Quilts

Quilt of cotton [pieces], machine and hand stitched, with black knitted [wool] insert.
1940 x 1000mm
Pieced hand sewn quilt of hexagons. All cotton. 4 Hexagons make up a diamond. Materials are scraps from family clothing. The background is caramel poplin and the backing is cream sheeting. The quilt is signed on the back (in satin stitch) "Isabel C.D.Portus 1974" and "Jean C.D.Portus 1976".
2580 x 1950mm
Wholecloth quilt of cotton material, pink one side and yellow the other. The padding is raw cotton. Hand quilted in an all over geometric pattern of parallel lines.
2000 x 1460mm
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
The Wilmington Wagga' 1934. Wool and cotton. Hand and machine pieced. Machine quilted. The wagga is made of parts of several worn coats, carefully pieced together so that the linings are visible in places. One coat sleeve has a fur fabric trim and worn areas are patched.
1600 x 1200mm
Unfinished, hand stitched, polychromatic patchwork quilt in a tumbling block design. Constructed from silk fabrics and stitched with cotton yarns. Although crumpled and torn, the original paper squares are still in the back of the patchwork pieces. There is no padding. 1300 x 1300mm.
Fox skin rug made from the backs of 42 fox skins. The backing is red felt with a stamped scalloped edge extending beyond the skins. 1680 x 1230mm
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
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.
Child's coverlet, made of woollen squares from suits and jackets.
980 x 700mm
This quilt has both sides made of pale blue satin. The quilting pattern comprises a large daisy pattern in the centre, set in a square of diamonds and with a fan in each corner. The border has 2 rows of diamond shapes and 2 parallel lines. The padding is raw cotton.
2070 x 1740mm
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
Domestic Wagga with printed cover lined with jute throughout. 'Sent to Travellers aid at Spencer Street Station for delivery' [NWM]
1900 x 1220mm
Embroiderers' Guild Victoria
Wholecloth bedcover with all over pattern in crewel (wool) embroidery. The background is beige linen and the embroidery is flower motifs with a flowing leaf pattern border. It has a backing but no padding.
2280 x 1770mm
Pieced animal skin quilt made from 25 cat skins, in blocks of five across by five down. No filling. The backing is of heavy maroon wool felt which also forms a border around the skins. The majority of skins are in good order, with some bare patches. 2040 x 1160mm
Norma Gilchrist
Quilt entirely made of hexagons joined to make 'flowers', 6 hexagons form the petals and one in the centre. The quilt is all cotton in a wide variety of colours in plains, checks and florals. The hexagons are all hand stitched using stranded cotton. There is a plain blue border of headcloth machined around the edge to the backing material. It is not quilted The materials were almost all from the scrap bag. Brown paper templates were used. This arrangement of hexagons is one variation of a pattern commonly called 'Grandmother's Flower Garden'.
2040 x 1720mm
Child's coverlet, made from old blankets and clothing pieces with a curtain and blanket back.
1500 x 1100mm
This rug is made from brown kangaroo skins. 10 whole backs and 4 half backs stitched in a diamond pattern with 4 whole skins in the centre. Machine construction. The backing is red baize with 40mm scalloped edge showing. 1740 x 1270mm
Patchwork of damask squares with dark grey central square edged in black, covering felting fabric.
1420 x 1300mm
Utility quilt made from large squares of reused woollen materials joined in strips. All hand sewn. There is no padding and the backing is a piece of woollen material. 2000 x 1300mm

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