Quilt No.631PWH - The Pioneer Women's Hut

The Pioneer Women's Hut
Owner: 
The Pioneer Women's Hut
Location: 
NSW Riverina
Maker
Maker: 
Elsie Shepherd
Made in
AUSTRALIA NSW
Patterms
Patchwork, Mosaic, Square
Date: 
1941 - 1970
Description: 
Double sided patchwork quilt. Machined squares and rectangles joined in strips and then the strips joined. Wide variety of materials, mainly woollen from hand or machine knitted jumpers, many patched. All materials came from worn garments from family and friends of the maker. No padding.
1860 x 1410mm
History: 

This is typical of the many quilts made by Elsie Shephard of Rosewood NSW over a 20 year period from 1957 for use in her home. Elsie donated it to The Pioneer Women's Hut. It is displayed occasionally in the museum.

Story: 

"Patch Work Rugs
When my husband was seriously hurt in a road accident in 1956 he was in hospital for a year then another two years recovering until he was fit enough to get a permanent job. There were no Government handouts to needy families then so you had to do your best to balance the budget and make ends meet.
Having a young family people were very kind to me, giving me clothes for my children their children had grown out of that were in good order, some were slightly worn and needed patching.
When my husband had a permanent job people still gave me clothing because I had six children, even though I could afford to buy clothes for them. Because of their kindness I could never say 'no'. I would thank them saying 'nothing will be wasted, I'll make use of what you have given me'.
Being so cold at Rosewood I decided to make patch work rugs for all my children's beds out of garments I knew would never be worn, keeping my word 'I'll make use of what you have given me'.
There was no design or pattern in anything I made, I just kept cutting things up into squares, then stitching the squares together into rows, then sewing the rows together. Whatever colour was in the bobbin I sewed with. I never lined the rugs as I had always sewn enough squares together to just fold the sewn rows over and have the rug doubled. I made some rugs for my husband to take camping.
My eldest daughter slept in the coldest room ub the house. One night I finished her rug, put a lining in it and put it on her bed when she was asleep. It was that heavy that during the night she woke up thinking an animal was on top of her bed! I took the lining out."
[Elsie Shephard, Rosewood NSW 1.4.2000]

Related Quilts:

Ann Hockey
Quilt No.355AH - Ann Hockey
Patchwork quilt made from rectangles of samples of men's woollen suitings, in greys and blues and some browns. The rectangles were machine sewn together and then sewn in rows or strips. Originally the quilt had a rabbit skin backing, removed due to deterioration. No padding. Machine sewn.
1550 x 1420mm
Patchwork, Mosaic, Rectangle, Typically Australian, Tailors' samples
Elsie Shephard
Quilt No.723ES - Elsie Shephard
Double sided patchwork quilt/rug constructed from squares machined together in strips and then the strips joined. It is made in one piece and then doubled over. The materials are mainly wool, worsted, part cream machine made jumper, pink and blue mohair, blue and white spotted flannelette and cream blanket and all are scraps or from worn clothing.
1690 x 1370mm
Patchwork, Mosaic, Square
National Trust of Australia (WA)
Quilt No.945NTW - National Trust of Australia (WA)
Silk and velvet frame quilt with centre patchwork block of squares and triangles with a top and bottom border of silk in Royal Stewart tartan. This rectangular centre frame is surrounded by plain and 'saw tooth' (triangles) borders. The outer border is dark grey silk embroidered in pastels in stem stitch in a meandering vine and leaf pattern. There is no padding or quilting. Backing originally of mustard wool material machine stitched along turned in edges. Dark red cotton is attached to original backing.
2015 x 1320mm
Patchwork, Frame
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
The Pioneer Women's Hut
Quilt No.605PWH - The Pioneer Women's Hut
Machine pieced cot quilt made from squares of material including tweed, wool, blanket and pyjama material. The squares are joined in rows with colours randomly placed. There is a pink satin edging. The backing is part of a pale pink blanket.
1150 x 900mm
Patchwork, Mosaic, Square
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