The History of Quilting in Four Minutes, narrated by Padraic Fisher, National Wool Museum Director. Created for the National Wool Museum, Geelong exhibition Necessity: waggas and the art of making do, 2021.Four minute fourteen second digital film featuring animation and audio.quilting, waggas, history, national wool museum, padraic fisher, true south, animation, necessity, exhibition

History of quilt unknown.Quilt, covered in a brown and floral patterned cotton fabric, machine and hand stitched with black knitted insert.quilting history, running stitch group, running stitch collection, quilting - history

The background history to this quilt is unknown as, like several of the Running Stitch quilts, it was found in an op-shop, this time in Ballarat. However, the technique used to bind it together and the rarity of the materials make it a valuable piece of our 'thrifty history'. The quilt insert has been made with layers of recycled bed coverings. It would have most likely had a cover made of a fabric (such as cretonne) as the layers have only been loosely held together with large quilting stitches. The outer layer is made of "marcella": a heavily woven cotton damask. These types of bedspreads were quite expensive and hardwearing. They were often handed down through the family and it is not surprising to see that the use for this particular bed covering has been continued past the 'presentable' stage on a bed.Detail of edge showing layers and stitching method. Deatail of corner showing layers.quilting history, running stitch group, running stitch collection, quilting - history

‘Dressage Quilt’ was made by Jan Ross-Manley for the Running Stitch exhibition Wool Quilts Old and New in 1985. The quilt is made from the sashes of winning female participates of Equestrian Sports in Victoria. The central diamond is divided into quarters, one for each woman who won the ribbons. The piece is about dedication, strength, exertion and achievement. The artist's statement reads: "I have been collecting pennants and sashes for some time now, intending to collate a series of pieces on Australian country life and people. This is a woman's quilt, made entirely from 'horse' sashes won at competition. The central diamond is divided into quarters, one for each lady who won the ribbons. 'Hurdles' are set into the inner borders. The piece is about dedication, strength, exertion and achievement. The all pervading yellow letters cast a tawdriness over the otherwise clean colour scheme." This quilt was later part of an identically titled exhibition held at the National Wool Museum in 1989.Large quilt consisting of numerous winning horse sashes sewn together to create a patchwork quilt separated into quarters, bordered by a royal blue trim. The centre of the quilt is a diamond shape made from various pink cotton strips and bordered by multi coloured horses heads. The quilt is backed with blue cotton and has a polyester fill.quilting history, patchwork history, running stitch group, running stitch collection, highlights of the national wool museum: from waggas to the wool quilt prize - exhibition (22/09/2001 - 02/12/2001), ross-manley, ms jan, quilting - history, patchwork - history

Quilt made from pink patchwork curtain cloth, machine stitched and patched at a later date by hand. Part of the Wagga collection.Quilt made from pink patchwork curtain cloth, machine stitched and patched at a later date by hand.quilting history, patchwork history, running stitch group, running stitch collection, quilting - history, patchwork - history

Made by Mrs Brown, Queenscliff Victoria c. 1920. Given to the Running Stitch Group by Cyril Brown. Mrs Brown worked as a mantle-maker in Flinders Lane, Melbourne VIC. Her employer supplied fabric samples for the quilt which was her contribution to their home on her marriage. According to Mrs browns son, Cyril, who donated the quilt to the Running Stitch group, the colour was selected by her employer because of the new married name. "If she had married Mr Green it would have been different". Cyril also remembers using the quilt when he and his wife visited his parents at their home on the Bellarine Peninsula. This quilt is one of a collection of quilts known as 'The Running Stitch Collection' donated to the National Wool Museum in 1989 by the Running Stitch Group. (Barbara Macey, Lois Densham, Susan Denton and Jan Ross-Manley). Earliest Date: 1910 Latest Date: 1930Quilt of brown woollen patchwork on both sides. 1770 x 1750 mmquilting - history patchwork - history, running stitch group, running stitch collection, brown, mrs brown, mr cyril, quilting - history, patchwork - history

Child's coverlet made from old blankets and clothing pieces with curtain and blanket backing. Part of the "Wagga" collection. Maker unknown, from the Ballarat area.Child's coverlet made from old blankets and clothing pieces with curtain and blanket backing.quilting history, patchwork history, running stitch group, running stitch collection, quilting - history, patchwork - history

UnknownLadies samples coverlet. Machine stitched. Backed with a patchwork of mattress damask offcuts in a simple slat design.quilting history, patchwork history, running stitch group, running stitch collection, quilting - history, patchwork - history

