Quilt No.320BVS - Brisbane Valley Historical Society

Brisbane Valley Historical Society
Owner: 
Brisbane Valley Historical Society
Location: 
QLD South West
Maker
Maker: 
Anna Bishop
Made in
AUSTRALIA QLD
Date: 
1901 - 1920
Description: 
Quilt is made from layers of complete clothing covered with calico and stitched through all layers by machine. Clothing used includes a full skirt, a shirt, and a nightgown. All fabrics are cream. Cover has been replaced by others as the calico wore. White ants have eaten part of the quilt, exposing some of the clothing used as padding.
1880 x 1067mm
History: 

Made by Mrs Anna Bishop, of 'Swansdown', Linville Qld, c.1910. Previously owned by her son, Eric Bishop, who gave it to Hetty Van Boven in 1986. Owned by the Brisbane Valley Historical Society, at Caboonbah Homestead, Toogoolawah Qld.

Story: 

"The wagga was constructed by layering whole garments in a rectangle, covering with unbleached calico and machine stitching through all layers.
Son Eric recalls: 'After the girls left home, I had to help pull the wagga through the sewing machine. Too fast and Mum's needle would break, too slow and the wagga wouldn't go through the machine. Either way, I was in trouble.'
Now the white ants got to the edges, several garments can be identified: a lace trimmed, flanelette nightie, a wide skirt trimmed with braid and a fine cotton shirt with black and white trim. As the calico wore, another layer was simply added."
[Note from museum.]

Anna Bishop, maker
Anna Bishop, maker

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.
The Pioneer Women's Hut
The quilt is constructed from machine pieced diamond shaped striped flannel materials. The backing is the same. The padding is not visible but is thought to be worn out woollen clothing, unpicked and ironed flat.
1520 x 970mm
Jean Cameron
White cotton quilt with blue embroidery. There is a lattice grid embroidered with 30 squares one way and 24 the other and in each square there is an embroidered signature or initial. In one is "The Home Missions Fete 1923" and in the centre "D.A.Cameron, Moderator" the date 1921-22 and 24 signatures within a more heavily embroidered rectangle. There is no padding and the backing is white cotton.
2120 x 1680mm
Agnes Pratten
Thick padding for a wholecloth quilt constructed from pieces of old woollen clothing. The backing is a calico sheet. Originally had a cretonne cover.
Effie Kalenderidis
Wholecloth quilt made from blue satin with turquoise blue cotton backing. The padding is cotton wadding. The quilting pattern is a large central motif of a daisy with a fan design in each corner. The in fill pattern is of curved and straight parallel lines and the border straight parallel lines. It is all hand quilted.
2000 x 1660mm