Quilt No.602PWH - The Pioneer Women's Hut

The Pioneer Women's Hut
Owner: 
The Pioneer Women's Hut
Location: 
NSW Riverina
Maker
Maker: 
Lucy Gallagher
Made in
AUSTRALIA NSW
Date: 
1941 - 1970
Description: 
The top is machine pieced patches of used clothing. The backing is large pieces of dress materials and either end patches similar to the top. The padding is a chaff bag or similar with patches of worn, matted children's jumpers sewn directly on to it.
1400 x 1150mm
History: 

This quilt was made by Lucy Gallagher at 'Eringoarrah' (a property near Wagga Wagga NSW) c.1940. It was one of many Lucy made for general use on beds. Lucy moved to Wagga after her husband Walter died and in 1986 donated the quilt to The Pioneer Women's Hut. It is occasionally displayed at the museum.

Story: 

Lucy's husband Walter (deceased) worked as a general labourer at 'Eringoarrah', a large property near Wagga Wagga, for 39 years. Lucy identified where most of the patches came from: "That's part of Mr. Sawyer's overcoat" (Mr. Sawyer was the owner), "That's part of dear Mrs. Wishart's frock". Lucy referred to it as a Wagga rug.

Related Quilts:

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.
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.
Mare Carter
Patchwork quilt. All cotton with cotton filling. Entirely made of hexagons, patterned and plain. 6 hexagons surround a central one. Colours, red, blue, yellow and white. Hnad stitched and hand quilted.
2108 x 1702mm
West Australian Quilters' Ass
Reversible Durham quilt made with nine pieced strips of deep green polished cotton joined together. Very finely hand quilted in an all-over traditional English quilting design. It is padded but the type of padding is unknown. 2220 x 2020mm.
National Trust of Australia (VIC)
Double sided patchwork quilt. One side has small 'Tumbling Block' pattern. The other side has larger pattern of pieced stars. It is made of silks, some printed, some solid colours mainly blues, greens cream and black. There is no padding.
2100 x 1800mm
Barbara McCabe
Patchwork quilt made from squares of cotton fabrics, from curtains, left over from dress making projects, and new fabrics. Colours are bright primaries and some pastels, prints are checks, florals, stripes and plain. Pieces were stitched together without any particular order. No padding or quilting. Backing is a cotton bedspread in turquoise and blue stripes.
2520 x 1600mm