Quilt No.761PHM - Powerhouse Museum

Powerhouse Museum
Owner: 
Powerhouse Museum
Location: 
NSW Sydney
Maker
Maker: 
Hannah Reed
Made in
ENGLAND Northumberland
Patterms
Patchwork, Strip
Date: 
1851 - 1880
Description: 
"A Northumberland quilt made from strips of saffron and white cotton; each strip is approximately 170mm wide. The quilt is hand quilted with a different pattern in each stripe: the saffron stripes have quilted plant patterns and the white stripes have curving leaf and floral patterns. The quilt is padded with white cotton wadding and backed with white cotton fabric." [PHM]
2250 x 2110mm
History: 

"The maker of the quilt was Hannah Reed, nee Coulson. The quilt was made in Hannah's home and the name of the farmlet was 'Swinhope Mill' of Swinhop, Sparty Lea, Allendale, Northumberland, England.
"The quilt was passed down through the family. It was left to the donor's aunt, Phyllis Jane. Then it was passed on to the donor's brother, Thomas William Ritson, next to the mother Ruth Ritson. Ruth brought the quilt to Australia in 1914 and passed it down to Lavinia McFadyen in 1919, just before she died. The quilt was not used, but kept as a treasure and donated to the Powerhouse Museum in 1985." [PHM]
The quilt is used for research and exhibition only.

Story: 

"Hannah Reed died at the age of 77 in 1892. At that time she was living with her daughter Ruth; her granddaughter Lavinia was 12 years old. On 8 February 1983, Lavinia McFadyen wrote:
'My Grandmother Reed was a thrifty, hardworking lady and was left a widow when Grandpa died at 55 years. I'd say she made and helped make several quilts in her time. She died at 77. When you read the quilting history I'm sending you'll see it was very time consuming. My aunties were all very good needlewomen and my mother taught needlework at a girl's school until she married and I had a beautiful display of quilts and much fancy work at my 2 sales. I gave a lot away until friends asked me to sell it.' "
[Lavinia McFadyen for the Powerhouse Museum]

Hannah with daughters Phyllis and Mary and Mary's child Ruth,'Swinhope Mill'
Hannah with daughters Phyllis and Mary and Mary's child Ruth,'Swinhope Mill'

Related Quilts:

Harden Murrumburrah Historical Society
Quilt No.346HMS - Harden Murrumburrah Historical Society
Patchwork quilt has pieced blocks in the 'Ohio star' pattern in red print and white cotton, alternating with plain white blocks. Quilt has a 9cm frill in red and grey geometric print cotton, machine stitched around the edge. Quilt appears to have some hand quilting. No padding. Backing is white cotton.
2210 x 2060mm
Patchwork, Pieced Repeat Block
Margaret Williams
Quilt No.207MW - Margaret Williams
Frame quilt with central square of fabric around which the borders or frames have been added in strips. The fabrics are mostly floral, a heavy weight similar to damask or curtaining. The colours are mainly beige, brown, green and red. The original backing was a red paisly design. A second backing, of red, brown and yellow leaves on white (possibly dating from 1930s), has been added at a later date. Quilt is bound with brown fabric.
2200 x 2000mm
Patchwork, Frame
Diane Kern Hamilton
Quilt No.1048DH - Diane Kern Hamilton
Dresden plate quilt with pointed pieces set around a white centre. Fabrics are checks, floral patterns and plains of the 1930s. The twenty blocks are sashed with plain mauve fabric which does not meet evenly in some places. The padding is two layers of cotton bedspreads. The backing is open weave rough quality cotton.
1860 x 1550mm.
Patchwork, Pieced Repeat Block
Glenda Wilkinson
Quilt No.474GW - Glenda Wilkinson
Small quilt made from pieces of heavy weight wooollen coat material cut into strips and machined together. It is reversible. Each side is made from different materials but in similar colours of aqua, blue, green and beige. The 2 layers are quilted together with a few machined lines of straight stitching. It has a folded and machine stitched edge. There is no padding.
950 x 790mm
Patchwork, Pieced Random, Typically Australian, Tailors' samples
National Trust of Australia (NSW)
Quilt No.885NTNW - National Trust of Australia (NSW)
Utility quilt hand and machine sewn. The top has a centre frame of hand sewn hexagonal patches in a mix of dress materials and shirtings with four corner flowers and a roughly circular ring in red and blue stripe. The inner border has rectangular pieces in red/yellow/green/white hexagon printed material alternating with a blue/white spot. The outer border consists of large pieces of material, predominantly pink and blue stripes and checks. The backing is mainly red/white printed cotton. It is quilted all over in a diamond pattern. The padding is mainly flannel and has been made from another quilt.
1975 x 1675mm
Patchwork, Frame
Kristine Gray
Quilt No.546KG - Kristine Gray
Double sided quilt. One side is frame with borders of wool rectangles mainly offcuts of men's suiting from tailors' shops. The other side is mainly flannelette in stripes and patterns similar to pyjama material. The padding is pieced patches of worn jumpers that were too matted to be unpicked. Machine construction.
1700 x 1490mm
Patchwork, Pieced Random, Typically Australian, Re-used clothing or blanket