Quilt No.291PC - Patricia Cmielewski

Patricia Cmielewski
Owner: 
Patricia Cmielewski
Location: 
SA
Maker
Maker: 
Mary Ann Sly
Made in
AUSTRALIA SA
Date: 
1921 - 1940
Description: 
Crazy patchwork quilt made from silk and cotton fabrics, in patterns and plains, in bright colours. Patches are arranged around a central diamond shaped patch in yellow which is bordered with light blue. All seams are covered with featherstitch and herringbone stitch. Patches were stitched onto a calico backing. A recent calico backing ahs been added and dark blue binding attached to the edge. No padding.
1555 x 910mm
History: 

Made by Mrs Mary Ann Sly of Rendelsham, near Millicent (SA), probably in the 1930s. It was given to Mrs Cecilia Polkinghorne in the late 1930s. Now owned by Cecilia's daughter Mrs Patricia Cmielewski.

Story: 

"� For some years it was used on a grand-daughter's bed. I would think it would probably be called a Depression quilt as this was the period in which it was made and the materials are very varied. �
It was in generally good condition but had some damage to three silk fabrics which were replaced by new fabrics in October 1988 by a professional textile conservator � The quilt was lined with calico at this time also and the outer edges were bound. Velcro has been stitched to the lining so it can be hung up. ����..

Unfortunately there is not much recorded about Mrs Sly. She was Mary Ann Sly, wife of Henry Richard Sly and died at Millicent South Australia on 29/7/1959 aged 85 years. Her place of birth is unknown. Her husband, Henry, was employed by the South Australian Railways in the Far North of the State, and they came to Rendelsham in the South East of South Australia when he was transferred there by the Railways in 1914. Mr & Mrs Sly had three sons - Harold, who farmed in the Rendelsham district, Roy, who served in the RAAF in World War II, and Ernest, who was a painter.
Roy was a friend of our family and during his time in the RAAF in World War II he invented a potato-digger which the Army Inventions Directorate was developing to help the war effort. The war finished before it was in production and plans for its development were dropped."
[Patricia Cmielewski September 1999]

Related Quilts:

Billie Briggs
Hand pieced hexagon quilt in pattern known as 'Grandmother's Flower Garden". 12 hexagons, in patterned cottons, form the outer border of each flower with an inner border of 6 matching plain coloured hexagons and all flowers have a yellow hexagon centre. There is no padding, a cotton backing and it is hand quilted.
2400 x 1780mm.
Jeanette Marchant
Quilt of hand stitched cotton hexagon patches, the hexagons are in groups of 7 to form flowers, with white or cream 'paths'. The quilt centre has 19 flowers grouped within a single hexagon border of brown and red patches. In each corner of the quilt there are 6 flowers grouped around a larger flower within a single border of darker print hexagon patches. Backing is cream cotton, machine stitched to the top. There is no padding or quilting. Some fabric patches have deteriorated.
Elsie Roberts
Patchwork quilt has a centre of a square within a square, with rows of scraps added around it. The scraps are mainly cotton shirting fabrics and are cut in different sizes and shapes. The two long sides have a narrow red edging folded from the back. The other two sides have been 'bagged'. Filling is an unusual weave thought to be wool. Backing is a pink, red and beige floral cotton.
2080 x 1650mm
Alicia Murdoch
Cotton quilt entirely of hesagons. Some are formed into rostttes or flowers and have a print border of 12 hexagons, an inner circle of 6 hexagons in a plain colour and a yellow hexagon centre. The padding is cotton wool and the backing plain off white cotton.
2210 x 1430mm
Kaniva District Historical Society
Quilt of crocheted squares (sometimes known as Granny squares) in pinks, blues, greens and brown, with a green crocheted border edged in brown. Quilt is backed. A cot quilt or a knee rug.
Narelle Grieve
Silk quilt in diamonds with hexagon border. "Toward the edge of the quilt, the design of diamonds made into blocks offers an optical illusion, where the diamonds can be seen to form stars. The border is made up of these stars and half-diamonds, and the entire quilt is trimmed with lace and triangular flaps made of tiny hexagons." [extract unidentified magazine article supplied by quilt owner.]
The backing is maroon cotton. 1600 x 1600 mm.