Quilt No.83BB - Gilgandra Uniting Church

Owner: 
Gilgandra Uniting Church
Location: 
NSW Central West
Maker
Maker: 
Members of Methodist Church
Made in
AUSTRALIA NSW
Date: 
1921 - 1940
Description: 
This quilt is made up of 25 squares, each 10 x 10 inches of pure white linen. Each squre has been hemstitched around and very neatly sewn together. The centre square is embroidered 'Gilgandra Methodist Church Renovations completed 1st October 1926. J.W.Hynes, President of Conference'. All other squares have names or initials beautifully embroidered in white. There are 238 signatures, 60 initials plus centre square.
1271 x 1271 mm
History: 

Embroidered by members of the Methodist Church Gilgandra in 1926. Owned by the Gilgandra Methodist church. Some time later used as an altar cloth until a new one was made in 1982. Now owned by the Gilgandra Uniting Church and stored in a home in Gilgandra.

Story: 

In the 1920's and 1930's it became fashionable in Gilgandra to raise money for worthy causes, by paying sixpence or one shilling to have one's name embroidered on a quilt.
There are two such quilts in Gilgandra, one made by Mrs. Clara Ward commenced in 1937, raising money towards the building of a new hospital.
The second quilt was embroidered by various members of the Methodist church in 1926, to raise funds for Methodist church renovations."
There are 238 signatures, 60 initials and the centre square.

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.
National Gallery of Australia
" A coverlet of 7 pieces of cream muslin. The edges of the work are secured at the top and sides with bands of green and floral strips. The lower edge has been turned and hemmed. The 'quilt' is highly decorated with bands and diamonds of appliqué fabric. The upper centre field is appliquéd with images depicting Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden surrounded by trees and a variety of animals and insects. In the centre is a smaller appliquéd image of the manger with mangel and cows. The quilt is not signed or dated, but each of the imaged areas is accompanied by a descriptive text. The writing is executed in black chain stitch. Beads and sequins have been used to depict the eyes of some of the animals in the Garden of Eden. As with all of Mary Jane Hannaford's quilts all work is hand sewn and quite crude and coarse in execution. The quilt is not padded or lined." [NGA] 1810 x 1590mm
Angela Smith
Durham quilt made of cotton sateen, mainly gold on one side and yellow green on the other. Top, pillow fold, has been removed. The straight sides have tiny pin stripe added border. The quilting pattern is large tree of life (palm like), swags and cable on top and bottom border. Fill in is slightly elongated diamonds. 1880 x 1520mm
Kereake Wray
Wholecloth Greek quilt. "The fabric is a beautiful silk satin with a formal pattern of soft yellows and pinks on a turquoise background. Surrounding this is a 40cm wide border also of silk satin (cerise coloured). The quilt is machine pieced but hand quilted. The method of quilting is very interesting. A thick cream twist has been used and at first glance it seems that the quilt is tied as there are long pairs of stitches with gaps of about 4cm between them. However, either a long needle was used to make a pair of stitches OR each side may have been quilted separately with the needle only going half way into the wadding which is about 2 cms thick." [Kereake Wray] The padding is kapok approx 2 cm thick and the backing is deep coral pink satin. 2200 x 1960 mm.
National Trust of Australia (SA)
Quilt made of white cotton net, embroidered or 'voided', with an all-over pattern of parrots perched on branches and flying around a flowering tree. There is a tufted effect on the edges of figures. The top has a centre panel with 2 side panels attached to match the pattern. Quilt is lined with white cotton, and edged with a white cotton fringe. There are 2 matching pillowshams. Handsewn.
11920 x 1830mm