Quilt No.393CC - Cressida Mary Webb Challis

Cressida Mary Webb Challis
Owner: 
Cressida Mary Webb Challis
Location: 
NSW Sydney
Maker
Maker: 
Isabel and Jean Portus
Made in
AUSTRALIA NSW
Date: 
1941 - 1970
Description: 
Quilt of 50mm hexagons in random pattern. Hexagons are made from scraps of old materials with many variations of colours and patterns. One red print hexagon has "J.P." on it. The padding is an old eiderdown and the backing is calico.
1660 x 1220mm
History: 

The quilt was made by twin sisters Isabel and Jean Portus in Sydney. It was commenced in the 1960s and completed in the 1970s. It is now owned by family member Cressida Challis and is used on the spare bed in her home.

Story: 

Isabel and Jean, who made the quilt, were twin sisters. They never married. Isabel, Jean and another sister Barbara all used brass templates to make their hexagon papers. The templates were made by Barbara's husband Serge who was a fitter and turner. The papers were often cut from shareholders' annual reports and were reused a couple of times.
Isabel and Jean made many patchwork articles, made their own clothes, crocheted and knitted socks during the war.

Related Quilts:

Win Oliver
Crazy patchwork quilt made from silk, brocade and velvet pieces, the seams covered with feather stitching in yellow silk. Fabrics are plain, and patterned with tartans, woven spots, stripes and floral brocade. Colours are rich, mainly red, pink, blue, green and cream. Quilt has a patterned velvet or velour border with urns and flowers in pale olive green and black, edged with a fringe in these colours.
1090 x 1040mm
Mare Carter
Patchwork cradle quilt of pieced repeat blocks. All cotton including cotton filling. Pattern is in faded greens and pinks,"4 pointed star" in circles. There are 20 blocks.
991 x 788mm
Val Ireland
The top of this utility quilt is machine pieced rectangles of woollen materials joined in strips. It includes corduroys and velveteens and woollen tartan. The backing is an Indian cotton blanket.
1651 x 1271mm
Muriel Hartmann
Reused parts of hand knitted woollen jumpers patched together. Wide crocheted edge from wool unravelled from jumpers retrieved from the tip.
1905 x 1525mm
N.S.W. Parks and Wildlife Service
Double sided quilt. Side 1 has an off centre frame based on a hexagon and including triangles and squares in a concentric pattern. The borders are all small rectangles with a single strip of large rectangles at one end. Side 2 has a central patch of pieced shapes appliqued to the background. The borders are squares and rectangles many in striped shirting cotton. Side 1 has minimal quilting to the interlining but it does not go through to side 2. The padding is a thin sheet.
The circle (sometimes pieced hexagons) is common to other 'Craigmoor' quilts.

1450 x 1230mm
Anne Gardener
Quilt made from woollen dressmaking scraps, sewn to an army demob issue blanket, grey with blue stripes. Patches are feather stitched in red broder cotton thread. Quilt is edged with red cotton material zig zagged into place. Colours are pink, blue, brown, black and grey, in plain cloth, weaves and checks.
1462 x 966mm