Quilts

The quilt is made from pure silk scraps from Queen Victoria's dresses. The owner estimates there are about 4000 diamond shapes. There is a square of yellow silk as a centrepiece with the initial 'W' on it.
2033 x 1829mm

"This coverlet is of white cheesecloth, decorated with bands of appliquéd patchwork, figures and poetry. The sides carry vertical bands and down the left hand side these are interspersed with small diamonds. Down the centre are several panels of appliquéd images. Animated and floral motifs decorate the top and lower two panels. The upper central panel has a family image: dad with cane, mum with parasol, followed by two daughters, the larger one carrying a small baby. A poem 'A Last Day' is inscribed in the lower LHS�.."Each day is a test day And may decide My fate for aye Beyond deaths tide."
Primarily cotton fabrics have been used for the appliqué work. The embroidery of the inscription is in black wool. All stitching is by hand and quite crudely executed��In addition to the embroidery, there are tassels. Sequins and ribbon embroidery used to decorate the illustrated sections." [NGA]

Patchwork quilt in the Double Irish Chain pattern, made from deep pink and white cotton fabrics, with two borders, of pink then white, and bound with the dark pink. Cotton backing. Filling unknown. White squares appear to be outline quilted, white blocks between the chains have an intricate quilted star pattern, and the two borders are quilted with a single cable.
2500 x 2110mm

Multi coloured square cotton pieces used to form a 'postage stamp' pattern. The squares are 25mm and the quilt is hand pieced and hand quilted. There is a thin edge of brown on all sides. There is no padding and the backing is joined pieces of floral cotton.
2330 x 2130mm

Cot quilt with both sides of faded blue cotton sateen with pale brown moire effect lines. Piped edges. Machine quilted to form two borders around a central rectangular panel, which has a simple but decorative stitched design with six points, at each of which is a small eyelet, finished with cream thread. The padding is feathers.

Quilt of three layers with matt insert and floral cover.
1300 x 680mm

The padding is heavy chaff bags hand sewn to fit a 3/4 or single bed. The top is fawn cotton with a 100mm border of brown twill cotton. The backing is brown twill cotton the same as the border on the top.
2100 x 1400mm (approx)

Pieced animal skin quilt made from 25 cat skins, in blocks of five across by five down. No filling. The backing is of heavy maroon wool felt which also forms a border around the skins. The majority of skins are in good order, with some bare patches. 2040 x 1160mm

Log cabin quilt with 90mm squares in cotton materials, white (or cream), faded blacks, dark blues, reds and browns. All the strips are very narrow. No actual padding as such but the quilt is fairly thick because with such narrow strips, there is so much seam allownace. The backing is a light calico.
1715 x 1575mm