of the quilt. There are approx 9000 pieces in the quilt, most being only 5mm in width.
The quilt is of three layers because the strips of the log cabin are attached to a backing piece, and then the quilt is lined; however it is not padded." [NGA]
Patchwork, Pieced Repeat Block, Log Cabin
Virginia Solomon
Quilt No.492VS - Virginia Solomon
Log Cabin quilt featuring centre square and 3 outer borders. Evidence of later repairs and additions by machine and hand sewing. There is white paint on it. The log cabin pieces are sewn on to black netting. There is no padding and the backing is a centre piece of gold damask/sateen and green and black sateen borders.
1728 x 1321mm
Patchwork, Pieced Repeat Block, Log Cabin, Pieced Random
National Trust of Australia (NSW)
Quilt No.886NTNW - National Trust of Australia (NSW)
" Double bed size coverlet made of white cotton 'blue bags' fabric (white cotton squares used to hold a measured amount of blueing agent used to keep linens white during the laundering process). Patches are sewn together in the 'Suffold Puff' style - a circle of fabric is gathered up to make a puff. Patches are joined by a few stitches on four sides. Coverlet is edged with a deep crochet fringe, to a depth of approx. 18cm on all four sides���On lining is written in black ink: 'C.Bleagard Baby Ken'. " [NT NSW]
2570 x 2380mm
Patchwork, Suffolk Puff