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:

Wangaratta Centre Quilters Inc
Irregularly patched from a variety of cotton dress prints, checks, plains and mattress ticking. 1920s and 30s fabrics. Both top and back are similar. Hessian padding. Originally two single quilts, now stitched together.
1850 x 1720mm
The Queensland Women's Historical Assoc.
Frame quilt in cotton with cotton backing. Centre square of floral chintz surrounded by 8 smaller squares with floral and probably Egyptian motifs. 4 surrounding frames of plain and patterned cotton in squares, diamonds and strips. Hand stitched and hand quilted. Has been used as a curtain and has metal rings attached to one edge.
3759 x 2286mm
Barbara McCabe
Patchwork quilt made from rectangles of mostly woollen fabrics sewn in strips and then stitched together. Fabrics left over from dressmaking projects. Machine stitched. Colours mainly green, purple, blue, pink, pastels, in plain, checks and spots. No padding or quilting. Lining is an old bedspread.
2200 x 1440mm
Mare Carter
Child's Patchwork quilt of pieced repeat blocks in red print and white cotton, in 'Bow Tie' pattern. Qult has cotton backing, and wool filling. Some patches are fraying. The quilt has 'Mary Lactitia Thompson' embroidered on it.
1905 x 1296mm
Margery Creek
Cotton quilt made in the USA. The pattern is 'Turkey Tracks'. It is machine pieced and very finely hand quilted. The backing is calico and the padding is cotton.
1880 x 1753mm
N.S.W. Parks and Wildlife Service
The top has a segmented circle in the centre surrounded by a border of small rectangles. The circle is featherstitched on to the background. Materials are wools and cottons and it is hand pieced. The other side appears to have been originally men's suiting materials strip pieced. It is now covered with a children's print in light cotton joined in long rectangles. The padding is coarse heavyweight cotton.
1410 x 1080mm