Quilt No.602PWH - The Pioneer Women's Hut

The Pioneer Women's Hut
Owner: 
The Pioneer Women's Hut
Location: 
NSW Riverina
Maker
Maker: 
Lucy Gallagher
Made in
AUSTRALIA NSW
Date: 
1941 - 1970
Description: 
The top is machine pieced patches of used clothing. The backing is large pieces of dress materials and either end patches similar to the top. The padding is a chaff bag or similar with patches of worn, matted children's jumpers sewn directly on to it.
1400 x 1150mm
History: 

This quilt was made by Lucy Gallagher at 'Eringoarrah' (a property near Wagga Wagga NSW) c.1940. It was one of many Lucy made for general use on beds. Lucy moved to Wagga after her husband Walter died and in 1986 donated the quilt to The Pioneer Women's Hut. It is occasionally displayed at the museum.

Story: 

Lucy's husband Walter (deceased) worked as a general labourer at 'Eringoarrah', a large property near Wagga Wagga, for 39 years. Lucy identified where most of the patches came from: "That's part of Mr. Sawyer's overcoat" (Mr. Sawyer was the owner), "That's part of dear Mrs. Wishart's frock". Lucy referred to it as a Wagga rug.

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 Queensland Women's Historical Assoc.
Wool patches in large Tumbling Block pattern. Plain colours, blues, orange, gree, red. Seams are over embroidered with silk thread in herringbone stitch. Backing is 'Molleton', red with yellow pansy design.
2490 x 2236mm
Ruth Collins
Patchwork quilt of rectangular wool and cotton tailors' samples, in browns, greys, navy, black and beige, in plains and patterned weaves. Padding is a woollen blanket, and the backing is a patterned cotton.
1956 x 1702mm
Gillian Sullivan
Quilt made of 9120 very small Suffolk Puffs, each one about the size of a 20 cent piece. "Each piece backed and the front of it drawn up like a reticule. It was not backed and was rather fragile, so I backed it on to a sheet, as it was heavy and in danger of tearing when lifted." [Gillian Sullivan]
2360 x 2230 mm
Fred Wood
Patchwork quilt made from a variety of printed cottons over 70 prints, using shirting and dress fabrics, fabrics also from pyjamas, curtains, aprons, tablecloths. The centre medallion is a square within a square with white borders, the inner frame made of sawtooth triangles. This is surrounded by pieced triangles, square within a square and crosses. Outer frame of sawtooth triangles, and outer border pieced of squares and triangles. Colours are pinks, blues, burgundy and pastels, with floral, stripe and check prints. Lining of cotton. Backed with a printed cotton. Quilt is bound on all edges.
2430 x 2250mm