Quilts

" This quilt is in the Suffolk puff tradition. The quilt consists of 1,518 white plain weave 'puffs'. Unlike some quilts where the puffs have been made from blue bags, here they are from circles of fabric with the edge turned with a gather stitch, which has been pulled and secured. The quilt is entirely hand sewn. The edge of the quilt is decorated with a 35cm band of crochet; producing a net with scalloped edge. The crochet is executed in a thick cotton thread." [NGA] There is no padding or lining. 3230 x 2120mm
Quilt made of squares of calico joined together. These have embroidered signatures of army personnel and names of battles zones, from World War I. It is lined with muslin.
2000 x 1500mm
Quilt. White linen, autographed, hand embroidered with names of early Methodist Ministers and parishioners' names in white embroidery cottons.
Hand pieced quilt with geometric repeat pattern on both sides. One side has a wide red border and geometric piecing in red, blue and pale coloured printed cotton fabric. The other side has a similar geometric pattern but is worked in paler fabrics in pink, brown and pale blue prints. Pieced sides attached to cream woollen blanket [filling] with parrallel rows of machine stitching.
2160 x 2160mm
Patterned cover for a 'night and day' type bed or lounge. White background with a pattern of swirling stripes, squares and leaf motifs in orange, pale blue, pale green and fawn.There is a deep ruffle on 2 sides. The backing is cotton.
2400 x 2000mm
Wholecloth functional quilt. Cretonne type material both sides. Centre is a blanket with sheeting or cotton fabric sewn to both sides i.e. between the blanket and cretonne. It is machine stitched. There are gaps in one side through which the layers are visible.
1677 x 1423 mm
Unfinished patchwork quilt in the pattern known as 'Grandmother's Flower Garden'. Hexagons are pieced over papers in the English tradition and most papes are intact some with pencilled numbers. 6 hexagons and one in the centre form the 'flowers'. There are 49 fabric samples of varying prints and sizes.
Helen Sparkman
Patchwork quilt. An old sheet was used as the base for the quilt then garments no longer suitable for wearing were stitched to the sheet. Then pieces of old tablecloths, curtains and dressmaking scraps were used to make the quilt top and back. Hand stitched and quilted with long stitches. It is a heavy quilt.
1600 x 1120mm
Child's coverlet, made of woollen squares from suits and jackets.
980 x 700mm
Utilitarian quilt made from roughly square patches of tailors' samples and men's suitings. The backing is calico and a border has been formed by turning the top under. The padding is ticking and pieced reused clothing.
2000 x 1400mm
Wholecloth utilitarian quilt with velour type material top and cottage weave curtain material on the back. The padding is a 'bush blanket'. The quilt has been tufted with green wool. Machine sewn.
1626 x 1093mm
Josie Pappalardo
Wholecloth quilt of cotton sateen. Pink one side and red the other. Elaborate all over quilting pattern with the quilting thread tightly twisted thickish cotton and quilted at 3 stitches to the inch. A piece of the quilt has been cut off at some stage. The padding is kapok.
2337 x 1499mm
Patchwork quilt made of gathered circles stitched into a square shape. Made of scraps of fabrics from the depression period. The maker called the shapes 'squirkles'. No padding. Quilt is lined.
2100 x 1400mm
Patchwork quilt made of fine pieces of silk from ballgowns and cut into small triangular pieces, sewn together to form a pinwheel pattern. Quilt has a wide border with a quilted feather motif and is edged with red silk.
No padding, backing is of cotton.
2500 x 2500mm
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]
Frame quilt in linen has a centre motif in broderie perse applique of a blue urn topped with a blue basket of flowers, and perched on the basket handle a parrot. This is in a blue oval, with butterflies, a ribbon at the top and several posies of roses. Either side is a panel of broderie perse flowers. There is a narrow frame of patterned fabric, then a border of triangles pieced to make squares, with octagonal printed patches at each corner. The outer border is of appliqued circles of printed fabric on a dark background. Hand sewn.
1770 x 1730mm
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Utilitarian quilt with the top made from machine pieced different shaped patches of floral cottons. The backing is machine pieced patches of navy blue and grey serge, some darned, probably from men's/boy's pants. The padding is not visible but is very lumpy and very thick making the quilt very heavy.
1460 x 1300mm
National Parks & Wildlife Service of SA
Patchwork quilt of square and lozenge patches of silk, taffeta and ribbed silk patches in purples, greens, blues and reds, and pastels, in brocades, stripes, checks and plains. The block pattern is four lozenge patches around a centre square patch. A group of these patches in the dark bright colours form a central diamond, with pastel groups around. The darker colours are used to form the border of 'square' patches. Hand sewn, machine quilted. Backing of [silk], padding is cotton.
2450 x 2100mm
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.

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