Quilt No.780NL - National Library of Australia

Owner: 
National Library of Australia
Location: 
ACT
Made in
AUSTRALIA WA
Patterms
Patchwork, Frame
Date: 
pre 1850
Description: 
Patchwork quilt with centre frame of 4 pointed starwith radiating borders of pieced squares and rectangles. Materials are cottons and some linen and it is constructed using the English hand piecing method. There is no padding and it is backed with cotton sheeting joined by machine so it is a later addition.
1400 x 1050mm
History: 

The quilt was made in Western Australia c.1845 by aboriginal children under the instruction of Miss Elizabeth Irwin. In 1854 the family returned to England and the quilt was kept there by a former family nursemaid, Jane Nixon. It passed to Mrs. Mary Willis ( a friend) in 1921 and much later was donated to the National Library of Australia by Mrs. Willis together with a letter detailing what she knew about the hsitory of the quilt.

Story: 

According to Mrs. Willis the quilt was made by aboriginal children at the Swan River settlement WA under the direction of Miss Elizabeth Irwin who it is thought may have taught the children sewing, reading and given them religious instruction.
Elizabeth Irwin was the neice of Colonel Frederick Irwin commandant of Western Australia and sometimes acting Governor of the colony.

Related Quilts:

Ruth Hansen
Quilt No.914RH - Ruth Hansen
Cotton patchwork quilt in an all over pattern of diamonds in a wide variety of patterned and plain materials. Many seams are oversewn in feather stitch which goes through to the backing of calico.
1625 x 925mm
Patchwork, Mosaic, Diamond
Flora Noyce
Quilt No.472FN - Flora Noyce
Log cabin quilt consisting of 36 blocks each 200mm square. Light and dark arrangement with a variety of small patterned cotton materials (floral, spotted, striped) and plains. The blocks are hand stitched on to fine cotton and then joined by machine. There is a 120mm double gathered frill of floral cotton with a beige background. The backing is 2 pieces of cream cotton with repeat floral and musical motifs interspersed with forget me nots.
1500 x 1500mm
Patchwork, Pieced Repeat Block, Log Cabin, Pieced Random
Doncaster-Templestowe Historical Society
Quilt No.185DTS - Doncaster-Templestowe Historical Society
Patchwork quilt made of hexagons in silks, satins and brocades. Colours are soft, mainly creams and pastels, with some deep pink, yellow, dark grey and bright blue. Quilt is bordered with a wide band of light navy moire or faille. Padded, possibly with a blanket. Backed with cotton twill.
2420 x 1900mm
Patchwork, Mosaic, Hexagon
Mrs. L. M. Chick
Quilt No.477LC - Mrs. L. M. Chick
Hexagon quilt made by hand from a wide variety of cotton materials. There is no padding and the backing is calico.
2286 x 915mm
Patchwork, Mosaic, Hexagon
Julie Bos
Quilt No.643JB - Julie Bos
Crazy patchwork quilt with pieces made from cottons, rayons, silks and taffetas. Each piece is stuffed with kapok and machine sewn to a backing then a wholecloth floral cotton backing has been added.
920 x 164o mms
Patchwork, Pieced Random, Crazy
Jeanette McGeoch
Quilt No.365JM - Jeanette McGeoch
Crazy patchwork quilt made from pieces of silk, velvet, silk ribbon and brocade in a variety of patterns and plains, in a range of colours. All patches are edged with embroidery, in blanket, feather, herringbone and other stitch variations. Many patches are embroidered with flowers, butterflies, leaves and initials of family members, and there is some beading. 1901 is embroidered in one corner. Quilt has a wide border of gold velvet. Patches are stitched to a base fabric. Backing is dark green sateen.
1470 x 1060mm
Patchwork, Pieced Random, Crazy