Quilt No.696SM - Susan Mathews

Description:
Cotton quilt machine pieced from 64mm squares in blues, aqua and white, arranged in a straight furrows set. Machine quilted on the seam lines. The padding is cotton and the backing is cotton poplin. Bias binding has been used on the edges.
2260 x 1385mm
2260 x 1385mm
History:
The quilt was made by Elsie Roberts in Box Hill Melbourne around 1965. It was made for her daughter Susan when she was 12 or 13 and the colours were to go with the wallpaper that Susan had chosen for her new attic bedroom. Susan (Mathews) has always been the owner.
Story:
This was the first patchwork quilt Elsie Roberts made and was followed by an applique quilt made from a kit. After this she didn't make any until the mid 70s when her daughter was deeply involved in quilt making. Elsie then made quilts spasmodically until the early 90s when it became her main creative interest.
Related Quilts:
Quilt, single bed size, made from reused clothing roughly handstitched on to a backing of a wool/linen blanket type fabric in green, cream and brown stripes. Clothing is fronts and backs of old jumpers, vests etc as well as opened out sleeves in red, brown and grey. They are stitched together in several layers with long stitches. Another top may have been intended to cover the stitched down layers of clothing.
1500 x 1040mm
1500 x 1040mm
The top is mainly squares of flannel machined together with patches of dress materials stitched randomly on top. There is no padding and the backing is calico. The top and backing are held together by a binding only. It is one of a pair.
2010 x 1680mm
2010 x 1680mm
Quilt top, all cotton. Center frame is 600mm square of calico on to which is appliqued red material in an elaborate cut out design. Radiating rows of mainly red and blue triangles. Other materials include, white with abstract plants scattered across it, pink with pin print white dots, white and maroon herringbone with small white flowers with maroon leaf sprays spread 25mm apart. The border is a strip of red not hemmed but with selvedges on the long sides. The quilt is all hand sewn with small back stitch, running stitch and hemming.
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
1461mm x 687mm
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
2645 x 2615mm
Double sided quilt made from all wool worsted suiting samples. Machine construction. There is no padding.
1840 x 1330mm
1840 x 1330mm