Quilt No.347AL - Alice Lemon

Alice Lemon
Owner: 
Alice Lemon
Location: 
NSW Riverina
Maker
Maker: 
Vera Ellison
Made in
AUSTRALIA NSW
Date: 
1941 - 1970
Description: 
Patchwork quilt made from hexagon patches on one side, and squares and rectangles on the reverse. Cottons are used, mostly from dressmaking, in bright and light colours. The hexagons form an indented edge on all sides; on the back the rectangles have been cut at the edge to match the hexagon shapes. Hand sewn, the edge machine sewn.
No padding.
1551 x 1373mm
History: 

Made around 1958 by Vera Ellison, at the Wombat (NSW) Church Hall at meetings of the Anglican Church Women's Union. Owned by Alice Lemon.

Story: 

"The maker (Mrs Vera Ellison) was a true country woman rearing a large family & joined our Church group about 1956-58. I used to pick her up & take her to meetings. All our members took materials to make 'dilly bags' for missions. Any scraps too small were cut into shapes to make the quilt all hand stitched except the end pieces.
I lived in the country until five years ago and it was during these years that Mrs Vera Ellison was a neighbour (a country neighbour can be miles away). I would pick her up & take her to our meetings & Church. She was a gentle person & a great Sewer & cook. Each member would bring scraps of a frock they had made & each shape stitched together would remind Vera herself and other members of each other.
� The Wombat C.W.U. is no longer as most members have left the district or passed on to a higher life."
[Letter from Alice Lemon 1997]

Related Quilts:

Amanda Smith
Unfinished crazy parchwork quilt using a wide variety of mainly cotton scraps in patterns and plains. Machine sewn on to calico base.
1956 x 1677mm
Robyn Gallaway
Machine made cotton quilt with 100mm cotton squares placed diagonally with peaks running around the edge. The colours are mainly autiumn tones and the patterns include checks, tartans, florals, geometric and plains. Materials were scraps left over from sewing projects such as children's clothes. There is a matching valance.
The Pioneer Women's Hut
Machine constructed log cabin quilt using a wide variety of strips of used clothing including cottons, men's suitings and wools. Each square is about 250mm and arranged in the 'light and dark of the fire' variation of log cabin. There is no padding. The backing is brown twill with an orange pattern and is probably a replacement backing.
2180 x 1710mm
Margaret Wright
Crazy patchqork quilt, handsewn, composed of six large squares of patches in brocade, velvet and silk in random shapes and sizes. Patches are stitched to others by blanket stitch in yellow thread. Some patches have surface embroidery, e.g. a dragonfly, flowers, music notes, and names, 'Minnie', 'Loyetta' (house in Ballarat), 'Diana'. There are also five small cream bobbles. Colours are red, gold, brown, pinks, greens and blues. Padding is flannel, and quilt is backed and edged with maroon or burgundy ribbed silk.
1461mm x 687mm
National Trust of Australia (WA)
Patchwork top made of cottons, constructed with 5 by 5 rows of squared 8 point pieced stars alternating with white cross-shaped blocks (made from 4 pieces). On all sides are borders of half stars. The outer border is of rectangles of cotton prints appliquéd on to cotton to form a plaited pattern. The border only is backed with a band of cream cotton. All patches are whip stitched together.
2645 x 2615mm
Win Oliver
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