Australia has a rich and diverse heritage in patchwork quilts. It covers convicts, Governor's wives, Gold Rush immigrants, wealthy shop owners, WWI diggers, people who were forced off the land during the Depression, WWII Australian prisoners of war, rabbit trappers, artist's wives and finally last, but not least, Mum, who made all her children's clothes and never threw anything away. This book not only reflects the quilts found in this country but also the social history of countless ordinary people, histories which otherwise would never have been written, reflecting the life in this country over two centuries. The thread that holds this patchwork of Australian history together is that each story told includes the making of a quilt. It draws a women's memories, diaries, their letters to relatives, official records, newspapers and magazine articles reflecting the current domestic influences and, of course, the old magazines which provided the quilt patterns. Stunning photos, many of quilts which have never been seen before, show the rich quality of design and workmanship. There are visually dramatic quilts to rival any found in the world as well as mellow woollen appliques made from children's clothes. Others are real rag bag waggas, Hessian bags or patchwork-covered army blankets, but still rich in the memories embedded in their cloth. The breadth and diversity is extraordinary. Now too we have included the patterns of many of these wonderful quilts so you can recreate these glorious quilt treasures from the past.