Quilt No.618POW - The Pioneer Women's Hut

Owner: 
The Pioneer Women's Hut
Location: 
NSW Riverina
Maker
Maker: 
Lorna Foster
Made in
AUSTRALIA NSW
Date: 
1941 - 1970
Description: 
Hand and machine pieced top and back using irregular pieces of men's hand and machine knitted jumpers and navy serge. The backing is mainly serge, part of an uncle's bus conductor's uniform. The pockets from the uniform have been left as is. There is no padding.
1850 x 970mm
History: 

This quilt was made by Lorna Foster who lived on a farm at Taradale near Tumbarumba NSW c.1960 It was made for her son John who used it for many years and donated it to The Pioneer Women's Hut. It is displayed occasionally at the msueum.
1850 x 970mm

Story: 

Lorna Foster made other quilts like this one made for John when he was truck driving. He worked at the Manus Prison farm and was a truck driver for Tumba Transport at the weekends. The quilt was made in 1964 for John to take truck driving. He handled large sums of money on these trips and used to hide it in the pockets on the quilt. The family lived on a farm at Taradale near Tumbarumba NSW and John's garndfather was John Ebenezer. John said of his mother "she was sewing and knitting all the time. She even made our long grey trousers."

Related Quilts:

Molly Palmer
Patchwork quilt with repeat blocks of Log Cabin pattern in cottons. One side of the square has blue fabrics, the other side has pink. Blocks are separated by a floral and a blue strip. The quilt is finished with a dark blue border on 2 sides, and a light and dark blue border on the other 2 sides. Dark blue binding around edge. Hand quilted with a cable pattern on the borders. Padding is probably synthetic. The quilt is backed.
Sharon Lord
Cotton quilt, machine sewn and hand quilted. Pattern similar to Double Irish Chain. The background is white and the small squares mainly patterned in pinks, blues, lilacs and greens. The backing is plain white cotton and the padding, which is lumpy, could be some type of cotton.
2057 x 1220mm
Mary Elizabeth (Beth) Burnett
Tumbling Block quilt made from pure silk ribbons, patterned and plain. The quilt edge follows the block shapes. The backing is polished cotton printed with flowers.
2743 x 2439mm
Irma Whitford
Pieced repeat block in 'Dresden Plate' pattern in a variety of fabrics with pink and pale blue predominating. Scalloped outer edge. Machine pieced and hand quilted, with echo quilting of four petals between the 'Dresden Plates'. The padding is polyester, and the backing is white calico. 2600 x 1630 mm.
National Trust of Australia (WA)
Hand sewn quilt (possibly child's or table top) of crazy patchwork in silk, silk ribbon and cotton velvet. The top has surface decoration of embroidery on all seams, feather stitch and blanket stitch variations. Many of the crazy patches are also embroidered. The centre patch has a rooster embroidered in lame thread. Embroidered motifs are hearts, butterflies, guitar, cow, Little Red Riding Hood, horseshoes, crown, clover leaf. Stitches are feather, stem, satin and blanket. Embroidered initials are 'B', 'R', and 'S'. The backing is dark grey silk.
840 x 840mm
Elsie Shephard
Double sided patchwork quilt/rug. Mainly squares machined together in strips (8 across). Average square 22 to 24cms. One side has a large piece of dark grey woollen material. The materials for the squares include tweed, mohair,many woollens, tartans and cream blanketing all of which were scraps or from used clothing.
1820 x 1680mm