Quilt No.380MR - Mary Robertson

Mary Robertson
Owner: 
Mary Robertson
Location: 
NSW Riverina
Maker
Maker: 
Unknown
Made in
ENGLAND
Date: 
1901 - 1920
Description: 
Suffolk puff quilt with each puff approximately 4cm x 4cm. The puffs are small squares rather than the more usual circles. Materials are mainly cottons and satins in a wide variety of colours and patterns. The backing is striped flannelette and is hand stitched to the top.
1660 x 1140mm
History: 

Brought from England by Lily Stormer pre 1920. Lily married and when she died in 1963 the quilt was found in her tin trunk. It then passed to her daughter Mary Robertson. It is not used now.

Story: 

Following the death of her parents in England Lily Stormer (1899-1963) came to Australia with her brother in 1920. She went first to Sydney and then to Junee where she worked as a house-maid. In 1927 she married and there were 7 children, 5 girls and 2 boys. Mary Robertson, the present owner of the quilt, is her daughter. Mary does not remember her Mother sewing.

Related Quilts:

Gloria Martin
Double sided quilt machine made from clothing scraps. Shapes are mainly rectangles in corduroy and wool blend. The padding is an old grey blanket.
1524 x 1372mm
Peter and Jan Newman
Suffolk Puff quilt with puffs mainly in patterned cotton pieces saved from 60 years of household sewing. Puffs are formed into rosettes and the holes are on the top making a decorative feature. It is hand sewn.
2700 x 2400mm.
National Gallery of Australia
" This is an unfinished section/piece of crazy quilting. Ribbons divide the piece horizontally into three sections; between these are bands of pastel fabrics and embroidery in the crazy quilt tradition. The fabrics and threads employed are very luxurious: laces, satin ribbons and silk velvets. The embroidery is very fine, employing a wide variety of stitches and threads. This patchwork piece is padded with cotton wadding and backed with tarlatan." [NGA] 1170 x 1020mm
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
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
Arlene Crane
Cotton patchwork quilt in double wedding ring pattern in pastel prints. Quilted in a design of geometric flowers. Padding is probably cotton wadding, backing is cream calico. 2270 x 1970 mm.