Quilts

Patchwork quilt in a variation of the Log Cabin pattern, made of cotton fabrics in red and cream, set in alternate blocks. Backing is of quilted linen squares. Quilt is edged with cream cotton fringing, added at a later date.
2260 x 2000mm
The top of this quilt is large pieced rectangles of herringbone wool in greys and browns. The backing is pieced check wools.
1210 x 1690mms
Patchwork quilt top in Tumbling Block or Robbing Peter to pay Paul pattern, in printed cottons. No lining or backing.
2690 x 2640mm
Handworked patchwork quilt. Pattern of squares as diamonds. Woollen materials.
1520 x 1520mm
Norma Gilchrist
Cotton quilt made entirely of hexagons joined to form 'flowers'. Flowers are not formed into a pattern. All hexagons are hand stitched including on to the blue headcloth border which is then machined on to the same backing material. The quilt is made from dressmaking scraps, mainly offcuts from the children's clothes including from pyjamas, dresses and uniforms. It is not quilted.
2180 x 1710mm
Quilt top. "Handsewn (edges machine sewn only). Quilt, poor, faded, torn. Red and white patches. Red star and white circle with 4 diamonds in centre. Red and white triangle pieces and plain border. No padding or backing."
[K.D.H.S. 19.2.1997]
2030 x 1941mm
Patchwork quilt made from hexagon patches in cottons. No filling or padding. Backing is of green cotton.
2050 x 1600mm
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
Wholecloth quilt of cream cotton embroidered in lemon thread with names of teachers and students. No filling. Backing is of cream cotton.
1830 x 1250mm
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. Some of the materials have been dated to the 1830s and it is thought they came from old garments.
1600 x 1800mm
Quilt of hexagon patchwork, with nylon wadding. To fit a queen size bed.
2100 x 2100mm
Quilt/rug of show ribbons. 40 woollen 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th prize ribbons sewn together. Colours are blue, red, yellow and white. Backing is blue cotton.
1600 x 1600 mm
Patterned cover for a 'night and day' type bed or lounge. White background with a pattern of swirling stripes, squares and leaf motifs in orange, pale blue, pale green and fawn.There is a deep ruffle on 2 sides. The backing is cotton.
2400 x 2000mm
Helen Sparkman
Wholecloth quilt mainly made from material with a green and yellow leaf pattern on a black background. This material was also used in another quilt. The backing has a large centre panel of checked material with panels either side of the leaf pattern from the top. The owner wrote that the uneven thickness of this quilt may indicate that old garments were used as 'batting' similar to her mother's (Matilda Pitt) quilts.
1520 x 850mm
"This is a crazy quilt consisting of nine panels of crazy patchwork joined together with bands of olive cotton sateen fabric. The fabrics of the patchwork are a rich variety of silk brocades, silk ribbons, fabrics with metallic threads and velvets. The embroidery is of a variety of silk threads, including chenille.
The quilt is padded with a layer of cotton wadding backed with a piece of tarlatan. The padding is only present beneath the patchwork panels and the bands that join them. There is no padding in the edge border of the quilt. The layers are quilted with machine sewing.
The quilt is fully lined with the olive sateen fabric used to join the patchwork panels on the front face." [NGA]
Patchwork quilt made up of machine pieced squares and rectangles of cotton dress materials. The backing is a large piece of furnishing material. The padding is an old cream blanket.
1750 x 1350mm
The front face of this quilt consists of rows of rectangles and squares of multicoloured prints pieced together. The fabrics are cotton and include a few early synthetics such as rayon, and all work is machined. The back is fully lined with an olive green moire synthetic fabric. The lining has been brought around to the front face of the quilt for approx 5cm to provide an edge border. The quilt is a wonderful showcase of the fabrics of the 20's and 30's." [NGA]
The quilt is not padded. 2160 x 1910 mm
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
"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
Hand sewn quilt in red and white cotton and some linen in a nine-patch variation, the pieced squares set edge to edge. The quilt is bound in red cotton, the binding approximately 2 cm deep. It is closely quilted in a wave pattern. The backing is white twill cotton and the padding is thin wool.
2193 x 1960mm

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