Quilt No.766PHM - Powerhouse Museum

Powerhouse Museum
Owner: 
Powerhouse Museum
Location: 
NSW Sydney
Maker
Maker: 
Unknown
Made in
ENGLAND
Date: 
pre 1850
Description: 
"An unfinished quilt in traditional 'Pinwheel' pattern, handsewn with linen thread using the English method. The quilt is composed of sixteen large hexagonal blocks made up of square, diamond and triangular patches around a central hexagon. The central motifs and outer borders are of block printed floral and geometric patterned glazed cotton chintz, with plain white cotton chintz as the background. The patches still have their original paper templates in place; many of these are covered with handwritten numbers and are perhaps from a school exercise book. A collection of templates,...
History: 

"The quilt was given to the museum in 1987 by Mr and Mrs N D Cook of Bowral, NSW. The grandparents of both Mr and Mrs Cook came to Australia from England, and they are not sure which side of the family brought the quilt here with them." [PHM]

Story: 

"The fabrics from which the quilt was made are of different dates, the earliest probably dating to the late 1700s, and were probably collected over several years. They are in new condition which suggests the maker was well to do and patchwork a pleasant way to pass the time rather than an economic necessity. The quilt was probably made in England around 1840 and brought to Australia some time after that." [PHM]

Related Quilts:

Kaniva District Historical Society
Quilt of crocheted squares (sometimes known as Granny squares) in pinks, blues, greens and brown, with a green crocheted border edged in brown. Quilt is backed. A cot quilt or a knee rug.
Cressida Mary Webb Challis
Quilt of machine pieced squares and rectangles using a wide variety of materials in plain colours and patterns. It is one of a pair. There is no padding and the backing is 90cm strips of calico.
2500 x 2130mm
N.S.W. Parks and Wildlife Service
The top is strips of mainly wools in blue, maroon and purple. The backing is imitation fur in brown and grey. They is no quilting. The padding appears to be a double sided pieced quilt from men's suitings or tailors' samples.
1500 x 1130mm
Margaret Williams
Frame quilt with central square of fabric around which the borders or frames have been added in strips. The fabrics are mostly floral, a heavy weight similar to damask or curtaining. The colours are mainly beige, brown, green and red. The original backing was a red paisly design. A second backing, of red, brown and yellow leaves on white (possibly dating from 1930s), has been added at a later date. Quilt is bound with brown fabric.
2200 x 2000mm
Pioneer Settlement Authority
Cot quilt of cotton hexagons. There is a central diamond of hexagons and then a repeat diamond motif radiating to the edge. Each hexagon is 40mm. The backing is sheeting or similar and the padding is dacron type.
1200 x 700mm
Diane Kern Hamilton
Dresden plate quilt with pointed pieces set around a white centre. Fabrics are checks, floral patterns and plains of the 1930s. The twenty blocks are sashed with plain mauve fabric which does not meet evenly in some places. The padding is two layers of cotton bedspreads. The backing is open weave rough quality cotton.
1860 x 1550mm.