Quilts

Margaret Eisenhauer
This is a double sided almost square quilt. Machine made and quilted. Both sides are green cotton. One side has centre square of pink paisley. The other side has a centre square of dark blue/grey with the same material in triangles in each corner. The padding is believed to be raw wool.
1325 x 1350mm
The top is mainly squares of flannel machined together with patches of dress materials stitched randomly on top. There is no padding and the backing is calico. The top and backing are held together by a binding only. It is one of a pair.
2010 x 1680mm
Patchwork quilt made of hexagon patches in a variety of materials, including velvets, corduroy, cotton, underwearmaterial. No padding. The backing is made from scraps in squares and rectangles, including voile, cotton and probably old curtain material.
2134 x 1777mm
Wholecloth quilt of red and green striped cotton cretonne. Top and backing are the same material. The padding is old blankets. It is machine stitched. 1580 x 1130mm
The Adelaide Chronicle 'International Quilt'. Squares of fawn cotton with alternate squares embroidered with scenes from different countries using coloured threads in a variety of stitches. The alternate squares have a pattern of feathered circle and this is back stitched in beige embroidery thread. The backing is turquoise cotton blend attached to the quilt with pale blue herringbone stitch. The quilt is padded.
2430 x 1440mm
Wholecloth quilt with the top a patterned material of red and yellow carnations. The backing is red and there is a wide red border. The quilting pattern is mainly parallel lines. The padding is cotton grown by Maria's family on the island of Rhodes.
2040 x 1670mm
Patchwork quilt with centre frame of 4 pointed starwith radiating borders of pieced squares and rectangles. Materials are cottons and some linen and it is constructed using the English hand piecing method. There is no padding and it is backed with cotton sheeting joined by machine so it is a later addition.
1400 x 1050mm
Wholecloth quilt made from dusty pink brocade with an all-over large leaf pattern. It is all hand stitched with quilting of parallel lines forming the border. Both sides are the same material. The padding is cotton wool.
2060 x 1770mm
Domestic Wagga, floral patterned rayon cover with jute lining.
2000 x 1000mm
Frame quilt in linen has a centre motif in broderie perse applique of a blue urn topped with a blue basket of flowers, and perched on the basket handle a parrot. This is in a blue oval, with butterflies, a ribbon at the top and several posies of roses. Either side is a panel of broderie perse flowers. There is a narrow frame of patterned fabric, then a border of triangles pieced to make squares, with octagonal printed patches at each corner. The outer border is of appliqued circles of printed fabric on a dark background. Hand sewn.
1770 x 1730mm
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"Welsh wholecloth quilt - red on top and cream on back. Combination of traditional Welsh patterns including circles and diamonds. Quite large quilting stitches (due to thickness of quilt I think). Top (red cotton) just about worn away, and was cut in half by my grandfather in the 1950s to make it fit 2 single beds." [Anita Phillips]
The padding includes pieces of wool suiting, jumpers and a piece of mohair and the backing is cream cotton.
Each piece measures approx. 2000mm x 1000mm.
Josie Pappalardo
Wholecloth quilt of cotton sateen. Pink one side and red the other. Elaborate all over quilting pattern with the quilting thread tightly twisted thickish cotton and quilted at 3 stitches to the inch. A piece of the quilt has been cut off at some stage. The padding is kapok.
2337 x 1499mm
Kangaroo skin rug with pelts arranged so that the largest and palest are in the centre and the smaller towards the outside. There are 34 large pelts and 31 half pelts, all rectangular. The backing is maroon felt, scalloped and pinked. 1850 a 1600mm
The quilt is made from pure silk scraps from Queen Victoria's dresses. The owner estimates there are about 4000 diamond shapes. There is a square of yellow silk as a centrepiece with the initial 'W' on it.
2033 x 1829mm
"This coverlet is of white cheesecloth, decorated with bands of appliquéd patchwork, figures and poetry. The sides carry vertical bands and down the left hand side these are interspersed with small diamonds. Down the centre are several panels of appliquéd images. Animated and floral motifs decorate the top and lower two panels. The upper central panel has a family image: dad with cane, mum with parasol, followed by two daughters, the larger one carrying a small baby. A poem 'A Last Day' is inscribed in the lower LHS�.."Each day is a test day And may decide My fate for aye Beyond deaths tide."
Primarily cotton fabrics have been used for the appliqué work. The embroidery of the inscription is in black wool. All stitching is by hand and quite crudely executed��In addition to the embroidery, there are tassels. Sequins and ribbon embroidery used to decorate the illustrated sections." [NGA]
The Pioneer Women's Hut
The top is a wholecloth, coarse, bluish cotton, furnishing weight material, probably part of a curtain. The backing is half the same material and half is part of a brown travelling rug. The padding is 2 heavy pieces of coarse jute bag roughly sewn together with twine.
1600 x 1360mm
Patchwork quilt made from tailors' samples, constructed of 144 rectangles each approx. 100 x 160mm. Colours are greys, blues, browns, fawns, plains and patterned. At the top and bottom edges 16 same size rectangles have been folded in half. No filling. Backing is a cream and brown patterned flannelette.
1880 x 1260mm
Pauline Rogers
Machine constructed patchwork quilt of mainly cotton materials in squares. There is feather stitching as decoration along the seams. There is no padding and the backing is a wholecloth of gold damask like material.
2515 x 2312mm
"This is a pieced patchwork quilt comprised of 216 squares. Each square is comprised of 10 diagonal strips that have been joined by being attached to a backing. White cotton plain weave fabric has been used in all the pieces. The quilt is not lined, but the edge is decorated with a fine cotton frill, 15cm deep. The frill carries two 4mm tucks and is edged with 2 cm lace trim. All sewing on the quilt is by machine. The quilt is not padded." [NGA]
2420 x 1690mm
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

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