Quilt No.964NGA - National Gallery of Australia

Owner: 
National Gallery of Australia
Location: 
ACT
Maker
Maker: 
Constance Bright & May Bright
Made in
AUSTRALIA TAS
Date: 
1881 - 1900
Description: 
"This is a crazy quilt consisting of nine panels of crazy patchwork joined together with bands of olive cotton sateen fabric. The fabrics of the patchwork are a rich variety of silk brocades, silk ribbons, fabrics with metallic threads and velvets. The embroidery is of a variety of silk threads, including chenille.
The quilt is padded with a layer of cotton wadding backed with a piece of tarlatan. The padding is only present beneath the patchwork panels and the bands that join them. There is no padding in the edge border of the quilt. The layers are quilted with machine sewing.
The quilt...
History: 

The quilt was made by 2 sisters, Miss Constance Bright and Miss May Bright in Tasmania about 1893. A member of the Bright family was employed by the Crosby Shipping Company in 1835. A descendant of the Crosby family, Miss Catherine Crosby, later owned the quilt and gave it to her niece, Miss Jean Brodie, in 1930. Miss Brodie, Queensland, donated the quilt to the National Gallery of Australia to mark the occasion of the Bicentenary in 1988.

Story: 

"Miss Constance Bright (United Kingdom c.1812-Australia died c.1915) and Miss May Bright (United Kingdom born c.1813-Australia died c.1915) made this quilt. They were sisters who came to Sandy Bay, Hobart, with their family as free settlers in 1835. The Bright family came from Skiffington Hall, Leicestershire, England and was employed in Hobart by the Crosby Shipping Company in 1835���." [NGA]

Related Quilts:

Gloria Martin
Double sided machine sewn patchwork quilt made from clothing scraps, wool blends, corduroy, velvets. Patterns include checks and tartans and there are many plain colours. Shapes are mainly rectangles and squares.
1524 x 1372mm
Annette Gero
The top is mainly squares of flannel machined together with patches of dress materials stitched randomly on top. There is no padding and the backing is calico. The top and backing are held together by a binding only. It is one of a pair.
2010 x 1680mm
Margaret Wright
Crazy patchqork quilt, handsewn, composed of six large squares of patches in brocade, velvet and silk in random shapes and sizes. Patches are stitched to others by blanket stitch in yellow thread. Some patches have surface embroidery, e.g. a dragonfly, flowers, music notes, and names, 'Minnie', 'Loyetta' (house in Ballarat), 'Diana'. There are also five small cream bobbles. Colours are red, gold, brown, pinks, greens and blues. Padding is flannel, and quilt is backed and edged with maroon or burgundy ribbed silk.
1461mm x 687mm
National Trust of Australia (WA)
Patchwork top made of cottons, constructed with 5 by 5 rows of squared 8 point pieced stars alternating with white cross-shaped blocks (made from 4 pieces). On all sides are borders of half stars. The outer border is of rectangles of cotton prints appliquéd on to cotton to form a plaited pattern. The border only is backed with a band of cream cotton. All patches are whip stitched together.
2645 x 2615mm
Helen Sparkman
Hexagon quilt made from dressmaking scraps from one neice. The quilt top only is complete and a few papers are still attached.
2250 x 2000mm
Sharon Lord
Cotton quilt, machine sewn and hand quilted. Pattern similar to Double Irish Chain. The background is white and the small squares mainly patterned in pinks, blues, lilacs and greens. The backing is plain white cotton and the padding, which is lumpy, could be some type of cotton.
2057 x 1220mm