Quilt No.3GW - Gladys V. Williams

Gladys V. Williams
Owner: 
Gladys V. Williams
Location: 
NSW Riverina
Maker
Maker: 
Gladys Williams
Made in
AUSTRALIA NSW
Patterms
Patchwork, Mosaic, Hexagon
Date: 
1921 - 1940
Description: 
Grandmother's Flower Garden, also known as French Bouquet. The quilt comprises 181 flowers. No padding is used. Each flower has seven hexagonal patches, cut from a metal template pattern. Floral and plain silk materials are used and mounted on pale blue moire taffeta.
3050 x 2031mm
History: 

Made by Gladys V. Williams who started the patchwork in 1937. The quilt completed in 1957. It won second prize in the Royal Sydney Show 1958, first prize Albury Spring Show 1958. The quilt is in regular use in summer months.

Story: 

"This quilt in the beginning was to be a cushion. I was visiting my parents in Launceston, Tasmania, Christmas 1936, when I acquired the first offcuts from my sister, who was a dressmaker, & was making Evening Gowns at the time.
We had two small sons, who were both asthmatics, and it was necessary to spend a lot of time with them. Our mother was an expert needlewoman and had passed on the interest to her daughters. From her Craft Books I became interested in Patchwork.
However, progress was slow and also there was the chase for the off cuts from different sources. When there was enough flowers for a cushion, I had the 'Bug' and kept on.
In 1939 the Second World War began and my husband enlisted in 1941. Before my marriage I was with the Commonwealth Public Service and was called back to work for War Years. So everything was packed away and stored.
The two boys were at school and as you may guess there was not very much spare time.
My husband was discharged September 1945 with War Disabilities, after service in the Middle East & Northern Aust. He took over the management of the family business, with which I was also involved. In 1948 a third son was born and it wasn't until the 1950's that I started up the Patchwork again.
The quilt was finally finished at the end of 1957. I have to thank my sister and many friends for the scraps of beautiful fabrics they collected for me.
I enjoy all kinds of needlework. At present I'm working on Textured Tapestry, using many of the 100 or so different stitches that are available. However, my real love is Hand Knitting and I always have a piece of knitting on the needles."
[Gladys Williams, NSW, 30.1.96]

Related Quilts:

Arlene Crane
Quilt No.1013AC - 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.
Patchwork, Pieced Repeat Block
Marion Coleman
Quilt No.164MC - Marion Coleman
Quilt made of Tailors' wool samples in stripes, checks and plain,, rectangles in different sizes machined together in strips. Colours are grey, navy, brown, light grey and cream. Lining or backing is of patterned cotton, in three layers as it has worn and been replaced. Machine and zigzag quilting.
1626 x 1271mm
Patchwork, Mosaic, Rectangle, Typically Australian, Tailors' samples
Alyce Wright
Quilt No.426AW - Alyce Wright
Cotton scrap quilt in a pattern known as 'Grandmothers Fan'. It is hand quilted. The padding is hand carded cotton and the backing is muslin.
2235 x 1880mm
Patchwork, Pieced Repeat Block
Griffith Pioneer Park Museum
Quilt No.351GPM - Griffith Pioneer Park Museum
Patchwork quilt made from hexagon patches of cotton, silk, brocade, sateen and wool. Some silk patches are individually lined. Colours are mainly red, blues, purple, black, yellow and brown, with some pastels. Many silk patches have disintegrated, showing the paper templates. Quilt has a brown cotton inner lining, then a blue cotton backing, and is edged on the reverse with checked silk. Hand sewn by more than one person: one experienced sewer, one not so experienced.
1370 x 1170mm
Patchwork, Mosaic, Hexagon, Typically Australian, Tailors' samples
Mare Carter
Quilt No.62MC - Mare Carter
Patchwork quilt. All cotton with cotton filling. Entirely made of hexagons, patterned and plain. 6 hexagons surround a central one. Colours, red, blue, yellow and white. Hnad stitched and hand quilted.
2108 x 1702mm
Patchwork, Mosaic, Hexagon
National Museum of Australia
Quilt No.891NMA - National Museum of Australia
A 'Farm Life Quilt' made from alternate squares of beige linen and brightly coloured cotton headcloth. The coloured squares are farm animals and birds in a variety of embroidery stitches. The beige squares have a cornucopia design embroidered in dark brown stem stitch. There is a wide border front and back of beige linen. The backing is brown and white check cotton. There is no padding.
Patchwork, Pieced Repeat Block