Quilt No.954AP - Agnes Pratten

Agnes Pratten
Owner: 
Agnes Pratten
Location: 
QLD South East
Maker
Maker: 
Mrs Ball
Made in
AUSTRALIA QLD
Patterms
Wholecloth, Re-used clothing or blanket, Utilitarian, Typically Australian
Date: 
1921 - 1940
Description: 
Wholecloth quilt covered front and back with the least worn parts of old curtains. The padding is a carded wool sheet from Ipswich Woollen Mills placed between layers of cheesecloth.
1800 x 1225mm
History: 

This utilitarian quilt was made in Queensland by Nessie Pratten's mother, Mrs. Ball, when Nessie was 15 years old. It was made during the depression and Nessie used it for many years and it is still owned by her. "[it is used] when I have a full house, or if someone has to sleep on the floor [it is] used underneath." [NP]

Story: 

"The wool for this was brought out during the depression years, to help the wool industry and also to help keep people warm, as blankets were too dear to buy, think it would have been about 25 shillings, cheese cloth about 6 pence a yard. This would not have been its original cover, but it would have been covered with cretonne from curtains I am sure.
During the depression my father was a War Pensioner from first world war and due to war wounds was unable to work and my mother had to manage with 5/- five shillings to keep us on (State children got 10/- ten shillings). She thought it really did not pay to get married. But as you can imagine life was not easy, but would have been a lot worse if she had not been clever with her fingers and a good manager."
[Nessie Pratten, Queensland, October 2000]

Related Quilts:

Yvonne Hamdorf
Quilt No.1016YH - 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.
Wholecloth, Quilting as major design element
John Tomkin
Quilt No.1005JT - 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.
Wholecloth, Embroidered and/or Appliqued
The Pioneer Women's Hut
Quilt No.602PWH - The Pioneer Women's Hut
The top is machine pieced patches of used clothing. The backing is large pieces of dress materials and either end patches similar to the top. The padding is a chaff bag or similar with patches of worn, matted children's jumpers sewn directly on to it.
1400 x 1150mm
Domestic Wagga, Utilitarian, Wholecloth, Patchwork, Typically Australian
Muriel Mackenzie
Quilt No.98MM - Muriel Mackenzie
Wholecloth utilitarian quilt with velour type material top and cottage weave curtain material on the back. The padding is a 'bush blanket'. Machine sewn and quilted.
1677 x 1144mm
Wholecloth, Re-used clothing or blanket, Utilitarian, Typically Australian
Stavroula Ioannou
Quilt No.778SI - Stavroula Ioannou
Rose pink satin wholecloth quilt with lighter pink cotton backing. Hand quilting forms large diamond pattern in the centre with a border of parallel lines.
2000 x 1800mm
Wholecloth, Quilting as major design element, Greek
National Gallery of Australia
Quilt No.975NGA - National Gallery of Australia
"This all white quilt has a front face of fine white plain weave cotton. The quilt is lined with brushed cotton twill. The two layers are quilted with white cotton thread across the entire surface with rows of zigzag stitching 16-20mm apart.
The edges of the quilt have been cut to form scallops and the raw edges here are secured with a binding of fabric similar to that used on the front face of the quilt. All work on the quilt appears to be hand sewn." [NGA] The quilt is not padded. 2655 x 2150mm
Wholecloth, Quilting as major design element