Quilts

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']
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 quilt is of plain weave white cotton, quilted with white cotton thread. The design is 288 squares following the log cabin design. The lining is a fine white cotton.
The edges of the front face and the lining have been turned, and positioned within this seam is a ruffle. This ruffle is of very fine muslin with 2 rows of pin tucks along the edge. The ruffle runs along all edges of the quilt." [NGA] The quilt is not padded and is lined with white cotton fabric. 2400 x 2140mm
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
Mary-O Roberts
This domestic Wagga is made from an opened out jute wool bale as the padding with a woollen blanket as the backing. The top was originally curtains (brown cotton printed with daisies and dull yellow tulips) and the material has been folded over to the back for 60mm and stitched with 'Barbour's Linen Wax Thread' using running stitches about 50mm long. The whole domestic Wagga is then stitched in a large square grid.
1980 x 1730mm
Patchwork quilt in Log Cabin pattern in print and plain [cottons], each patchwork square divided on the diagonal into two colours. When pieced together 4 half blocks form a large square in one colour. The log cabin blocks are sewn onto calico. The quilt is edged with a pleated frill in a pink and blue patterned fabric, and backed with a pink floral cretonne. The padding is blankets.
Machine pieced patchwork top of Tailor's samples with a backing of patches of furnishing materials. There is no padding.
1930 x 1530mm
Pieced quilt, the top made of fine wool fabric sewn using a treadle sewing machine, to form a distinctive Amish geometric pattern, 'Diamond in a Square'. A large red diamond is in a large blue square, contained by a narrow red border with small blue corner blocks, finished with a binding of deep red. The open areas are intricately hand quilted with patterns of feathers, flowers and leaves. Filling of wool, backing of plain blue cotton.
1770 x 1770mm
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
Wagga, made from 2 jute bags split and hand-bound along the seams.
1870 x 1130mm
Joyce Lloyd
Hand pieced quilt of mainly cotton hexagons with 7 forming a 'flower' in a pattern often called 'Grandmother's Flower Garden'. The backing is glazed chintz and the padding is American polyester.
3000 x 1430mm
Quilt of hexagon patchwork, with nylon wadding. To fit a queen size bed.
2100 x 2100mm
Utilitarian wholecloth quilt made from red flecked furnishing material. The padding is army blankets. It is machine sewn and quilted.
2100 x 2100mm
Embroiderers' Guild Victoria
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

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