Quilt No.97MM - Muriel Mackenzie

Muriel Mackenzie
Owner: 
Muriel Mackenzie
Location: 
QLD South East
Maker
Maker: 
Ella Constance Mackenzie
Made in
AUSTRALIA QLD
Patterms
Wholecloth, Re-used clothing or blanket, Utilitarian, Typically Australian
Date: 
1921 - 1940
Description: 
Wholecloth utilitarian quilt with velour type material top and cottage weave curtain material on the back. The padding is a 'bush blanket'. There is a binding of turquoise woollen crochet encased in black cotton satin fabric Machine sewn and quilted.
1829 x 1042mm
History: 

Made by Ella Constance Mackenzie (born Canning) during the late 30s or early 40s, at Killarney Queensland. Ella was the mother-in-law of the present owner.
The quilt is stored in a tin trunk and not used.

Story: 

"These quilts were made out of necessity to help keep a family warm during very cold winters in Killarney. When I was first engaged and used to go to Killarney I used to hope that these quilts would not be put on my bed as they were very heavy. Within the family they were referred to as 'hug me tights".
[Muriel Mackenzie 3.8.96]
"My Mother had 4 sons,( no daughters) born in Killarney. Her father built the first hotel in Killarney after migrating form Bath at the turn of the century. My Mother was about 5' 2" always sewing, mending and crocheting. My Father was a commercial traveller representing Thomas Brown, D. & W.Murray, A.M.Hartzberg, general wholesalers. A room in the hotel was used for commercial travellers to lay out their merchandise for the shop keeper to order from."
[Bill Mackenzie 3.8.96]
Bill's mother was not a sewer of clothing for herself or her sons.

Bill Mackenzie with the quilt
Bill Mackenzie with the quilt

Related Quilts:

Yvonne Hamdorf
Quilt No.1016YH - Yvonne Hamdorf
Wholecloth pram quilt with a top of pink cotton sateen, and the reverse is a more finely woven, ivory, fabric. All over quilting design as main feature, with stylised hearts, leaves and cross hatching. The padding is cotton batting. 870 x 660 mm.
Wholecloth, Quilting as major design element
John Tomkin
Quilt No.1005JT - John Tomkin
Hand stitched, cotton, appliquéd, quilt in a flower pattern on a plain background. Colours are shades of green, apricot and browns. This quilt was known as a 'Bride's Quilt'. Padding is thought to be layers of white fabric raised almost like a wadding. The backing is cotton material. 2470 x 2020 mm.
Wholecloth, Embroidered and/or Appliqued
Val Ireland
Quilt No.419VI - Val Ireland
Utilitarian quilt. The padding is pieced used clothing and possibly reused blanket. The top and backing are machine pieced cotton scraps in a wide variety of pattern and colours.
1626 x 1601mm
Patchwork, Mosaic, Typically Australian, Re-used clothing or blanket
Ella Jarvis
Quilt No.243EJ - Ella Jarvis
Wholecloth quilt of pink satin with machine qulting in squares across the main part of the quilt, and two rows of two lots of stitching around the wide border. The quare pattern on the quilt top is overlaid with a grid of applied thick white braid. Backing of cotton. Padding appears to be enclosed in white cotton. Fragile condition.
1650 x 1370mm
Wholecloth, Quilting as major design element
Helen Blandford
Quilt No.496HB - Helen Blandford
Bassinet quilt. Pink satin top and backing overlaid with lace. Machine and hand sewn. The padding is possibly a nappy. It is part of a set that includes a pillow cover.
585 x 509mm
Wholecloth, Embroidered and/or Appliqued, Signature
Julie Atkinson
Quilt No.669JA - Julie Atkinson
Reversible wholecloth cotton quilt with elaborate hand quilting. One side is cream patterned material and the other plain pale yellow. It is padded but the type of padding is unknown.
2450 x 2000mm
Wholecloth, Quilting as major design element