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.
Western Australian Museum
Kangaroo skin cloak of seven gores is made from the skins of seven grey kangaroos (Macropus fuliginosus). The skins vary in size and shape, the inner five are roughly triangular. The cloak is edged with a series of loops, through one of these near the collar is a piece of cloth which appears to have tied the cloak together. The skins are sewn together with two sorts of linen or cotton thread. In a small diamond-shaped gusset at the back of the neck there are some stitches of sinew. The skins are sewn together by means of a small hem which was turned back on to the fur, so stitches went through two layers of skin on each gore. There are some small holes in the skins. The skins are very soft and pliable, and greyish in colour; they vary in size and shape. Longest part: 800mm Ref: MA Thesis 1973, S.Meagher 'A Reconstruction of the Traditional Life of the Aborigines of the S.W. of Western Australia.
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.
Fran Williams
Frame quilt with the centre frame featuring stars. These are English pieced and then appliqued on to the background using straight stitch on the machine. Borders are squares, rectangles and truangles. Mainly cottons. There is no padding. The backing is an old white bedspread similar to a Marcella.
1900 x 1930mm
National Gallery of Australia
"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 floral and geometric designs. Most of the fabrics are monochromatic. Several different colour ways of the same fabric are evident which could suggest some fabrics were from manufacturer samples. The lining is a William Morris print.
Each of the patchwork pieces (there are several thousand present) are sewn together with very fine overcasting stitches. The quilt is entirely hand sewn. There is some evidence that templates from the hexagon pieces possibly blotting paper, remain in situ���The quilt is not padded or quilted. The lining is fine twill weave cotton printed in pink and pale purple. The design follows William Morris's 'Strawberry Thief design'." [NGA] 2075 x 1911mm
Charlotte Nattey
Cotton quilt of pieced hexagons and some diamonds made for a baby's basket. Colours are mainly blue and pink and two 'Punch and Judy's' are appliqued in the centre. There is no padding and the backing is a cotton floral in blues and greens.
760 x 660mm
Irma Whitford
Pieced repeat block in 'Dresden Plate' pattern in a variety of fabrics with pink and pale blue predominating. Scalloped outer edge. Machine pieced and hand quilted, with echo quilting of four petals between the 'Dresden Plates'. The padding is polyester, and the backing is white calico. 2600 x 1630 mm.
Beth Hoskins
Fox skin rug made from centre backs of pelts. 16 skins running the width of the rug and a 40mm fur border. The backing is tan felt with a pinked edge (traditional in this type of fur rug) and this is joined to the rug with a doubled blue felt binding. The skins are very fine quality winter skins.
Mare Carter
Patchwork quilt, all cotton including cotton filling. Pink and white. Large plain pink blocks with white pieced blocks in between in arrow type pattern based on rectangles. Hand sewn and hand quilted
1931 x 1728mm
Joyce Lannin
A frame quilt with a pattern using hexagons from crepe de chine and silk material. The centre frame consists of a blue rosette of hexagons surrounded by six rosettes or flowers all with black centres. These are surrounded by rows of hexagons and then a row of flowers and then more hexagon borders. The owner refers to the pattern as 'Grandma's Garden'. 2550 x 2550 mm
Denise Frahn
Wholecloth quilt, machine sewn, made from cotton chintz with a pale green background and a floral pattern of bunches of pink roses and blue flowers, reversible. The centre is stitched in a diamond pattern with two outside borders, then filled with feathers, using a broom handle to force the feathers through. Cover made from 36" fabric, the pattern matched exactly. Excellent condition. Feather filling was collected by the makers from backyard poultry, geese, ducks, fowls. Called an eiderdown.
1830 x 1480mm
Val Wilkinson
Scrap quilt made from a myriad of different materials, cottons, silk types velvets etc. Alternate rows have triangles and odd shaped pieces with in between rows of squares and rectangles in smaller pieces. It is completely machine pieced. There is no padding. The backing is blue slub rayon and is brought to the front to form a border.
2200 x 1520mm
Connie Papalazaros
Wholecloth quilt made from floral cotton material with a light green background. Hand stitched quilting pattern of diamonds in the centre and parallel lines radiating out from this. The padding is cotton wadding.
1940 x 1300mm
Marian Russell
Patchwork quilt made from squares of wool, cotton, tweed, corduroy, tartan and stretch knit fabrics. Colours are mainly reds, greens, blues, pink and orange, mostly solid colours with some checks, stripes and florals. Padding is an open weave hessian material. Backing is a loosely woven cotton, pieced, buff coloured with a woven red and orange thread. Machine pieced, machine quilted in a large rectangle.
1601 x 915mm
John Coman
Dingo skin rug. 3 skins long x 5 skins wide with only the backs of the skins used. The backing is blue felt. The skins were tanned with wattle bark. 2100 x 1800mm
Annette Gero
This domestic Wagga is two layers of woollen army blankets with the top layer in rectangles joined in rows. The backing is hessian bags that originally contained meat meal.
11650 x 1130mm
Muriel Thompson
Quilt in pattern known as 'double weeding ring'. All cotton, using old prints, plaids, checks and solid colours, with plain blues and red squares at the intersections of the circles. White background. Hand pieced. Padding is Hobbs Heirloom: cotton 80%, polyester 20%. Backing is cream quilted cotton. 2500 x 2100 mm.
Doncaster-Templestowe Historical Society
Patchwork quilt made of hexagons in silks, satins and brocades. Colours are soft, mainly creams and pastels, with some deep pink, yellow, dark grey and bright blue. Quilt is bordered with a wide band of light navy moire or faille. Padded, possibly with a blanket. Backed with cotton twill.
2420 x 1900mm
The Pioneer Women's Hut
Single bed quilt made up entirely of hexagons in 'Granny's Flower Garden' pattern. The rosettes are made up of 8 hexagons and a central one. Native flower prints, including wattle, on a white background. Plain hexagons in white, yellow and blue form a scalloped border. Hexagons are hand stitched and the 2 layers are quilted in running stitch. The backing is a pieced sheet.
2400 x 1500mm
Annette Gero
Hand pieced frame quilt with centre frame of hexagons and radiating borders of cotton and chintz. There is a heart at each of the 4 corners on the second border. It is hand quilted. There is no padding.
1900 x 1900mm

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