Part of the " Wagga collection" donated by the Running Stitch group. Maker unknown. c.1900. Possibly English. Was being used as packing material when found.Quilt, patchwork. Made from tiny hand worked patchwork squares reminiscent of medallion style quilts.quilting history, patchwork history, running stitch group, running stitch collection, england, quilting - history, patchwork - history

UnknownDetail of corner of quilt on the back showing the rod pocket.quilting history, patchwork history, running stitch group, running stitch collection, quilting - history, patchwork - history

Origins are unknown, however it may be possible that since the creator of this quilt has used larger than usual pieces of suiting material, they may have worked as or knew of a tailor for their fabrics.Quilt made of large strips of men's suiting fabric. Machine stitched. Red flannel backing.quilting history, patchwork history, running stitch group, running stitch collection, quilting - history, patchwork - history

Part of the "Wagga collection". Made from squares of patchwork suiting, machine stitched with red diamond and rectangle motifs at strategic positions. The diamonds look like they have been inserted in the fabric pieces where a dart has been cut and opened out.Quilt made of squares of patchwork suiting and fabric offcuts, machine stitched with red diamond and rectangle motifs at strategic positions.quilting history, patchwork history, running stitch group, running stitch collection, quilting - history, patchwork - history

The apparently haphazard arrangement of fabric pieces in a quilt made of scraps doesn't always preclude a conscious sense of design. The pieces in this quilt have been carefully arranged according to size and colour, possibly indicating that it was intended to go on a bed as a spread without a cover. Placed in a room that may not have been adorned with many other decorative items, this quilt would have been a colourful and inexpensive home furnishing solution.Patchwork quilt made from large pieces of wool suitings, colourful clothing off cuts and woollen blankets. The quilt has been hand stitched together with stitches that hold the front and back sides together. Either a large single bed size or small double bed size.quilting history, patchwork history, running stitch group, running stitch collection, quilting - history, patchwork - history

Part of the Running Stitch collection. Possibly made in the Ballarat area."Camel hair" quilthandicrafts quilting quilting - history, running stitch collection, running stitch group, handicrafts, quilting, quilting - history

Part of the Running Stitch collection. Given to "Running Stitch" c1995 by the Korrumburra Art GalleryLarge wagga made from fabric pieces which have been hand stitched together and lined with jute wheat bags. Fabric pieces are roughly rectangular and of various sizes. They are made from cut-down cotton knit garments (green and pink), a pink cotton fabric with floral print and various woollen garment pieces and their linings. Pieces are roughly over stitched together with various woollen threads. Back of the wagga is similarly constructed but with cotton and silk fabrics, both printed and plain.handicrafts quilting quilting - history, running stitch collection, running stitch group, handicrafts, quilting, quilting - history

Part of the Running Stitch collection. Possibly made in the Ballarat area.Heavy weight domestic waggaWAGGA/ Maker Unknown. 108cm long X 67cm wide/ Floral cotton cover with filler of old garments/ Running Stitch Collection/ c/- Barbara Macey/ ...handicrafts quilting quilting - history, running stitch collection, running stitch group, handicrafts, quilting, quilting - history

Part of the Running Stitch collection, possibly made in BallaratDomestic wagga, unfilled, consisting of two machine sewn layers of woollen garment pieces both knitted and woven. The front pieces are predominantly red, blue and yellow, the back is mostly brown red and blue.WAGGA/ Maker unknown 154cm long X 90cm wide/ Made of parts of wool garments, knitted and woven.....handicrafts quilting quilting - history, running stitch collection, running stitch group, handicrafts, quilting, quilting - history

This small woollen suiting wagga was machine stitched, backed with orange cotton and edged with brown navy and white striped braid. It shows how important old and disused suiting fabric was for quilt making during World War Two. Part of the Running Stitch collection.Small woollen suitings wagga. It is machine stitched, backed with orange cotton and edged with brown navy and white striped braid. Two rows of orange braid and purple ric rac are stitched across the wagga.handicrafts quilting quilting - history, running stitch collection, running stitch group, handicrafts, quilting, quilting - history, world war two, wwii

Part of the Running Stitch Collection. Possibly made at Ballarat.Patchwork quilt, made with small rectangular pieces of printed cotton dress fabrics in predominant shades of blue. Machine quilted and filled with woollen handknitted garment pieces. Backing is a cream cotton fabric printed with blue and green and brown floral pattern.quilting quilting - history, running stitch group, running stitch collection, quilting, quilting - history

