Table cover

Scrap fabrics have long been used in quilts, traditionally utilitarian textiles for warmth. The process of quilting encompasses sewing two or more layers of fabric together to make a thicker padded material. From the nineteenth century onwards, quilts became fashionable domestic textiles and were a popular craft for women. From the 1870s quilts began to be exhibited in great international exhibitions in Australia, in recognition of the skill and creativity integral to the craft form.

This quilt is made from yellow cigar silks, the silks having been over-printed with the names of various tobacco companies. Made by Annie Percival (née Tait) in the early twentieth century, the quilt features the silks pieced to create a striking geometric design. Tobacco silks were used to tie bundles of cigars together for sale and it is likely that Annie collected the silks from her father’s hotels in Broken Hill, New South Wales. Annie married Samuel Percival in Glenelg in 1910, handing down her quilt to her daughter, Jean Cook, who donated it to the Gallery in 1987.

Rebecca Evans, Curator of Decorative Arts & Design