Quilt No.734MF - Maria Finlayson

Maria Finlayson
Owner: 
Maria Finlayson
Location: 
NSW Sydney
Maker
Maker: 
Margaret Smith
Made in
AUSTRALIA Sydney
Patterms
Patchwork, Pieced Random, Crazy
Date: 
1921 - 1940
Description: 
Crazy patch with frame centre set on point; worked in silks. Surrounding area pieced mainly in velvets and corduroys, with some more silks. A wide border of bright turquoise corduroy. Seams are covered with feather stitch. Quilt includes boy sout badge, union jack badge, Indian type medallion and initials 'IOR' in metallic thread. There is no padding and it is backed with green gingham.
1730 x 1325mm
History: 

The quilt was made by Margaret Smith (1857-1950) probably in Sydney and probably in the 1920s or 1930s. The quilt was owned in the past by Victoria Caines (maker's daughter) then Walter and June Caines (maker's grandson) and now Maria Finlayson, great-grand-daughter of the maker.

Story: 

"My Father (maker's grandson) was in the Boyt Scouts, so I suspect the Scout badge on the quilt was his. Margaret Smith was the generation that was devoted to the royal family and thought of England as the Mother country, though they were born and bred in Australia and had never been there. This could explain the union jack.
She had a hard life. She returned to Australia with her only child (my grandmother) after some time in New Zealand. Her husband was supposed to meet her on the wharf but her didn't show up and was never heard of again. She worked as a cleaner to support herself and her daughter. She was a strict Methodist and a very gentle person. My father had very fond memories of his tiny grandmother."
[Maria Finlayson 28.4.00]

Margaret Smith c.1940
Margaret Smith c.1940

Related Quilts:

Josephine Curtis
Quilt No.1006JC - Josephine Curtis
Taylor's sample quilt made from men's suit swatches, mainly greys and blues. Edging is 6cms wide, of blue flannelette. Padding is an old grey blanket, and the backing is of printed pattern corduroy. 1680 x 920 mm.
Patchwork, Mosaic, Rectangle, Typically Australian, Tailors' samples
Joyce Lannin
Quilt No.1029JL - Joyce Lannin
The centre of the quilt is a small blue 6 pointed star surrounded by a larger blue star. Blue stars also form a border to the quilt. The background material is a multicoloured small floral pattern on white cotton. The quilt is all hand worked over templates. The padding is cotton and the backing is polyester sheeting with a border of stars.
2650 x 2475 mm
Patchwork, Pieced Random
Joyce Lannin
Quilt No.1028JL - Joyce Lannin
Machine stitched quilt made from tailors' samples cut into squares. The colours are mainly greys, browns and fawns. There is no padding and the backing is a grey herringbone heavy woollen material with a white fleck. This is folded back to the front to make a 75mm border and finished with a dark grey braid where it meets the patchwork top. 1525 x 1225mm
Patchwork, Mosaic, Square, Typically Australian, Tailors' samples
Red Cliffs Historical Society
Quilt No.457RCH - Red Cliffs Historical Society
Large hexagon rosettes in a variety of plain colours. 6 form a flower and each hexagon has a contrasting colour for the centre. Machined smaller hexagons give a ruffled effect. Colours of flowers include teal, burnt orange, pink, lime and mauve. The material is nylon and the backing is a single piece of pink bubble nylon. The padding is a single piece of calico.
2050 x 1530mm
Patchwork, Mosaic, Hexagon
Billie Briggs
Quilt No.1057BB - Billie Briggs
Hand pieced hexagon quilt in pattern known as 'Grandmother's Flower Garden". 12 hexagons, in patterned cottons, form the outer border of each flower with an inner border of 6 matching plain coloured hexagons and all flowers have a yellow hexagon centre. There is no padding, a cotton backing and it is hand quilted.
2400 x 1780mm.
Patchwork, Pieced Repeat Block
Kaniva District Historical Society
Quilt No.170KHS - Kaniva District Historical Society
Quilt of crocheted squares (sometimes known as Granny squares) in pinks, blues, greens and brown, with a green crocheted border edged in brown. Quilt is backed. A cot quilt or a knee rug.
Patchwork, Mosaic