Quilt No.965NGA - National Gallery of Australia

National Gallery of Australia
Owner: 
National Gallery of Australia
Location: 
ACT
Maker
Maker: 
Sophia Wilbow
Made in
AUSTRALIA NSW
Date: 
1881 - 1900
Description: 
"This quilt follows the traditional hexagon patchwork pieced pattern, which are then joined and sometimes edged with a contrasting border. The edges of the quilt have been turned and then scalloped edges made of identical patches to the main body of the quilt have been attached to the edge. The quilt is fully lined, and the lining is visible front the front face through the gaps between the scalloped edge. The lining is attached to the patchwork with a row of stitches along the edges; there are no stitches in the centre field. The fabrics of the quilt are plain weave cotton in simple...
History: 

The quilt was made by Sophia Mary Wilbow between 1893 and 1896 for her youngest daughter Jane. Jane Wilbow did not marry and upon her death in 1956 the quilt was passed on to a niece, Victoria, who in turn passed it to her daughter Mrs Joyce Hedges, New South Wales. Joyce Hedges donated the quilt to the National Gallery in 1992.

Story: 

"Sophia Mary Wilbow nee Payton (Australia 1829-1924, who was born in Pitt Town near Windsor, made this quilt. Sophia married Thomas Mitchell Wilbow in 1846 and spent most of her life in the Hawkesbury River district where her husband was a farmer and hotelkeeper. She had fourteen children and made a patchwork quilt for each of her seven daughters. This quilt was the last one she made and was given to her youngest daughter Jane. It is believed Sophia worked on the quilt whilst she sat at the side of her dying husband who suffered a long illness prior to his death in 1896." [NGA]

Related Quilts:

N.S.W. Parks and Wildlife Service
Double sided square quilt mainly in cottons. Side 1 has been made in 4 squares each consisting of different sized strips and rectangles. With side 2 there appears to have been 2 stages as if the quilt was extended perhaps to match side 1. It is also squares, rectangles and strips. Sparsley machine quilted. There is no binding but side 2 has been turned over to side 1 and stitched by machine.
1525 x 1525mm
Margery Creek
Cotton quilt made in the USA. The pattern is 'Nine Patch'. The quilt is machine pieced and hand quilted. The backing is cotton material possibly shirting. The padding is cotton.
1702 x 1702mm
Art Gallery of South Australia
Patchwork quilt made of hexagons in cottons in a variety of prints. The patches are arranged in the 'Grandmother's Flower Garden' pattern, with dark patches around a light centre patch. The 'paths' are cream cotton. The border is made from diamond shapes placed alternately vertical and horizontal, between two edges of red striped fabric, with mitred corners.
No padding. Backing is red cotton, embroidered 'M.A. Wilson 1863'. Handsewn.
2500 x 2170mm
Ruth Flett
Quilt is made of wool tailors' samples, each measuring 6 x 3 1/2 inches. The colours are predominantly navy and grey. Most pieces are striped but some more distinctly than others. Both sides are mad eof smaples, one side being mainly grey and the other almost exclusively navy. There doesn't seem to be another layer of material as padding. There is no added decoration. Made on a treadle sewing machine.
1703 x 1423mm
Muriel Hartmann
Reused parts of hand knitted woollen jumpers patched together. Wide crocheted edge from wool unravelled from jumpers retrieved from the tip.
1905 x 1525mm
N.S.W. Parks and Wildlife Service
Double sided quilt. Side 1 has an off centre frame based on a hexagon and including triangles and squares in a concentric pattern. The borders are all small rectangles with a single strip of large rectangles at one end. Side 2 has a central patch of pieced shapes appliqued to the background. The borders are squares and rectangles many in striped shirting cotton. Side 1 has minimal quilting to the interlining but it does not go through to side 2. The padding is a thin sheet.
The circle (sometimes pieced hexagons) is common to other 'Craigmoor' quilts.

1450 x 1230mm