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:

Daphne Akehurst
Quilt No.570DA - Daphne Akehurst
Cotton quilt of hexagons in 'Grandmother's Flower Garden' pattern. Hand stitched. Machined to a cotton backing. There is no padding.
2480 x 1950mm
Patchwork, Mosaic, Hexagon
The Embroiderers' Guild of S.A.Inc Museum
Quilt No.930ESA - The Embroiderers' Guild of S.A.Inc Museum
Wholecloth quilt in white cotton voile with alternating designs of Australian wildflowers worked in multi coloured cottons and shadow work. It is backed with yellow voile. There is no padding.
2010 x 1910mm
Patchwork, Pieced Repeat Block, Typically Australian, Motifs or Names
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
Fred Wood
Quilt No.194FW - Fred Wood
Patchwork quilt made from a variety of printed cottons over 70 prints, using shirting and dress fabrics, fabrics also from pyjamas, curtains, aprons, tablecloths. The centre medallion is a square within a square with white borders, the inner frame made of sawtooth triangles. This is surrounded by pieced triangles, square within a square and crosses. Outer frame of sawtooth triangles, and outer border pieced of squares and triangles. Colours are pinks, blues, burgundy and pastels, with floral, stripe and check prints. Lining of cotton. Backed with a printed cotton. Quilt is bound on all edges.
2430 x 2250mm
Patchwork, Frame
Annette Gero
Quilt No.839AG - Annette Gero
This quilt is of hand pieced hexagons randomly placed and stitched on to a linen backing. They are mainly dress fabrics and chintz with some hexagon flowers in the centre and corners in broderie perse. There is no padding.
2600 x 2600mm
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