Quilt No.810QVM - Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery

Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery
Owner: 
Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery
Location: 
TAS
Maker
Maker: 
Unknown
Made in
Unknown
Date: 
pre 1850
Description: 
Unfinished patchwork top made from hexagon patches in the 'Grandmother's Flower Garden' pattern, in glazed and unglazed cottons and some twill fabrics. 7 patches for flowers with white and some cream patches forming paths. All fabrics are patterned and date from c.1825-1840, including pieces of toile de jouy, stripes and florals. Colours are predominantly reds and blues with some green, brown, purple; one flower is in chrome yellow, 8 flowers are in turkey red indicating probably the latest fabric. The quilt is hand sewn and the papers are in tact in most patches.
1508 x 940mm
History: 

The quilt is thought to have been made in the early 1840s. It was donated to the Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery in 1969 by Major P. Hallowes.

Story: 

Most backing papers are still in place; sheet music, letters, note books, covers, pages from a cook book. Different writing on letters also. At least 2 people were involved in the sewing as some patches are more finely sewn than others.

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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