Quilt No.632PWH - The Pioneer Women's Hut

The Pioneer Women's Hut
Owner: 
The Pioneer Women's Hut
Location: 
NSW Riverina
Maker
Maker: 
Amy Shore
Made in
AUSTRALIA NSW
Patterms
Patchwork, Mosaic, Square
Date: 
1941 - 1970
Description: 
Patchwork quilt made up of 100mm multi coloured squares in a variety of materials including cottons, synthetics, lurex, plain and printed. Each square has dacron padding and is then joined in strips and the strips joined. All hand sewn. The backing is blue synthetic whole cloth 60mm of which is returned to the front to form a border.
1500 x 1200mm
History: 

Amy Shore always said the only sewing she did all her life was darning and mending and making Wagga Rugs from jute, wheat or flour bags with cretonne top and backing. In the 1970s her daughter showed her how to make the quilts because 'she wasn't much good for anything else'. Amy made this quilt, one of many, at Murray's Crossing near Tumbarumba NSW in the 1970s. She donated it to The Pioneer Women's Hut. It is displayed occasionally.
1500 x 1200mm

Story: 

Amy Shore (1901-1999) was married in 1919 and had 8 children. The family always lived on a farm and it was a struggle. "Not long after we came here [Munderoo] things weren't very prosperous and it was coming on Christmas so the boys and I got a drum and made eucalyptus oil to get some money for Christmas. It is quite an interesting job. Anyway we made a gallon and got 9 pound for it.
Some years later I also bred ferrets and at one time, had 70 of them. We used them for rabbiting and would sell the rabbits for meat and also the skins. Mr. Scuppan had a baker's shop in Tumbarumba and we also used to swap small skinned rabbits for bread.I sold the ferrets for 2 pound each and we got our place lined with ferret money. Before that it was hessian���
We also sold beeswax from the native bees to old Mather the skin buyer��..
As my family grew bigger and got older, like all teenagers, were wanting better clothes but money was scarce and not much left after feeding six kids and ourselves. So at one time the kids and I went around to find some dead beasts and get the hair off the manes and tails. We would bring it home and wash it in water and eucalyptus and hang it on the fence. When it dried we would take it in to the old skin buyer. It was a good price as it was wanted to stuff saddles with."
[Amy Shore 'Memories of My Mother' Pioneer Women's Hut publication 1990]

Amy Shore 1997. Photo courtesy Tumbarumba Times.
Amy Shore 1997. Photo courtesy Tumbarumba Times.

Related Quilts:

Tricia Bowdler
Quilt No.580TB - Tricia Bowdler
Small patchwork piece in crazy patchwork in silks, satins, and velvets. Embroidered initials 'A.N' also an embroidered crest, the date 1869 with initials 'A.W.N'. There is also decorative stitching over the joins of most pieces. It is not padded. The backing is Jacquard.
661 a 649mm
Patchwork, Pieced Random, Crazy
Fran Williams
Quilt No.517FW - Fran Williams
Crazy quilt made from a lot of light wools including gabardine types. Patches are outlined in embroidery stitches and there is additional embroidery on some patches. It is worked in 3 ply wool thought to be Patonyle (early blend of nylon and wool). The backing is a floral print mainly black with a cream flowers, brought to the front as a binding. Occasional stitches holding front to back by way of quilting. There is no padding.
1600 x 2100mm
Patchwork, Pieced Random, Crazy
National Gallery of Australia
Quilt No.978NGA - National Gallery of Australia
" Reversible patchwork quilt of woollen suiting in grey, blue, navy, maroon and brown. The fabrics appear to be new tailor's sample pieces (the sizing is still present on the fabric, signifying it has never been washed). The patches are rectangular and vary in size. Both sides have different designs. The front of the quilt has 4 rows of 12 vertical rectangles then below this are 4 rows of 7 horizontal rectangles followed below by 4 rows of 11 vertical rectangles. The reverse of the quilt has a section at the top and bottom composed of 5 rows of 9 horizontal rectangles. The central area is made up of a centre section of 6 rows of 5 vertical rectangles; flanked on either side by a column of 10 horizontal rectangles and two columns of 8 smaller vertical rectangles.
The patchwork layers are joined at the edges with machine stitching. The patchwork layers and padding are machine quilted on the front down 2 vertical lines following joins in the patchwork; therefore not being totally straight. The lines are more noticeable on the reverse as the 2 sides do not match. The front face is displayed at the NGA.
Between the patchwork layers is a striped cotton blanket in black, sky blue, white and cream." [NGA]
2082 x 1386mm
Patchwork, Mosaic, Rectangle, Typically Australian, Tailors' samples
National Trust of Australia (WA)
Quilt No.952NTW - National Trust of Australia (WA)
Quilt of pale yellow cotton sateen with a centre star motif with 8 points in pink cotton sateen. A border of pink cotton sateen has pink triangles on each side. The quilt is machine sewn and elaborately hand quilted with designs including fleur-de-lys shape, feathers, vine pattern, clam shells, 8 petalled flower and cable pattern with the main ground cross hatched. The backing is pale yellow cotton sateen.
2235 x 2065mm
Patchwork, Frame
Catherine Ringwood
Quilt No.482CR - Catherine Ringwood
The top of this quilt is 6 x 5 alternating squares and rectangles of check woollen material in 12 or more colour ways. Herringbone stitch in yellow stranded cotton is worked along each join and border.The border is plain grey wool. There is no padding and the backing is light blue crepe.
1118 x 814mm
Patchwork, Mosaic, Square
Dianne Gorringe
Quilt No.514DG - Dianne Gorringe
Patchwork quilt/cloth with strong overall design of very small squares. The colours are navy, red, cream, green (khaki) and fawn. There is a wide fringe on all sides. There is no padding. The backing is cotton sateen.
1240 x 126mm
Patchwork, Mosaic, Military