Patchwork Quilts

Helen Sparkman
Patchwork quilt. An old sheet was used as the base for the quilt then garments no longer suitable for wearing were stitched to the sheet. Then pieces of old tablecloths, curtains and dressmaking scraps were used to make the quilt top and back. Hand stitched and quilted with long stitches. It is a heavy quilt.
1600 x 1120mm
This quilt is constructed from 40mm hexagons in different colours and patterns formed into rosettes. It is hand stitched and there is a deep border of green-blue material. The backing is white cotton.
1120 x ?mm
"A wagga quilt machine-pieced from old woollen suiting fabrics; some hand stitching is visible along a few of the joins. The quilt has 3 layers: the top layer has a rectangular centre composed of randomly-pieced woollen patches in grey tonings with a border composed of irregular navy rectangles; the lining is made from corn bags, and the backing is a striped cotton fabric. The three layers are machined together at the edges, thus holding the filling in place. There is no quilting."
1660 x 1610mm
Patchwork quilt top in Tumbling Block or Robbing Peter to pay Paul pattern, in printed cottons. No lining or backing.
2690 x 2640mm
Crazy patchwork quilt in silks and velvets. Some patches with embroidered flowers, including wattle, worked in chenille thread. Machine quilting. There is a border of velvet. The backing is silk and has an envelope opening edged with silk cord. There is no padding. There is a matching nightgown sachet.
White cotton quilt of gathered hexagons. Hand embroidered roses in the centre of each hexagon. It is quilted.
2395 x 2286mm
Embroiderers' Guild Victoria
Hexagon shaped patchwork cover in an all over design based on very small hexagons in plain colours and prints. It is unfinished and there is no backing. Papers are still in place. Some of the materials have been dated to the 1830s and it is thought they came from old garments. This is similar to another cover in the Guild's collection.
1280 x 1280mm
Machine pieced top and back made from large irregular pieces of calico and sheeting including part of a 70lb Colonial Sugar Refinery calico sugar bag. The padding appears to be old cream blanket, whole or pieced.
1720 x 1030mm
"The front face of this quilt consists of panels of multicoloured prints pieced together into squares set between a grid of machine embroidered bands in yellow and maroon on white muslin. The fabrics are cotton and include a few early synthetics; all work is machined. The back is fully lined with yellow cotton flannelette, machined at the edge and 5cm in from the edge. The quilt is a wonderful showcase of the fabrics of the 20's and 30's." [NGA]
The quilt is not padded or quilted. 2370 x 2340mm
Pieced quilt, the top made of fine wool fabric sewn using a treadle sewing machine, to form a distinctive Amish geometric pattern, 'Diamond in a Square'. A large red diamond is in a large blue square, contained by a narrow red border with small blue corner blocks, finished with a binding of deep red. The open areas are intricately hand quilted with patterns of feathers, flowers and leaves. Filling of wool, backing of plain blue cotton.
1770 x 1770mm
Quilt, Grandmother's Flower Garden pattern, has hexagon flowers with plain centres and floral material for 'petals', and paths of mid to dark blue. Cotton fabric. No padding. Backing is of unbleached calico.
Cot quilt. Single piece of floral cotton material top and back (cream background with coloured flowers). The padding is a single layer, twill weave, heavy bag, probably jute. The layers are fixed with a different coloured button in each corner. Machine quilting across the centre
1320 x 1140mm
Embroiderers' Guild Victoria
Crazy patchwork quilt, hand pieced in velvets, brocades and silks. Embroidery in yellow stranded thread in various stitches around the patches. Stitches include, single and double feather, numerous buttonhole variations and herringbone. There are also embroidered motifs including butterflies, leaves and flowers. Purple velvet ribbon, also embroidered with herringbone stitch, overlays the squares. The padding is a fluffy cotton and the backing is a thin cotton.
1900 x 1800mm
Double bed size quilt, which the owner calls 'Devon Puffs', with main pattern in centre. 2100 x 1800mm.
National Parks & Wildlife Service of SA
Patchwork quilt of square and lozenge patches of silk, taffeta and ribbed silk patches in purples, greens, blues and reds, and pastels, in brocades, stripes, checks and plains. The block pattern is four lozenge patches around a centre square patch. A group of these patches in the dark bright colours form a central diamond, with pastel groups around. The darker colours are used to form the border of 'square' patches. Hand sewn, machine quilted. Backing of [silk], padding is cotton.
2450 x 2100mm
National Parks & Wildlife Service of SA
Child's cot quilt of crazy patchwork, with patches of velvet, silk brocade and satin, all seams embroidered with feather stitch in different coloured threads. There is a wide border of peach-brown velvet. Backing is a floral cotton. Has been in poor condition, conserved by Artlab SA.
1490 x 1000mm
Ella Jarvis
Patchwork frame quilt with frame design on both sides, made from print and plain cottons. Front has blue floral rectangle with a bright blue scalloped frame, then 2 blue floral frames, a dark blue frame, a purple patterned frame, and 2 outer borders in blue, black and yellow prints. Reverse has centre of turquoise, with a frame of orange and blue prints, a pointed border of dark blue, a wide frame of pale blue print, then 3 borders on orange, blue, brown and white prints. Filling is old blankets. 1520 x 1410mm
Unfinished patchwork quilt in the pattern known as 'Grandmother's Flower Garden'. Hexagons are pieced over papers in the English tradition and most papes are intact some with pencilled numbers. 6 hexagons and one in the centre form the 'flowers'. There are 49 fabric samples of varying prints and sizes.
Jean East
Doll's quilt of crazy patchwork of cotton fabrics including handkerchiefs, mainly in checks and stripes, in pinks, yellow, blues and black, stitched to a cotton backing with herringbone stitch in embroidery thread in brown, light brown, and white..
327 x 320mm
Quilt of hexagon patchwork, with nylon wadding. To fit a queen size bed.
2100 x 2100mm

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