Historical information

Jane McGrath made this quilt 30 years ago from a tartan fabric sample book (c.1990). It was one of her first quilts. Jane was inspired to quilt by her mother Shirley Critchley. Jane recalls her mother being a very talented quilter, with one example being the “Unpicked Jumper Wagga” which can be found within the National Wool Museum’s Collection (REG 8283). Shirley taught Jane the basics in quilting and assisted her in preparing this quilt.

The quilt is backed with material from disused woollen skirts. Jane could not recall what material was used for the internal insulating fabric.

Jane donated the Tartan Fabric Sample Quilt to the National Wool Museum in 2021. The quilt had been languishing in her cupboard for many years and had found its way to the op-shop pile, as her children had no desire to inherit her quilts.

Physical description

The top layer of the quilt consists of five distinct rows of tartan samples appliqued together. The rows of tartan samples are broken with a boarder of white, grey, and brown fabric which runs in parallel lines. This fabric is also used to bind the quilt together at the edges. The internal insulating fabric of the quilt is not known. The backing fabric is a grey coloured wool originating from disused skirts.
The Tartan samples contain stripes of varying width and colour. The samples have been arranged so that the stripes run diagonal on the quilt. Many different colours have been used. The predominant colours are red and black, with lessening amounts of blue, yellow, white, green, and grey featuring.