Wholecloth Quilts

Agnes Pratten
Thick padding for a wholecloth quilt constructed from pieces of old woollen clothing. The backing is a calico sheet. Originally had a cretonne cover.
Muriel Hartmann
Old jute wool pack opened out and joined together selvedge to selvedge. Ends bound with recycled curtain material.
1550 x 1321mm
Joan Bradford
This utility quilt/eiderdown has a wholecloth top of faded floral cotton, a frill of the same material and a centre diamond of plain green cotton. The backing is plain green and the padding is kapok.
1753 x 1474mm
Effie Kalenderidis
Wholecloth quilt made from blue satin with turquoise blue cotton backing. The padding is cotton wadding. The quilting pattern is a large central motif of a daisy with a fan design in each corner. The in fill pattern is of curved and straight parallel lines and the border straight parallel lines. It is all hand quilted.
2000 x 1660mm
Christina Kazaglis
Wholecloth quilt with one side blue satin with a red satin border and the reverse side wholecloth floral cotton. The quilting is parallel lines and squares. It is all hand stitched. The padding is raw cotton.
1740 x 1240mm
Ida Blenkiron
Wholecloth quilt made from turquoise and red plaid brushed cotton, with a filling of a marcella bedspread with cut up pieces of knitted and crocheted garments stitched on top by hand and machine. Garment pieces are pink, red, yellow, black and pastels. Sleeves, collar and pockets can be clearly seen. Backing is an old blanket.
Berry & District Historical Society
It is a plain white linen double-bed sheet or bed-cover on which have been embroidered (over autographed signatures) the names of members of various associations and clubs, local MPs, visiting dignitaries etc associated with the Berry Agricultural Show of 1906. There are badges and emblems also embroidered in red or pale gold thread including the central Berry Agricultural Society Association motif surrounded by a wreath of lillipilly leaves and berries, a rebus on the name 'Berry'.
Angela Smith
Durham quilt made of cotton sateen, mainly gold on one side and yellow green on the other. Top, pillow fold, has been removed. The straight sides have tiny pin stripe added border. The quilting pattern is large tree of life (palm like), swags and cable on top and bottom border. Fill in is slightly elongated diamonds. 1880 x 1520mm
Stavroula Iouannou
Wholecloth quilt with both sides in a cotton floral material with a dusty pink background. All over hand quilting is in loose parallel lines.
Stavroula re-covered this quilt with this material about 20 to 25 years ago. Originally the quilt had a yellow gold satin top with yellow gold cotton backing. Padding is cotton wadding.
1900 x 1600mm
National Trust of Australia (SA)
Quilt made of white cotton net, embroidered or 'voided', with an all-over pattern of parrots perched on branches and flying around a flowering tree. There is a tufted effect on the edges of figures. The top has a centre panel with 2 side panels attached to match the pattern. Quilt is lined with white cotton, and edged with a white cotton fringe. There are 2 matching pillowshams. Handsewn.
11920 x 1830mm
Maria Ahilas
The quilt top is of rose-pink satin and the backing is a lighter pink cotton. The quilting pattern is a large central 'wheel' motif repeated from each corner like a fan. The centre 'wheel' is surrounded by a single feathered wreath and diamond fill pattern. Hand quilted. The padding is cotton wadding from cotton grown on Lesvos island.
2000 x 1600mm
Inverell Pioneer Village
Wholecloth quilt made of red floral crinoline cotton material. Quilting is in vertical rows, alternating cables with orange peel patterns. Padding is of cotton flock. Backing is of white cotton. Quilt is edged with a self fabric ruffle on three sides. Hand sewn.
2236 x 2236mm
National Gallery of Australia
" A coverlet of 7 pieces of cream muslin. The edges of the work are secured at the top and sides with bands of green and floral strips. The lower edge has been turned and hemmed. The 'quilt' is highly decorated with bands and diamonds of appliqué fabric. The upper centre field is appliquéd with images depicting Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden surrounded by trees and a variety of animals and insects. In the centre is a smaller appliquéd image of the manger with mangel and cows. The quilt is not signed or dated, but each of the imaged areas is accompanied by a descriptive text. The writing is executed in black chain stitch. Beads and sequins have been used to depict the eyes of some of the animals in the Garden of Eden. As with all of Mary Jane Hannaford's quilts all work is hand sewn and quite crude and coarse in execution. The quilt is not padded or lined." [NGA] 1810 x 1590mm
National Gallery of Australia
" The quilt is a patchwork of red cotton fabric. Each piece is decorated with embroidery in thick white cotton thread and with cotton appliqué. The edge of the quilt is decorated with a red cotton unlined border strip decorated with cutwork daisies, producing a scalloped edge. The images and inscriptions carried on each of the pieces of various sizes are a time capsule to notions and everyday life at the turn of the century.
In the centre is Queen Victoria surrounded by a garland of floral emblem of the Empire. (This square is dated 1901) Other squares carry scenes of daily life, farm animals and mottoes. "When a woman throws herself at a man head she seldom hit the mark." There are several spelling errors within the inscriptions. The latest dated piece is 'Dec 1903'. The embroidery is quite crude and large, and shows the work of two hands." [NGA]
The quilt is not padded. It is lined with pink cotton flannelette. 2230 x 1910mm
Jenny Martin
Welsh flannel quilt in fine wool wholecloth. Red on one side and turquoise on the other. Hand quilted in a traditional Welsh pattern. The padding is carded wool and the backing is flannel. 1970 x 1910mm.
Narelle Grieve
Wholecloth silk Welsh quilt. "The overall design containing the border, the central motif and corner motifs within lines of quilting is also typically Welsh. The bent leaf and leaf motifs used as mirror image pairs between the tulips in the outer border and inner border help to distinguish this Welsh quilt from those made in other parts of Britain. The scroll patterns contained within the inner border also help to establish this as a Welsh quilt." [Extract from unidentified magazine article supplied by the quilt owner.] 2560 x 2240 mm
Dorothy Kinloch
Miniature eiderdown or quilt made for a doll's bed. Wholecloth in polished cotton medium pink floral with rose pink plain frill. Machine made. The front is a floral rectangle with mitred corners and a floral border finished with a plain frill. The back is all floral including the frill. The quilt is filled with feathers. It is quilted. 4350 x 6150mm
Joyce Lacey
Wholecloth utility quilt, the top made of good quality cotton printed with posies of pink, blue and green flowers and leaves, the backing of plain cream cretonne, with a flap of plain cretonne, coming over the top side. Padding is made from blanket and jumper pieces stitched to a blanket base. Cretonne has signs of wear, and the cream backing has some staining. Top and backing machine sewn.
1840 x 1220mm
Annette Gero
Machine sewn wholecloth quilt with padding of several layers of part army blankets. The cover has been made from fabric widths of 700mm. Machine quilted.
2100 x 1800mm
Mavis Roberts
Wholecloth quilt, with applique patterns in printed coloured cottons, of a entral flower basket in an oval leaf border, appliqued leaf and flower branches, a twisted cable border, wider band of leaf and flower branches, and a final border of applique Greek key motif.The base material is linen or similar with all applique very finely hand sewn. As the quilt grew the background material has been extended with tiny hand stitches.

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