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Kangaroo skin cloak of seven gores is made from the skins of eight grey kangaroos (Macropus fuliginosus). The skins vary in size and shape, the inner five are roughly triangular. The extra skin has been used to make a collar.The two skins on the edge of the cloak are roughly rectangular. The cloak edges are untrimmed.
The skins are sewn together by means of a small hem which was turned back on to the fur, so stitches went through two layers of skin on each gore. The skins have been sewn together with thread, the older thread is natural coloured linen, then the resewn areas have been stitched with black thread. The skins are a creamy yellow in colour.
Longest part: 750mm approx.
[From S. Meagher MA Thesis 1973 'A Reconstruction of the Traditional Life of the Aborigines in the SW of Western Australia']
Patchwork quilt. An old sheet was used as the base for the quilt then garments no longer suitable for wearing were stitched to the sheet. Then pieces of old tablecloths, curtains and dressmaking scraps were used to make the quilt top and back. Hand stitched and quilted with long stitches. It is a heavy quilt.
1600 x 1120mm
1600 x 1120mm
Fine linen wholecloth quilt with all over cord quilting using back stitch and running stitch. The quilting is an elaborate pattern of flowers and leaves. It is a cradle or cot quilt. There is a cotton backing.
1030 x 840mm
1030 x 840mm
Quilt made from suitings and cloth patchwork, hand stitched with blanket insert and pieces of knitting from garments.
1900 x 1190mm
1900 x 1190mm
Hand sewn frame quilt featuring appliqué. There is a centre square surrounded by two wide borders. The design consists of a large basket in each corner of the square with leaves and buds scattered at random. The 2 borders have flowers and leaves and the outer wide border has a small basket in each side. Colours are pale and strong pinks, blues shading to indigo, browns-beiges and dusty red. The centres of the flowers are all reverse appliqué. There are signs that there has been a backing but it is now one layer. 2700 x 2700 mm.
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
.
1770 x 1730mm
.
Utilitarian quilt with the top made from machine pieced different shaped patches of floral cottons. The backing is machine pieced patches of navy blue and grey serge, some darned, probably from men's/boy's pants. The padding is not visible but is very lumpy and very thick making the quilt very heavy.
1460 x 1300mm
1460 x 1300mm
Marcella quilt filled with old blanket. Large diagonal quilting stitches. Running Stitch group suggests it is possibly a wagga filler which would have been covered with a cretonne sleeve.
1880 x 1180mm
1880 x 1180mm
Quilt made from patchworked curtain materials, machine stitched and patched at a later date by hand.
1700 x 1600mm
1700 x 1600mm
Hand appliqued and quilted white cotton quilt with Hawaiian type design in pink. There is a scalloped border also in pink and the backing is fine pink cotton. The padding is 'Mountain Mist'.
2300 x 1600mm
2300 x 1600mm
Quilt, Grandmother's Flower Garden pattern, has hexagon flowers with plain centres and floral material for 'petals', and paths of mid to dark blue. Cotton fabric. No padding. Backing is of unbleached calico.
Wholecloth quilt with both sides a furnishing cotton. The material has a pattern of pink flowers on a brown/blue/white striped ground. The top has a cream border top and bottom and has been covered with 'Stabiltex'. The padding is felted grey wool.
1710 x 1145mm
1710 x 1145mm
Quilt in patchwork and applique. Patchwork is in an all over pattern based mainly on triangles in floral and plain cottons. The centre and the inner border are appliqued. It is not quilted. There is no padding and the backing is calico. It is believed to be an 1840 - 1860 design.
2800 x 1500mm
2800 x 1500mm
Patchwork quilt in the Double Irish Chain pattern, made from cotton fabrics in white and a brown print (possibly green originally), with a wide border of cream fabric. The border is quilted with a four cable pattern, and the main part is cross hatch quilted , in a diamond pattern. Backing of cotton. Hand sewn and quilted. Padding unknown.
1970 x 1740mm
1970 x 1740mm
The quilt is made from dark coloured tailors' samples. There is no padding and the backing is pieced scraps of cotton.
1950 x 1650 mm
1950 x 1650 mm
White cotton quilt of gathered hexagons. Hand embroidered roses in the centre of each hexagon. It is quilted.
2395 x 2286mm
2395 x 2286mm
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
2010 x 1680mm
A scrap quilt constructed in blocks, each block pieced differently and all linked by the same printed cotton. Machine pieced and hand quilted with thread saved from 'feed sacks'. The padding is cotton and the backing is brown checked cotton twill.
2033 x 1677mm
2033 x 1677mm
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
2430 x 1440mm
Utilitarian quilt, machine stitched. The outer cover has a top of floral and striped cretonne and a backing of faded pink cotton. This is a cover for another well worn quilt inside with a floral top and cream backing. The padding is a huge assortment of many layers of old woollen clothing secured with pieces of string. 1750 x 1040mm