Patchwork Quilts

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

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

Patchwork quilt, handsewn, with centre section made from hexagons, in red solid and prints, and green, blue and black prints and checks. The centre hexagonal section has sides measuring 420mm. The rest of the quilt is of cream cotton with stars,hearts and other motifs appliqued, and finished with a wide border with 3 narrow red stripes. At a later date it was backed with white damask and machined in 25mm squares, the edges also sewn by machine. No padding.
2500 x 1780mm

All cotton top and backing. Machine construction. Patches, mainly rectangles, joined in strips and then the strips joined to form the top. The back is a similar construction but larger pieces. The padding is made from lots of hand and machine knitted woollen pieces, including jumpers. Black check binding. It is very heavy. It is not quilted. It is not used. The owner calls it a Wagga.
1340 x 1610mm

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

Crazy patchwork quilt in silks, brocades, velvets and cottons, each piece outlined in double herringbone stitches worked in yellow silk thread. Some pieces are embroidered in long stitch in silk and feature flowers such as fuchsias, water lilies, daisies. There are also birds, oriental figures, Kate Greenaway figures. There is no padding and the pieces are stitched on to white cotton. The backing is polished black cotton and the layers are fastened with yellow ties. The quilt is finished around the edge with black cord with 2 loops and a black fringed tassel at each corner. 1580 x 1500 mm.

Rectangular pieces made from tailors' swatches and machine pieced in strips. Some pieces darned. Main colours blue, grey and brown. No padding. Backing is floral cotton with orange and brown flowers.
1879 x 1220mm

This is an American kit quilt. Quilt pattern is of square blocks in checkerboard with alternate blocks embroidered on homespun with a variety of individual birds, all machine-pieced. Alternate blocks are blue, each quilted with 'Rose of York' pattern. Backing is also of the same deep blue fabric; quilt is padded with fine cotton batting. 2200 x 1600 mm.

Crazy patchwork quilt in mostly dark colours made from velvet and silk. Centre panel has a circular piece made from 9 triangles. This panel is in a grey [velvet] frame or border. Seams are stitched over with herringbone stitch in different coloured threads, and some other decorative stitches are used. Quilt is dotted with 'stars'. Backing is a cotton fabric printed with bunches of pink roses on a blue and white ground. Padded, and qulted with widely spaced rows of machine stitching. Quilt is edged with bias.
1520 x 1460mm