Maker unknown. Given by a Daylesford community member to the Running Stitch Group.Quilt with feather stitching around green squares. Pattern of cricketers, lions and kangaroos on backing.quilting, quilting history, running stitch group, running stitch collection, quilting - 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

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

This quilt came to the Running Stitch Group from a visitor at the 'SIO Great Exhibition of Victoria' held at the Museum of Victoria in 1985. This exhibition of historical ephemera about our state included many of the quilts collected by the group. After seeing the value of these utilitarian quilts, many visitors decided to donate their family quilts to the Running Stitch Group. Meg McNab was one such person who identified her step-grandmother as the maker and said the quilt was used in her fathers' family. It eventually came back into her family through her own mother who came to stay in later years. For the journey, the quilt had been used as packing material. Owing to its size, this quilt may have been made for a child. The stained pattern on the back has occurred as a result of rust marks from a wire wove mattress base.This is the front of the quilt. The rod pocket has been applied to the verso. This is the back of the quilt. the rod pocket has been applied to this side.quilting history, running stitch group, running stitch collection, mcnab, meg, quilting - history

This quilt is called "Anzac Anniversary" and was made by Lois Densham in Melbourne in 1985. Lois Densham was a member of the Running Stitch group of quilters. This quilt was displayed in "Wool Quilts Old and New", a touring exhibition presented by the Running Stitch quilters group in 31 Jan. 1986 to Feb. 1987. It was catalogue entry no. 3. The artist's statement reads: "A veil of violence over a calm surface. Violent angles of the tartans and plaids with elongated curved segments which bring to mind Scottish warfare and Australians with Scottish forefathers. I began this quilt because of Anzac Day and the 70th anniversary of the First World War. Anzacs rededicate themselves yearly to peace within their circle of family and friends." This quilt was later exhibited in an identically titled exhibition held at the National Wool Museum in 1989.Quilt - "Anzac Anniversay" by Lois Densham, Melbourne, 1985anzac day, handicrafts quilting, running stitch group, running stitch collection, masters of technique: creators on cloth - exhibition (15/06/2001 - 22/07/2001) highlights of the national wool museum: from waggas to the wool quilt prize - exhibition (22/09/2001 - 02/12/2001), densham, ms lois, handicrafts, quilting

Quilt called "Diversions" and made by Barbara Macey in Melbourne in 1985. Barbara Macey is a founding member of the Running Stitch group and its sole remaining member. This quilt was part of a touring exhibition called "Wool Quilts Old and New" presented by Running Stitch, 31 Jan. 1986 to Feb. 1987. It was catalogue entry no. 6. The artist's statement reads: "Being of Scottish descent, I was most interested to discover the Scottish Herringbone quilt, made of pieces of wool tweed, sewn herringbone fashion, to strips of fabric later seamed together to make a quilt. Having a variety of wool fabrics to work with inspired this interpretation of a traditional idea." This quilt was later part of an identically titled exhibition held at the National Wool Museum in 1989."Diversions" by Barbara Macey, 1985.quilting, handicrafts, running stitch group, running stitch collection, masters of technique: creators on cloth - exhibition (15/06/2001 - 22/07/2001) highlights of the national wool museum: from waggas to the wool quilt prize - exhibition (22/09/2001 - 02/12/2001), macey, mrs barbara

This quilt was purchased from an op shop in Clifton Hill, Vic. by Lois Densham, a quilter and former member of the Running Stitch group who has an interest in historic Australian quilts. The quilt has been displayed in NSW, where it was part of an exhibition of Historic Australian Quilts curated by Annette Gero and held at Old Government House, Paramatta between 5 June and 22 August 2000. Initially purchased in Clifton Hill, it originally came from a source in Highton, Geelong. It is a double bed sized quilt in the classic 'crazy' style with extensive use of herringbone and feather stitching.The pieced style of the quilt, made from squares of patchwork is similar to the style of quilts made by members of the Country Women's Association (CWA). The women sometimes made a quilt as a group activity and Lois suggested that the quilt may have been made by this group.Quilt, rectangular. Made with crazy patchwork in twelve large blocks. The blocks at each corner are fairly regular, whereas the others are full of random pieces. The patches are oversewn with hand embroidered feather stitch in different colours. In the centre there is a block with a maroon cross. Many of the pieces have central 'sprigs' of green embroidery in bullion stitch. The quilt is backed with a blue and green striped fabric.quilting patchwork, running stitch group national trust of australia (nsw), running stitch collection, densham, ms lois, geelong, quilting, patchwork, cwa

