Quilt No.94SR - Sharlene Rogers (for Nadia Brookes)

Sharlene Rogers (for Nadia Brookes)
Owner: 
Sharlene Rogers (for Nadia Brookes)
Location: 
QLD Brisbane
Maker
Maker: 
Elizabeth Mary Smith
Made in
AUSTRALIA QLD
Date: 
1901 - 1920
Description: 
Pieced squares, each square with a cross and 4 small squares in red. Crosses are in rows alternating 2 shades of blue and 2 of brown. Cream background. Now unlined but remnant blanket like material in corners. Originally had a cotton frill. Quilt was made from scraps of material used for making children's clothes.
History: 

The quilt was made by Elizabeth Mary Smith (born Potts) in the early 1900s. It passed to the maker's grand-daughter, Nadia Brookes and has been registered by her daughter(the maker's great grand-daughter) Sharlene Rogers. The quilt is not used.

Story: 

Elizabeth Mary Smith, 1856 - 1946, was married at 17 and emigrated to Australia with her husband Tom some time later. She had 11 children and one was born either on the ship or shortly after their arrival in Australia. 2 babies died at birth.
Tom and Elizabeth Smith took up land in 1897 near Miriam Vale (Qld) and called it "Smithfield". They originally lived in a 2 roomed slab hut which later became the chook house. Their house was the first 2 storey one in the district and was made from pit sawn timber. Sharlene's grandfather, Donald Smith, remembered the house being built and that it was up by 1912.
Nadia Brookes (maker's grand-daughter) lived at "Smithfield" and remembers the quilt on the bed but not her grandmother making it. She was 12 when her grandmother died.

Tom and Elizabeth Smith c.1892
Tom and Elizabeth Smith c.1892

Related Quilts:

National Gallery of Australia
"The quilt consists of 12 blocks of crazy patchwork with an embroidered border. The quilt is made of 167 different fabrics; most of these are silk. These velvets, printed silks and satins are beautifully embroidered with flowers, household items and Kate Greenway images of children at play. Many of the motifs have a strong influence from the Aesthetic Movement. The edge of the quilt carries a border in maroon silk decorated with tendrils and daisies in very fine embroidery.
The patches are joined with hand sewing and embroidery, however the 12 panels are joined with machine stitching (chainstitch machine stitching). The blue silk lining was hand sewn into position with silk thread." [NGA]
"The quilt does consist of three layers but the central layer is not padding. The crazy patch pieces were sewn together and this was lined with white cotton fabric prior to the embroidery at the edges of the 12 panels being placed. This in turn was lined with a fine blue silk." [NGA] 1810 x 1460 mm
Barbara Levy
"The quilt is made up of many cotton hexagons of various colours, patterns and designs, finely sewn by hand, making a very attractive bedspread. Each patch is lined with lawn. It is quite a heavy quilt, with its plain border, and backing of home-spun cotton or cesarine. The family always called it a 'cottage design'."
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Sallie Cross
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Barbara McCabe
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