Rectangle Quilts

National Gallery of Australia
" Reversible patchwork quilt of woollen suiting/upholstery fabrics in khaki, greys, blues and browns. Both sides have different designs. The front of the quilt has 13 rows of 12 vertical rectangles flanked on either side by a column of 22 horizontal rectangles. The reverse has a more interesting and complex design of small and very large rectangles, squares and triangles; with khaki contrasting with the duller greys and blues. The patchwork layers are joined at the edges with machine stitching and the quilt is machine quilted along 3 horizontal lines following joins in the patchwork; therefore not being totally straight. These lines are more noticeable on the reverse. The reverse face has been on display at the NGA." [NGA] There is a cotton blanket used as padding. 2054 x 1451mm
Jan Tregoweth
Square patchwork quilt made from rectangles of woollen tailors' samples, each patch outlined with machine fancy stitch using red thread. Machine sewn. The backing is a green and white check fabric. No filling.
Ann Hockey
Patchwork quilt made from rectangles of samples of men's woollen suitings, in greys and blues and some browns. The rectangles were machine sewn together and then sewn in rows or strips. Originally the quilt had a rabbit skin backing, removed due to deterioration. No padding. Machine sewn.
1550 x 1420mm
Ida Blenkiron
Rectangular quilt with front and back made of rectangles of cotton samples of shirt materials, in checks, stripes and plains. Colours are soft muted reds, greens, blues, yellows and browns, and pastels. Construction is 3 to 4 rows of rectangles joined across the quilt. Padding is probably an old blanket. There is a row of hand quilting approximately the width of one patch in from the edge, holding the layers together.
1870 x 950mm
Josephine Curtis
Taylor's sample quilt made from men's suit swatches, mainly greys and blues. Edging is 6cms wide, of blue flannelette. Padding is an old grey blanket, and the backing is of printed pattern corduroy. 1680 x 920 mm.
Powerhouse Museum
"The quilt has been machine- pieced from rectangular swatches of men's woollen fabrics in shades of blue, grey and black, and in various weaves including stripes, checks, chevrons and spots. The swatches are offset at right angles to each other in such a way as to create strong zigzag bands of light and dark along the length of the quilt. The join at the corner of each swatch is marked with a hand-stitched cross in red cotton. The backing has been removed, showing the pinked edges of the suiting swatches. A yellow-brown piping band, possibly the remains of the backing, is sewn around all four sides." [PHM]
2080 x 1620mm
Powerhouse Museum
"A double-sided patchwork quilt machine-pieced from plain and patterned rectangular woollen patches, each 130 x 200mm. The fabrics came from a tailor's swatchbook of men's, and possibly women.s, suiting samples and are mainly in tonings of olive green, brown, blue and cream. The two layers are bound together with a pieced border strip that forms the outside edge. There is no filling or quilting." [PHM]
2140 x 1660mm
The Queensland Women's Historical Assoc.
Small quilt of mixed fabrics in cotton and wool with patterns similar to men's suiting samples. Wool backing and cream binding. Joins are over embroidered with silk thread in herringbone stitch.
1271 x 1067mm
National Museum of Australia
The quilt is made from rows of rectangles stitched together and then the strips joined. Materials are cotton and wool. The backing is a faded green cotton print. There is a different coloured binding along each edge.
1805 x 1270mm
Queensland Women's Historical Assoc.
Quilt of cotton rectangular patches in printed and plain fabrics. Backing is grey cotton waste blanket. Probably intended for a child's bed.
1626 x 1245mm
The Pioneer Women's Hut
A buggy rug of machine pieced patchwork of men's suiting samples. There is a large diamond of patches in the centre, bordered by rectangles. There is no padding. The backing is wholecloth tartan wool.
1910 x 1580mm
Ida Blenkiron
Patchwork quilt made of rectangles of wool and wool tweed fabrics, in green, blue and red, the red predominating. Edges are blanket stitched in pink, blue and green thread. Backing is of red and green corduroy, No filling or quilting.
1910 x 1020mm
Anne Griffin
The quilt is constructed from 64 x 35mm rectangles of printed cottons possibly samples as there are several colourways of some patterns. The pieces have been sewn together in rows and then the rows joined. There is no padding and the backing is khaki desoutti.
1655 x 945mm
The Pioneer Women's Hut
Cot quilt constructed of rectangles of orange, red and yellow striped material and ruched yellow taffeta. It is pieced so the stripes follow alternate directions. The top, bottom and sides are long strips of the same material. The pattern is repeated on the back. The edge is bound in ruched taffeta. The padding is a thick material.
11060 x 836mm
Bud and Patricia Ford
Cotton quilt made from a wide variety of scraps, patterned and plain, in rectangles and squares. Machine construction with white cotton lining.
2185 x 1829mm
Jill Morrow
Patchwork quilt made of rectangles of twill cotton and worsted woollen fabrics, from work trousers. Colours are greys, light and dark brown, and black watch tartan in dark green and blue. Narrow border of floral print. No padding. Backing is cotton, a white background with 1950s print of rectangles of stylised foliage in red, blue and yellow. Top and bottom border of bright blue fabric.
1860 x 1000mm
Jean Gilbert
Patchwork quilt made from cotton, wool and synthetic upholstery fabrics cut in rectangles, stitched in strips then sewn in rows. Down each side is a wide border of beige wool. Colours are soft mainly pinks, blues and light browns, in florals and self patterns. No padding. Backing is blue cotton. Fabrics may have been used for bedspreads as well as for upholstery.
1956 x 1194mm
Annette Gero
The top of the quilt is suiting samples arranged in rows and every second row has alternate dark and light cream rectangles. The back is a patchwork of dress materials. It is machine sewn. There is no padding and it is not quilted.
2160 x 135mm
Miles Historical Village & Museum
Patchwork quilt made from rectangles of brightly coloured cottons in floral, striped, checked and geometric patterns. The rectangles are sewn in strips and then pieced in rows. Machine sewn.
2515 x 2413mm
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

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