Quilts

Patchwork quilt made from tailors' samples, constructed of 144 rectangles each approx. 100 x 160mm. Colours are greys, blues, browns, fawns, plains and patterned. At the top and bottom edges 16 same size rectangles have been folded in half. No filling. Backing is a cream and brown patterned flannelette.
1880 x 1260mm

A hand stitched top in randomly placed diamond shapes in mixed materials, mainly cottons. These are stitched to a flannelette backing. There is herringbone stitching around the border.
1250 x 930mm

Unfinished, hand stitched, polychromatic patchwork quilt in a tumbling block design. Constructed from silk fabrics and stitched with cotton yarns. Although crumpled and torn, the original paper squares are still in the back of the patchwork pieces. There is no padding. 1300 x 1300mm.

Quilt entirely made of hexagons joined to make 'flowers', 6 hexagons form the petals and one in the centre. The quilt is all cotton in a wide variety of colours in plains, checks and florals. The hexagons are all hand stitched using stranded cotton. There is a plain blue border of headcloth machined around the edge to the backing material. It is not quilted The materials were almost all from the scrap bag. Brown paper templates were used. This arrangement of hexagons is one variation of a pattern commonly called 'Grandmother's Flower Garden'.
2040 x 1720mm

Quilt, hand pieced and quilted and cut in half and made into two curtains. It consists of hexagons in the pattern known as 'Grandmother's Flower Garden' and is in cotton prints and white cotton 'paths'. Some hexagons are joined. The quilt is quilted allover in a variety of patterns in fine close stitching, chevron, single cable, palm leaves, hearts. The backing is cream linen and the padding is wool.
2430 x 1200mm

Patchwork quilt of hexagons in silks and velvet, the velvet in plain colours, the silk in plains, stripes, checks and brocades. Centre is made from red brocade hexagons with black silk patches embroided with a variety of flowers and leaves. Stitched to a red velvet border, then top and bottom have Australian motif of crossed wattle branches embroidered in bobble stitch, and on the sides embroidered red flowers. The rest of the quilt is made of hexagons, the edge stitched to a brown silk border, then a border of triangles and a striped edging. Surface embroidery. Crepe backing. Some newspaper templates remain.
2260 x 1720mm

Wholecloth quilt with top and backing of green and pink floral cretonne. The padding is machine pieced patches from old woollen blankets.
1440 x 1070mm

Pieced hand sewn quilt of hexagons. All cotton. 4 Hexagons make up a diamond. Materials are scraps from family clothing. The background is caramel poplin and the backing is cream sheeting. The quilt is signed on the back (in satin stitch) "Isabel C.D.Portus 1974" and "Jean C.D.Portus 1976".
2580 x 1950mm

Patchwork cot quilt, the top made from patterned and plain hexagons (110mm diam.) mainly in cottons, approx. 99 hexagons in total. Handsewn and stitched to a centre piece of material. Back is made of irregular pieces of cotton fabric, checks, florals, in squares or rectangles. Total of 3 layers in the quilt.
1310 x 1000mm