Quilts

Log cabin quilt with logs made from silks (including moire), velvets, brocades and tartan ribbons. Each square is separately backed. There is no padding.
2020 x 1460mm

"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 in silks and cottons, handsewn from very small fabric pieces, has 2 pieced repeat pattern blocks. The quilt centre groups 9 blocks made of squares. Surrounding them are pieced blocks featuring a star. The strips in between all blocks are made from 2 rows of squares with a diamond pattern making a lattice effect. The first border has hexagons with appliqued and embroidered cats. The second border of cream cotton has harnessed horses embroidered and appliqued. Binding is of green cotton. No padding. Backed with red cotton paisley print. Signed and dated: 'Mrs E. Keen, Junction Hotel, Fyansford, 1879'.
2660 x 2330mm

Patchwork rug made from tailors' samples, each sample 340 x 200mm. Each piece is edged in green wool blanket stitch, and then each piece is crocheted together using the same green wool. No padding or backing.
2130 x 1280mm

Animal skin rug made from squares of kangaroo skins placed in a diamond pattern, with a row of dark brown fur diamonds along one side. Original backing was red felt; there is some remaining along the egde of the rug. The rug was machine sewn. 1423 x 1169mm

Log cabin quilt with 90mm squares in cotton materials, white (or cream), faded blacks, dark blues, reds and browns. All the strips are very narrow. No actual padding as such but the quilt is fairly thick because with such narrow strips, there is so much seam allownace. The backing is a light calico.
1715 x 1575mm

Patchwork quilt consisting of 40 squares, with 8 rectangles along one side. Each square is covered with a random number of diagonal strips sewn one over the other onto a backing. Number of strips varies from 15 to 19. Variety of coloured materials, plain and patterned. Strips are hand sewn on to mainly white backing. Top edge is bound with self patterned pink satin, added at a later date by machine.
2090 x 1400mm

Quilt, hand pieced and quilted and cut in half and made into two curtains. It consists of hexagons in the pattern known as 'Grandmother's Flower Garden' and is in cotton prints and white cotton 'paths'. Some hexagons are joined. The quilt is quilted allover in a variety of patterns in fine close stitching, chevron, single cable, palm leaves, hearts. The backing is cream linen and the padding is wool.
2430 x 1200mm

Patchwork quilt of hexagons in silks and velvet, the velvet in plain colours, the silk in plains, stripes, checks and brocades. Centre is made from red brocade hexagons with black silk patches embroided with a variety of flowers and leaves. Stitched to a red velvet border, then top and bottom have Australian motif of crossed wattle branches embroidered in bobble stitch, and on the sides embroidered red flowers. The rest of the quilt is made of hexagons, the edge stitched to a brown silk border, then a border of triangles and a striped edging. Surface embroidery. Crepe backing. Some newspaper templates remain.
2260 x 1720mm