Quilt No.583SC - Susanne Cody

Owner: 
Susanne Cody
Location: 
NSW South Coast
Maker
Maker: 
Olive May Snow
Made in
AUSTRALIA NSW
Date: 
1941 - 1970
Description: 
Quilt, machine construction using rectangles of mainly woollen materials with some corduroy and mohair. Initially 14 rows and then 2 rows added for extra warmth. 25mm bias cut yellow poplin binding. The padding is an old army blanket and the backing is printed cotton.
1500 x 1093mm
History: 

The quilt was made by Mrs. Olive May Snow (born Birch) in Goulburn NSW in the early 1950s. She gave it to her sister Lorna and it is now owned by Lorna's daughter Susanne Cody. It is not used now.

Story: 

" Olive Birch (married at 45 years) had always worked at the Singer Sewing Machine shop in Auburn St Goulburn. They had a button covering service and when customers came in to have their buttons covered Olive would carefully collect any spare scraps of fabric that were left over.
She then sewed them all together by machine and used one of my father's old army blankets for extra warmth. Upon its completion my father so admired it that Olive gave it to him as a gift.
It was always part of growing up - if we were sick or cold we were snuggled up in it- it was very much used and enjoyed - well washed and hence the patches have shrunk over the years.
Perhaps it was this cheery rug that began my love of and journey into patchwork. My aunty Olive bought my first sewing machine on completion of my HSC in 1967."

[Susanne Cody 6.11.99]

Olive Snow with the quilt 1998
Olive Snow with the quilt 1998

Related Quilts:

National Trust of Australia (WA)
Patchwork quilt in Grandmother's Flower Garden pattern, consisting of 7 patch rosettes with white 'paths'. Cotton dress and shirting materials have been used in blues, pinks, brown, turkey red and Prussian blue. The quilt is hand sewn and each hexagon is 25mm wide. The backing is cream twill cotton in three panels. There is a hand sewn binding in red/pink cotton. There is overall quilting in chevron or zigzag pattern.
2415 x 2110mm
Meg Orr
All over pattern of rows of hexagons with each unit made up of 4 hexagons each 45mm. Patterned and plain materials thought to date from the 1930s including cotton and linen dress materials, synthetics and synthetic crepe. It was an unfinished top and Meg Orr, the present owner, finished it by machine stitching some of the hexagon rosettes to the red twill background and stitching on a backing. There is no padding.
1740 x 1210mm.
Red Cliffs Historical Society
Log cabin pattern, each block dark and light strips. 4 blocks joined with dark strips to centre to make larger block. 30 large blocks and 2 sides with half blocks. Each block is machined on to calico. Materials include velvets, corduroys, interlock, taffetas and silver lame. There is a 170mm bottle green border and a single piece of mid brown synthetic for the backing. The padding is probably dacron.
2400 x 2100mm
Euroa Historical Society
Crazy patchwork quilt with patches of velvet, satin and silk joined in 12 blocks. Each seam is embroidered and many patches have embroidered flowers. There is a 140mm maroon velvet border. The backing is maroon silk. There is a sachet that belongs with the quilt.
1800 x 1400mm
Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery
Quilt has a centre panel of white velvet roses and green leaves with embroidered spider webs, on red velvet. Two side panels are in crazy patchwork in plain and patterned silks and velvets. All patches are edged with feather, herringbone or blanket stitch. Many patches are embroidered, including 'Minnie', 'Good Luck', birds, flowers, anchor, boat, fish, shell, spider web, crown,, 2 crossed flags, tennis racquets, Australian motifs including wattle. The centre panel has a row of ruched olive green ribbon each side and the whole quilt has a border of dark blue velvet. The padding is cotton wadding and the backing is cream cotton printed with red and pink chrysanthemums and green leaves.
2113 x 1995mm
Ruth Collins
Patchwork quilt of rectangular wool and cotton tailors' samples, in browns, greys, navy, black and beige, in plains and patterned weaves. Padding is a woollen blanket, and the backing is a patterned cotton.
1956 x 1702mm