Quilt No.165NB - Nell Bell
Description:
Double sided patchwork quilt in coloured patterned cottons. Side A has frame pattern aound a central pieced rectangle containing a piece of lace curtaining. Colours are ornage, brown, yellow, green, red and black. Side B has windmill blades (4 blades) in printed cottons with solid colour centres appliqued on to a dark brown background. Hand and machine sewn. Padding is fleece wool in an old commercial eiderdown.
1829 x 915mm
1829 x 915mm
History:
Made by Nell Bell at Eltham (VIC) in the late 1950s, and owned by her.
Story:
"These were my first attempts at patchwork quilts. I had never seen patterned ones either in reality or in books. I worked them out myself. Had seen Waggas as a child. Side B attempt at windmills against dark blue sky.
"Made because old eiderdown [had] worn out & needed extra coverings because child Gordon born 1957 needed a bed not a cot so about 1960-61 I guess - Side A a crude attempt at a pattern, mainly dress materials or overall materiala. 1 band flowers on black background a tea towel. Lace panel in centre from curtains. Side B similar materials mix of hand & machine sewing."
Related Quilts:
Patchwork quilt made from alternate squares of light green and medium green cotton headcloth. The light green squares are hand embroidered with Australian native birds, the medium green squares are decorated with pulled thread designs. No padding. Backing and binding of medium green headcloth. Made from patterns published in The Adelaide Chronicle.
2650 x 1573mm
2650 x 1573mm
"The quilt is made up of many cotton hexagons of various colours, patterns and designs, finely sewn by hand, making a very attractive bedspread. Each patch is lined with lawn. It is quite a heavy quilt, with its plain border, and backing of home-spun cotton or cesarine. The family always called it a 'cottage design'."
No quilting.
2312 x 1905mm
No quilting.
2312 x 1905mm
Patchwork quilt of pieced repeat blocks in 'T' pattern,mainly cottons. Quilt is constructed with 12 blocks across and 12 blocks down. Some fabrices have been reused from clothing, some blocks have patches which have been pieced from scraps to make enough fabric for the pattern. Padding is' pellon', quilt is backed, bound and quilted.
1600 x 1500mm
1600 x 1500mm
Quilt made from dressmaking materials in a design probably made up by the maker but resembling 'Courthouse Steps'. The outer border of each block is mitred. Originally it was reversible but during restoration the back was brought to the front, doubling the size of the quilt. The padding is old woollen materials. The backing is a new piece of floral material. It is now machine quilted.
1830 x 1220mm
1830 x 1220mm
Quilt top of cottons including shirting materials constructed in kaleidoscope pattern with star border. Hand pieced over papers, some papers remain at edges. There is no padding and no backing.
2440 x 1720mm
2440 x 1720mm
Hexagon quilt, hand sewn, using a wide variety of patterned and plain cotton scraps left over from dressmaking. 6 hexagons are placed around a centre one. There is no padding. The backing is brown flannel turned over to the front with hexagons hand stitched to it.
1220 x 763mm
1220 x 763mm