Quilt No.450PS - Pat Stevenson

Pat Stevenson
Owner: 
Pat Stevenson
Location: 
VIC Melbourne
Maker
Maker: 
Elsa Beavis
Made in
AUSTRALIA VIC
Date: 
1941 - 1970
Description: 
Crazy patchwork stitched on to an old sheet. Machine constructed with 2 sides similar. It is made from left over dressmaking materials of the fifties. The 2 sides with cotton wadding in between are bound together with a 55mm pink and white gingham binding.
1803 x 1398mm
History: 

This quilt was made by Elsa Beavis in Melbourne for Pat Stevenson in 1958/59. It is still owned by Pat Stevenson and is still used.

Story: 

" Elsa Beavis was the needlework teacher in charge of the subject at Flemington Girls School in 1958 when I started teaching there in 1958. Elsa had made a similar quilt for another staff member and when requested agreed to make one for me.
I was to provide the materials. So I gathered fabrics left from my dressmaking, my students dressmaking, and pieces collected from my working time in the dress trade 1954 and 1955 at a sportswear and casual clothing factory. My mother provided the 2 old worn sheets that form the backing to the patchwork.
Elsa Beavis was a lady who did all types of needlework. I had done much embroidery but never met cross stitch and traditional forms of counted thread work, to which she introduced me.
Of a Norwegian extraction, she made exquisite traditional folk dress for dolls with the traditional decoration. Many prizes were won by her at the Royal Melbourne Show in the years I knew her.
She later married a widower and became Mrs. Elsa Williams, living at Gladysdale and teaching at a High School in Yarra Junction Victoria. Unfortunately I lost track of her, but I owe her a lot, as my mentor, to the wider world of textile arts."
[Pat Stevenson 14.3.98]

Related Quilts:

National Trust of Australia (NSW)
Utility quilt hand and machine sewn. The top has a centre frame of hand sewn hexagonal patches in a mix of dress materials and shirtings with four corner flowers and a roughly circular ring in red and blue stripe. The inner border has rectangular pieces in red/yellow/green/white hexagon printed material alternating with a blue/white spot. The outer border consists of large pieces of material, predominantly pink and blue stripes and checks. The backing is mainly red/white printed cotton. It is quilted all over in a diamond pattern. The padding is mainly flannel and has been made from another quilt.
1975 x 1675mm
National Trust of Australia (NSW)
Pieced patchwork quilt of hexagons in cottons, chintzes and linen. The centre is pieced in 6 point hexagon stars, then radiating out are large hexagons alternating with tumbling blocks, then 6 piece hexagon stars and 4 piece hexagon diamonds. Some pieces have Egyptian patterns dating from 1800 - 1805. The backing is cream linen.
2450 x 2200mm
Cobram Shire Historical Society
Patchwork quilt in Log Cabin pattern, arranged in 'furrows', and made from cottons, wool and suiting fabrics. Centres of blocks are pastel or dark; dark colours are black, brown, purple blue and red. Pastel side of blocks includes a bright pink. Quilt backing is pieced, with a centre rectangle of cotton surrounded by 5 borders of plain and alternate rectangular pieced strips, in wool and suiting fabrics. Colours are black, dark blue, brown, green, grey and pastels. Inner lining is of cotton pieces, to which the Log Cabin blocks have been machined.
1620 x 1360mm
Narryna Heritage Museum
Cotton quilt in 'Wedding Ring' pattern. Background material is calico type in cream and the rings are in pastel colours, yellow, pink, blue and green prints and plains. It is hand pieced and hand quilted and the edges of the quilt are scalloped and finished with a pale pink binding. The backing is cotton and the padding is cotton.
2200 x 1900mm
Tongarra Bicentennial Museum
Patchwork cot quilt top made from cotton hexagon patches, featuring a centre rosette with 7 rows of patches around it forming an elongated shape, with rosettes and patches randomly placed on the sides. Quilt has a border of triangles pieced to form squares. Cotton prints with over 50 different patterns. Colours are faded, with red and brown (may be faded green) and mostly pastels. Hand sewn using whip stitch. No padding or backing.
990 x 825mm
Kaniva District Historical Society
Patchwork quilt of hexagons in 'Grandmother's Flower Garden' pattern, consisting of a dark centre hexagon, a row of light patches, then a second row of dark patches in the same colour as the centre. Each group of patches or 'flower' is joined by white paths. Colours are predominantly red, blue, brown and pale or faded colours. Some fading; some dark colour fabrics have deteriorated. Backing. Hand sewn. Border of quilt and backing sewn edge to edge.
2236 x 1829mm