Quilts
By type
By tag
By pattern shape
By origin
Patchwork quilt of multi coloured silks and brocades. Crazy patchwork borders, mainly rectangular fabrics pieced together in diagonal patterns, radiating from a central frame embroidered with flowers. Many pieces are extensively embroidered in a great variety of stitches and motifs; butterflies, sunflowers, cats, daffodils, crown, pawn broker's symbol, 'money to lend', 'good night', the initials of family members and 'mater 1890'. The quilt has a deep border of maroon sateen. There is no padding visible but it is possibly a blanket. The backing is green/gold silk with a self stripe with red cotton damask showing underneath, possibly an earlier backing.
2165 x 2165mm
2165 x 2165mm
The quilt top is of rose-pink satin and the backing is a lighter pink cotton. The quilting pattern is a large central 'wheel' motif repeated from each corner like a fan. The centre 'wheel' is surrounded by a single feathered wreath and diamond fill pattern. Hand quilted. The padding is cotton wadding from cotton grown on Lesvos island.
2000 x 1600mm
2000 x 1600mm
Wholecloth cot quilt of floral cotton in a pattern of pink roses, green leaves, and blue ribbons. Paddiong is old blanketing, and backing is a soft fawn twill. The cotton was the same fabric as the bedroom curtains. No quilting.
1010 x 840mm
1010 x 840mm
Possum skin rug with 6 rows of 7 skins. The backing is red felt with a border showing and peaked edge.
1680 x 1460mm
Hexagon quilt constructed over papers; all seams oversewn with featherstitch embroidery. Materials are vyella and clydella scraps from childhood dresses of the maker's first four children, augmented with scraps from a dressmaker and a book of samples. There is no padding; backing is plain, pale blue, brushed cotton.
2200 x 1720 mm.
2200 x 1720 mm.
Patchwork quilt made from cotton hexagon patches in the 'grandmother's Flower Garden' pattern, in bright prints and plains, with cream 'paths' made from dress material. Padding is flannel sheeting, and backing is the same cream material as the 'paths'. The centre of the 'flower' patches are autographed with friends' names and dates, as are some 'petals' and cream patches, in black ink.
1550 x 1400mm
1550 x 1400mm
Machine constructed log cabin quilt using a wide variety of strips of used clothing including cottons, men's suitings and wools. Each square is about 250mm and arranged in the 'light and dark of the fire' variation of log cabin. There is no padding. The backing is brown twill with an orange pattern and is probably a replacement backing.
2180 x 1710mm
2180 x 1710mm
Suffolk Puff quilt made from a variety of scraps of dress materials including cottons and terylene. It is backed with white cotton sheeting and edged with a frill of white terylene. There is a matching pillow sham.
1740 x 1300 mm.
1740 x 1300 mm.
Wholecloth quilt made from deep cherry red satin with a backing of red cotton. The padding is cotton wadding. It is hand quilted and the pattern is a central motif of a large diamond with diamond fill. Each corner has a pattern of curved lines and the quilt border is created by four parallel lines.
2070 x 2000mm
2070 x 2000mm
Wholecloth quilt made of red floral crinoline cotton material. Quilting is in vertical rows, alternating cables with orange peel patterns. Padding is of cotton flock. Backing is of white cotton. Quilt is edged with a self fabric ruffle on three sides. Hand sewn.
2236 x 2236mm
2236 x 2236mm
Hand pieced cot quilt made from small rectangular shapes of a great variety of materials including cottons, silks, wools and velvets. The backing is cotton sateen in 3 colours and is brought to the front to form a border of pink, cream and yellow.
1170 x 920mm
1170 x 920mm
Quilt made of Tailors' wool samples in stripes, checks and plain,, rectangles in different sizes machined together in strips. Colours are grey, navy, brown, light grey and cream. Lining or backing is of patterned cotton, in three layers as it has worn and been replaced. Machine and zigzag quilting.
1626 x 1271mm
1626 x 1271mm
Small rectangular bed cover, probably child's or even doll's, made from rectangles of cream linen stitched together with hand sewn french seams. The top surface is decorated with small squares and rectangles of coloured silk, velvet, wool and cotton attached approximately 25mm apart, with 3 stitches in centre of patch to attach to background. Bright pink wool patches stand out.
935 x 635mm
935 x 635mm
This Adelaide Chronicle wildflower quilt has alternating squares of green and fawn headcloth embroidered with Australian wildflowers on the fawn squares and stylised floral motifs on the green squares. It is bordered and backed with the same green material. It is padded.
2350 x 1530mm
2350 x 1530mm
Patchwork quilt of hexagons in pattern known as 'Grandmother's flower garden'. All cotton. Rosettes are set in a white 'path' with the centre and first ring in solid colours and the second ring prints. There is a yellow border and an outer border in pink. It is hand pieced and hand quilted. The padding is cotton and the backing is white cotton with 2 border edges in light and dark blue. These borders were originally part of the top. There is an inscription "Dear daughter from Mother".
2390 x 1880mm
2390 x 1880mm
"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
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
Wholecloth quilt with top of red sateen. Hnad quilted with a large central rosette in a 'gothic' border then square on point border and outer border with rosettes in rectangular corner panel. The backing is cotton sateen with printed floral bouquets. The thick padding is cotton. This type of quilt is called 'cuttunina' in the Sicilian dialect which means 'has cotton inside'.
2360 x 2310mm
2360 x 2310mm
Hand appliqued, embroidered and quilted, 1940s. Cotton quilt with yellow, pink and purple tulips and green leaves, has scalloped edging with green piping. Hand quilted.
2240 x 885mm
2240 x 885mm
Repeat block quilt top based on hexagons, each 350 mm diameter. Six hexagons and a centre one make a 'flower' and these are set in rows against a plain calico background. Patterned cotton fabrics are used for the hexagons, small prints, fine stripes and tiny flowers. As it is a quilt top only, there is no lining or padding. 2100 x 1800 mm
Patchwork quilt, all cotton including cotton padding. Pattern is based on squares and a cross. Variety of fabrics, plain and patterned. Hand stitched and quilted.
2083 x 1626mm
2083 x 1626mm