Made by Mrs Noel (Lizzie) Morton, the donor's mother on their farm "Wanera" at Benjeroop on the Murray River. It was stitched with a treadle machine. Her sister Flora MacDonald did the running stitch and provided the silk backing. The squares were sent as samples from a firm called "Fred Hesse" who advertised in the Melbourne papers "Be smart and dressy In a suit by Fred Hesse". The buyer chose a sample and then sent it back with measurements and received a "mail order" suit.A small knee rug made from suiting samples machine stitched together. It is backed with black silk fabric and finished with a running stitch of orange wool oversewn with black wool thread.farming quilting quilting - history, wanera benjeroop, farming, quilting, quilting - history

This cot cover insert was made during the 1929 depression an a time of financial hardship. It was made by Jean Hepner's Grandmother from used woollen garments. They were hand stitched on to an old woollen blanket. The quilt was used by at least five of the seven children born in to this family and also by grandchildren in later years. It was used with assorted covers which were replaced when needed.Child's cot cover insert (wagga) made from discarded woollen garments such as socks, stockings and vests and stitched in multiple layers on to a woollen blanket. It is mostly cream in colour with patches of blue and brown.quilting, history, depression era, wagga, geelong, quilting - history

Mr Perkins joined the police force in his early twenties and apart from an 18-month posting in Melbourne, spent the rest of his career serving communities in country Victoria. He was a keen fisherman and hunter- his first love was sitting on the banks of the Murray River with a fishing rod in his hand. Family camping trips were spent by the river where everyone slept on stretchers with several army blankets underneath and a wheat bag wagga on top. This wagga is made from two standard sized jute wheat bags split and hand bound along the seams. It is typical of a basic wagga made by shearers, farmers and swagmen. The paint stains on this wagga display signs of later use as a painting drop sheet by descendants who inherited the quilt. Quilt made of two standard size jute wheat bags (a bushel = 150lbs) split and hand bound along seams. It is an example of the basic type of wagga made by shearers, farmers or swagmen. Another use for the wagga was as a 'drop sheet' when doing house painting- possibly explaining the paint stains on the wagga.quilting history, running stitch group, running stitch collection, highlights of the national wool museum: from waggas to the wool quilt prize - exhibition (22/09/2001 - 02/12/2001), perkins, mr percy, quilting - history

This wagga was made during World War Two from disused patterned rayon patches. The wagga is filled with jute bags. The maker of the quilt is unknown. The wagga was a necessity given the austerity of war, it shows the persistence of wagga quilt making right through the 1940s.Quilt/wagga, patterned rayon cover in mixed patches in blues and greens, with jute lining.quilting history, running stitch group, running stitch collection, quilting - history, world war two, wagga, jute

Maker unknown. Made c.1930. Wagga / quilt made of two jute wheat bushel bags hand bound together.Jute wheat bag. Two rows of red jute and one of orange, run the length of each side. Two holes have been mended with white string. Green purple and black markings have been stamped into the bag.quilting history, running stitch group, running stitch collection, quilting - history

Made for Chris Neyland by Rene Densham when he was born in 1953 and later given to Running Stitch by Lois Densham who is Chris Neylands aunt. The quilt was made from scraps of woollen fabric from clothing used in the family. It was used in Chris' cot or pram when he was an infant. Lois can remember the dark green fabric coming from a jacket she once wore and the blue tartan pieces from a skirt worn by Rene, her mother. Lois also remembers her mother being "a better piano player than a cook or a sewer" and " made in the tradition of making do from a family who knew how". The family structure is as follows: Rene married Bob Densham and had three daughters: Doreen (Saunders), Betty and Lois Densham. Betty married Bob Neyland and they have a son, Chris.Quilt, child's coverlet made of woollen squares from suits and jackets. Colours are greens and browns.quilting history, running stitch group, running stitch collection, densham, mrs rene elizabeth neyland, mr chris, quilting - history

Patchwork made from samples of mens suiting fabrics.The sample pieces on the edges may have come from a sample book which was bound together loosely rather than in a book form.(possibly in a 'flip book' style??) the samples in the middle are probably from a bound sample book. The cotton backing may either indicate that the coverlet was finished in more recent times- possibly 1940-s to 1960-s.Back of quilt showing the original placement of the rod pocket. Back of quilt showing location of new rod pocket with rod in situ. This view taken with the location of the original rod pocket at the top of the picture.quilting history, running stitch group, running stitch collection, quilting - history