Necessity

A wagga is a quilt made out of necessity. Born in the desperate times of the 1890s to the 1930s, the wagga is a uniquely Australian creation that embodies the practice of making do.

People made waggas to keep themselves warm and they made them from just about any textile they could find. These waggas reveal a patchwork of stories. Some of them we know, and many we don’t. But look long enough and stories emerge – of hardship and survival, of loss and longing, of family and work, … of life.

The National Wool Museum holds Australia’s largest and most significant collection of waggas. Shown for the first time in full, this is a special exhibition to savour.

Taking inspiration from the wagga, the exhibition also showcases a range of creations borne of necessity and making do. These additional objects include a wool fragment recovered from the 1797 Sydney Cove shipwreck, a maid’s dress from 1840, two rare Jimmy Possum chairs, contraband objects from the Geelong Gaol and even an upcycled cardboard sleeping bag. There is also Static # 1 by artist duo Cake Industries showcasing the innovations from artists and modern makers.