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

Quilt entitled "Growth" by Lois Densham, Melbourne, 1987. Depicts the growth of the woollen industry in Victoria. Quilt used in the exhibition "Wool in the Australian Imagination" (Historic Houses Trust of NSW, 1994) where it was stated that the artist likes to tell people about themselves and their world through her work by the use of familiar fabrics such as blankets.Quilt entitled "Growth" by Lois Densham, Melbourne, 1987.handicrafts, quilting, woollen mills history, running stitch group, running stitch collection, label, highlights of the national wool museum: from waggas to the wool quilt prize - exhibition (22/09/2001 - 02/12/2001), densham, ms lois, woollen mills - 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

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

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

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

Donated to the Running Stitch collection by Mrs Faulkner of Bendigo after she saw the exhibition curated by Murray Walker at the Museum of Victoria in 1985 of memorabilia. Mrs Faulkner sent the wagga down on the train and Lois Densham picked it up from 'Travellers Aid' at Spencer Sreet station. Mrs Faulkner made this wagga for her father in his later years when a hot water bottle was considered too dangerous and a blanket was not warm enough.Printed cretonne cover of yellow and orange flowers, covering a wagga style quilt made of two standard size wheat bags opened out and stitched together. An opening in the cover has been tacked down to reveal the jute lining.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), faulkner

Made by Adolphina Noll in 1934 in Wilmington, South Australia as a wedding gift for Mr Joe and Mrs Ida (aka 'Ike') Fulwood. Mrs Noll was Ike's maternal grandmother and was 69 when she made the quilt. (It was used on a bed in a plain heavy woven calico cover which was secured with safety pins. The cover is not in existence.) It was given to Lois Densham in Adeleide from Ike, who was a close friend of Lois' sister, Doreen Saunders.Double bed sized quilt cover insert made from several items of clothing: men's frock coat (possibly from the 1900's), another men's coat (date unknown), a woman's coat with a fur trim on the pockets (possibly from the 1930's) and a woman's dress or skirt (circa 1920-30's). The clothing pieces have been arranged in an apparent haphazard way to create a shape with straight edges and corners to fit neatly into a cover onto a bed. Lining materials are apparent on the back of the woman's skirt/dress pieces which may also show that this item of clothing was either taken apart or never finished. Orange cotton lining material is also evident on some pieces of the men's coat.handicrafts, quilting, 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), noll, mrs adolphina fulwood, mrs e. g.

Maker unknown. This blanket was part of the standard army issue kit and belonged to Lois Denshams father, who served at Gallipoli during the first world war. Before donating the blanket to the Running stitch collection, it was kept by Lois' Aunty Nita. Lois remembers that it was kept in her fathers original kit bag and kept at her aunts place because of sad memories about the war which her mother found difficult. The humble army blanket had many uses during war times. Issued with two blankets, it was all a soldier had as a bed to keep warm or without a tent, all they had to provide shelter from the sun, rain or wind. (They were supplemented with a woollen army 'great coat', but soldiers still had to huddle together as keeping warm and dry was a desperate game.) The Lighthorsemen used them under their standard leather saddles for extra padding and in the hospitals they were sometimes the only bedding for the wounded. This blanket belonged to Lois Denshams' father who served in the Australian Army in the First World War, landing at Gallipoli. Since the war, army blankets have come to be regarded as the basic type of blanket -no frills. This blanket was used in the Densham family since that time for camping trips.Grey woollen army blanket with stripes near either ends.world war i, running stitch group, running stitch collection

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

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

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

Part of the "Wagga" collection. Maker unknown. c. 1910 from Blackwood area.Cover is dark blue.quilting history, running stitch group, running stitch collection, quilting - history

Mrs Florence Holbrook Giles, mother in law of Gwen Giles, obtained the fabrics for her quilts from her sons' upholstery business in Chelsea, Victoria.Square floral linen and cotton quilt with damask centre lined with raw cotton and filled with kapok. Ruffled edge.quilting history, running stitch group, running stitch collection, giles, mrs florence holbrook giles, mrs gwen, 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. The green colour of this wagga is from "Dekkol" a preservative which Mr Perkins used to protect his cotton fishing nets from rotting.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. The green colour results from the application of "Dekkol" a preservative used for cotton fishing nets.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