Quilt No.538WH - Wendy Hunter

Owner: 
Wendy Hunter
Location: 
NSW Sydney
Maker
Maker: 
Gwendoline Mary Harrison
Made in
AUSTRALIA
Date: 
1921 - 1940
Description: 
Crazy quilt with one large panel. Materials include wools, velvets, silks and crepes. Each piece embroidered in herrigbone stitch to the adjoining piece. 25mm blue border chain stitched on, then 75mm border of black wool crepe with a crocheted edge. The padding is an old blanket and the backing is red/brown printed cotton.
1730 x 1040mm
History: 

The quilt was made by Gwendoline Mary Harrison 1895-1968 who was married to Archibald Alexander Johnston. It was probably made in the 1930s. It was then owned by Nellie Bischoff and now by Wendy Hunter her niece. It is not used.

Story: 

"A family story handed down for many years tells: Gwen made many crazy quilts and gave them to the Red Cross. One quilt ended up in a hospital in England on the bed of a soldier of the 1st world war.
Queen Mary on touring the hospital admired the quilt and asked to have one. When the Red Cross approached Gwen her answer was - no. I make for the poor not the rich."
[Wendy Hunter 29.8.98]

Related Quilts:

Joan McGregor
One side of this quilt is large pieces of check and striped material surrounding a small patterned supper cloth with a border of scrap pieces. The other side is small, floral, check, spotted, striped and plain cotton pieces surrounding a tablecloth. It is machine sewn and is not quilted. The padding is an old woollen blanket.
1825 x 1625mm
Mary Robertson
The suffolk puffs are mainly cotton in a wide variety of colours and plain and patterned materials. The puffs are small squares rather than the more usual circles. The backing is teal satin hand stitched to the top. There is a teal bow at one end. There is no padding.
1570 x 1100mm
Mare Carter
Patchwork quilt, all cotton including cotton padding. Pattern is based on squares and a cross. Variety of fabrics, plain and patterned. Hand stitched and quilted.
2083 x 1626mm
The Pioneer Women's Hut
American quilt in 'Dresden Plate' pattern. Hand stitched, Wide variety of cotton materials used in plain and patterned materials. The backing is cream cotton. It is hand quilted. This quilt was made from an American McCalls pattern consisting of transfers for the pieces and for the quilting design.
2400 x 1700mm
National Trust of Australia (VIC)
Double sided patchwork quilt. One side has a centre of pieced hexagons enclosed by borders of plain strips and pieced stars and squares. The other side has a printed Royal Coat of Arms (lion and unicorn) 'Honi Soit Qui Mal y Pense, Dieu Et Mon Droit', surrounded by wide borders of plain and printed materials in the style of frame quilts.
2400 x 2300mm
Bill & Barbara Meynink
Patchwork quilt made from brightly coloured printed cotton fabrics in hexagon patches hand sewn together in rosettes, and stitched by machine onto a border of bright teal blue fabric. Fabric scraps for the patchwork were donated from friends. No padding. Backing is polished cotton curtain lining.
2312 x 1969mm