Patchwork Quilts
" This quilt is in the Suffolk puff tradition. The quilt consists of 1,518 white plain weave 'puffs'. Unlike some quilts where the puffs have been made from blue bags, here they are from circles of fabric with the edge turned with a gather stitch, which has been pulled and secured. The quilt is entirely hand sewn. The edge of the quilt is decorated with a 35cm band of crochet; producing a net with scalloped edge. The crochet is executed in a thick cotton thread." [NGA] There is no padding or lining. 3230 x 2120mm
Patchwork quilt made in Log Cabin blocks from silk velvet and grosgrain. The pattern variation is known as 'straight furrow'. No padding. The backing is made from cream silk with a floral monogram embroidered in satin and stem stitch, featuring the letter 'M'.
1620 x 1620mm
1620 x 1620mm
Handsewn quilt of octagon shaped printed patches. Stitching is in red and white cotton. The backing is heavy cream calico. It is closely quilted in bands of floral and wave patterns.
1950 x 1600mm
1950 x 1600mm
Patchwork frame quilt in various cotton print fabrics, main colours are red, grey, pink, blue, light brown. Centre panel (104cm x 99cm) made of stars constructed from diamond shapes, in a grey stripe frame (2cm). Wide border (25cm) of hexagon 'flowers' with a grey stripe frame (3 1/2cm), then a border (17cm) of randomly placed diamond patches with a frame of grey stripe fabric. Two sides have a border of pastel stars with bright colour diamonds in between, then a narrow frame of red and grey stripe fabric. Quilt has a border of triangle squares. No padding. Cotton backing.
2810 x 2340mm
2810 x 2340mm
Suffolk Puff quilt in a wide variety of cotton materials patterned and plain. There is no backing.
11900 x 1350mm
11900 x 1350mm
"The quilt is made entirely from over 7300 hexagons cut from scrap materials, and is hand stitched throughout using the 'English' method of quilting. Scraps of plain unbleached calico were used for the background with the pattern pieces cut from plain and floral fabrics in shades of blue. The design is medallion style, with a large central diamond surrounded by two concentric diamond borders beyond which are scattered different sized hexagonal rosettes, all made from hexagon patches in the same size. The pattern patches were cut from the offcuts of dresses and dressing gowns made at a friend's factory and from another friend's dress material scraps." [PHM] There is no padding. The backing is 'Actil' unbleached sheeting dyed pale blue and attached with a blind stitch to the quilt top. A central rosette set within a large diamond of hexagons decorates the back and is stitched through to hold the 2 layers together.
2720 x 1880mm
2720 x 1880mm
Patchwork quilt made of fine pieces of silk from ballgowns and cut into small triangular pieces, sewn together to form a pinwheel pattern. Quilt has a wide border with a quilted feather motif and is edged with red silk.
No padding, backing is of cotton.
2500 x 2500mm
No padding, backing is of cotton.
2500 x 2500mm
Quilt, in 2 parts, made from samples of different coloured velvets. It has 2 layers and is machine made. It became too heavy to sew on a domestic sewing machine so was constructed in two separate pieces. There is no padding.
2370 x 1550mm and 2230 x 800mm
2370 x 1550mm and 2230 x 800mm
Patchwork quilt in the Tumbling Blocks pattern, made of silk fabrics in brocades, stripes, checks and plains, including some woven ribbons. Colours are mixed, each alternate row of diamonds being black. Backing is of fawn coloured cotton twill. Handsewn and hand quilted in an all over square grid. Half sized blocks form the binding edge. Padding not known.
2000 x 1940mm
2000 x 1940mm
Quilt, machine construction using rectangles of mainly woollen materials with some corduroy and mohair. Initially 14 rows and then 2 rows added for extra warmth. 25mm bias cut yellow poplin binding. The padding is an old army blanket and the backing is printed cotton.
1500 x 1093mm
1500 x 1093mm
Hand pieced quilt of mainly cotton hexagons with 7 forming a 'flower' in a pattern often called 'Grandmother's Flower Garden'. The backing is glazed chintz and the padding is American polyester.
3000 x 1430mm
3000 x 1430mm
Quilt made from suitings and cloth patchwork, hand stitched with blanket insert and pieces of knitting from garments.
1900 x 1190mm
1900 x 1190mm
Patchwork Quilt, silk patchwork on one side with dark ground, constructed of five pieces joined to form a floral motif. The reverse is quilted pink silk. The padding is cotton.
2700 x 2400mm
2700 x 2400mm
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.
"This patchwork is pieced from twelve contained panels of Crazy Patchwork. Each panel is formed of rich silks of various weaves and textures couched on to a calico ground, each patch overlaid to create interesting 'artistic' shapes and contrasts. The rug is backed with gold polished cotton and bordered in blue and green cotton to three edges, maroon to the fourth. Embroidery in several colours, but predominantly gold, is used to advantage in the variety of stitches which define the edges of the pieces, and occasionally on the patches themselves."
[Historic Houses Trust ' Sydney Quilt Stories' catalogue]
1880 x 1500mm
[Historic Houses Trust ' Sydney Quilt Stories' catalogue]
1880 x 1500mm
Patchwork quilt made from hexagon patches, cut from cotton scraps, in the 'Grandmother's Flower Garden' design. Hand sewn. No padding. Backing is cotton sheeting.
2100 x 1400mm
2100 x 1400mm
Hand pieced quilt with geometric repeat pattern on both sides. One side has a wide red border and geometric piecing in red, blue and pale coloured printed cotton fabric. The other side has a similar geometric pattern but is worked in paler fabrics in pink, brown and pale blue prints. Pieced sides attached to cream woollen blanket [filling] with parrallel rows of machine stitching.
2160 x 2160mm
2160 x 2160mm
The quilt is made from dark coloured tailors' samples. There is no padding and the backing is pieced scraps of cotton.
1950 x 1650 mm
1950 x 1650 mm
Child's coverlet, made of woollen squares from suits and jackets.
980 x 700mm
980 x 700mm
Tailors' samples quilt. Random sized rectangles joined in rows. There is a 3cm wide pleated frill of navy woollen material. The padding (synthetic) and the backing (green and white striped cotton) are recent. 1900 x 1850mm.