Log Cabin Quilts

National Gallery of Australia
" A wide range of cotton fabrics have been used to make this quilt in the traditional log cabin style. The strips of the log cabin are joined by rows being hand sewn onto a small square backing fabric, each square of strips has then been hand sewn together to form the quilt. The work is backed with a sateen printed fabric decorated with paisley design. A strip of the lining trims the edge of the front face of the quilt. The lining is attached with machine stitching. There are numerous tacking stitches that remain in the front face of the quilt. There are approx 9000 pieces in the quilt, most being only 5mm in width.
The quilt is of three layers because the strips of the log cabin are attached to a backing piece, and then the quilt is lined; however it is not padded." [NGA]
Doreen Carter
The quilt is called 'Loved'. The pattern is log cabin and it is made from dress materials and pyjama flannelette. The original filling was a heavy woollen blanket (now flannelette) and the backing is green headcloth - all government issue. With its restoration, the backing was supplemented with a green floral, and the quilt is now tied. The quilt is machine pieced, some restoration work is done by hand.
2260 x 1920mm
Giuliana Bond
Log cabin quilt, machine pieced and assembled. Some fabrics are pieces from family dresses, with mauve crepe used throughout. The pale side of each block is silk taffeta and other silk pieces. Padding is flannelette, and backing is cream muslin from a petticoat of the present owner, worn when she was bridesmaid to an aunt and uncle. 1000 x 630 mm.
Helen Cornish
Patchwork quilt in the Log Cabin pattern, each square 14cm x 14cm, made of used cotton fabrics with a fine wool fabric as the centre square of each. Colours are mainly reds, blues, greens and maroon, and pastels, in prints and plains. Quilt has a wide border of dark blue cotton with mitred corners. The padding is black and white mattress ticking, and the backing is the same dark blue cotton as the border. Machine stitched.
1770 x 1170mm
National Pioneer Women's Hall of Fame
Patchwork top made in the Log Cabin pattern in cotton fabrics, 10 x 10 squares. Hand sewn. Most fabrics are patterned, colours in darks and lights include blues, red and pink, greys, browns. The wide border is made from 3 rows of blunt ended triangles (tumbler), the edge is bound with a narrow strip of patterned grey and white fabric. Each corner of the border has 3 chequered squares set on the diagonal. Hand sewn, the binding is machine sewn. No padding or backing.
2360 x 2340mm
Sharlene Rogers (for Nadia Brookes)
Pieced squares, each square with a cross and 4 small squares in red. Crosses are in rows alternating 2 shades of blue and 2 of brown. Cream background. Now unlined but remnant blanket like material in corners. Originally had a cotton frill. Quilt was made from scraps of material used for making children's clothes.
Queen Victoria Musuem and Art Gallery
Quilt with log cabin blocks forming centre rectangle with border of crazy patchwork, in silks and velvets, handsewn on to backing of blue, beige, white woven cotton. Log cabin blocks are in rich dark and light rows forming diagonal stripes. The crazy patchwork has edges decorated with yellow and cream feather stitch. Mostly plain materials with some checks and stripes. The quilt appears to have had the edges cut down. The outer border is a dark blue figured velvet. There is no padding and the backing is maroon silk with a woven yellow motif.
1655 x 1215mm
National Trust of Australia (NSW)
Quilt pieced in silks and velvets in Log Cabin pattern, the blocks set side by side. There is a dark blue cotton velvet binding. The backing is machine quilted dark blue cotton, the machine quilting in diagonal and straight lines.
2080 x 1090mm
Annette Gero
Log Cabin quilt in silk, velvet, satins, ribbons, hand pieced and tied. 238 blocks and 6000 strips of material. There is a ruffle all around that is possibly a later addition.
1720 x 1520mm
Annette Gero
Log cabin quilt made from wool pieces including some from army uniforms from World War 2. It is hand pieced and tied but not quilted. The padding is an army blanket.
2800 x 2400mm
Annette Gero
Hand pieced silk log cabin quilt. "The centre of this log cabin contains three ribbons, each with a crown, Queen Victoria and the date 1887. The four surrounding blocks contain the rose, the shamrock, the thistle and the leek, representing England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales." [Annette Gero]
2250 x 1680mm
Batlow Historical Society
Quilt top of log cabin blocks in white and faded blue cotton twill. The blocks are joined so that the blue sections meet. The blocks are backed with flannel, and the quilt is edged with blue binding, machine and hand sewn.
2050 x 1860mm
Batlow Historical Society
Quilt of log cabin blocks, hand pieced on to foundation fabric of white cotton. Each block consists of 4 logs per side, in 1cm strips, with 3cm centres. Blocks are mostly divided into dark and light prints, with red, blue, white, pink predominating, and dark colours meeting together. The outside log on each side is turned over to the back and stitched to the foundation fabric, then squares are stitched together. Cotton fabrics, shirting and twills.
1990 x 1600mm
Sue Thomson
Patchwork quilt in the Log Cabin pattern, with a variation where the centre square is pieced from a dark and light triangle. Used materials make up the strips, and include cottons, velvet, bombazine, men's trouser fabric, and the quilt has a handmade lace border. Pieces of red cloth stand out. Strips are machine stitched onto a backing made from flour bags. There is no padding. Backing is made of crazy patchwork with feather stitch on some seams. Machine sewn.
1470 x 1070mm
Joyce Lannin
Machine made quilt with 4 log cabin squares joined to make a larger square. Materials are all scraps from family dressmaking. There is no padding and the backing is unbleached calico. 2270 x 2030 mm
National Trust of Australia (SA)
Hand sewn unfinished quilt top in traditional log cabin pattern in mainly silks and velvets. The strips of material are approximately 7mm wide and the fine stitching, clearly visible on the back, is in silk thread.
1050 x 900mm
Carbethan Folk Museum
Patchwork quilt in a variation of Log Cabin. The materials are cotton and cotton velveteen. The backing is twill cotton ticking. There is no padding.
1499 x 1169mm.
Ann Hockey
Patchwork quilt made from cotton materials from children's clothing. Repeat blocks are made in a variation of 'Log Cabin' pattern, a square with 4 borders or superimposed squares forming each block. Colours are yellows, oranges, greens, blues and pastels. No padding. Backing is cotton, and the quilt is bound with cream crepe and silk.
1590 x 1350mm
Rosemary Brazelis
Square log cabin quilt of 16 blocks (4 x 4 rows) constructed mainly from cotton dress materials, flannels and woollens printed and plain. Machine construction (treadle sewing machine) with the pieces sewn on to cream cotton material. Later addition of polyester padding and cotton backing and the quilt tied off in each square with Perle cotton.
1030 x 1030mm
Gundagai Historical Museum
Patchwork quilt made of blocks in the Log Cabin pattern, in a 'Courthouse Steps' variation, which results in alternate bands across the quilt of dark and light. Silk and silk-like fabrics used. Padding is made from spun wool, backing is cotton satin and the quilt is edged with a pink cotton satin ruffle.
1300 x 1080mm

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