Quilt No.393CC - Cressida Mary Webb Challis
Owner:
Cressida Mary Webb Challis
Location:
NSW Sydney
Maker
Maker:
Isabel and Jean Portus
Made in
AUSTRALIA NSW
Patterms
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
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:
Hand sewn patchwork quilt with a pattern of blue stars. Each star consists of hexagons in the centre with part diamonds forming the star shape. The quilt is made from scraps. It is not padded and the backing is cotton and has a hexagon star border. 2660 x 2470 mm
Double sided quilt made from woollen suiting pieces some of which have hand worked eyelets. Many of the rectangles are irregular. Both sides use similar pieces but arranged in different patterns. There is no padding.
2160 x 1524mm
2160 x 1524mm
Patchwork quilt or cloth made from pieces of woollen material used for regimental uniforms in England last century. Star pattern in colours, red, pale blue, green, maroon, yellow [white] and brown. Hand pieced probably by more than one person. Red fringe machined on. Red flannelette backing in poor condition. Two layers, not quilted.
1780 x 1700mm
1780 x 1700mm
Quilt in mauve, pale blue and white squares, with wide borders of floral and off white. The quilting is a centre medallion with leaves on the border, and cross hatched over all. The padding is cotton batting, and the backing is plain white cotton. 2180 x 1900 mm.
Frame quilt pieced from square, rectangular and triangular pieces from plain and patterned cotton. The central motif of the rooster is appliqued in red cotton on white background with a border of red triangles. There is a white cotton backing.
2000 x 1925mm
2000 x 1925mm
"This is not a true quilt, but a pieced coverlet with a lining. The entire front face of the quilt is of pieced hexagonal and part hexagonal printed cotton patches. Pieces are joined with hand sewn over casting stitches of many different coloured cotton threads. The joining of the patches forms a 'daisy' pattern in some areas and in others it is random. The edge of the front face of the quilt carries a 40mm strip of cotton Chinoiserie which is then folded to the reverse of the quilt and becomes part of the lining. The template for the hexagon patches remains in many of the patches: writing paper and news print." [NGA]
The work is not padded "The lining at the edge of the quilt (for approx.175mm) is a plain weave fabric of a Chinoiserie design. The centre field of the lining is a rectangular panel of a twill weave brushed cotton fabric with a striped floral design." [NGA] 2215 x 2070mm
The work is not padded "The lining at the edge of the quilt (for approx.175mm) is a plain weave fabric of a Chinoiserie design. The centre field of the lining is a rectangular panel of a twill weave brushed cotton fabric with a striped floral design." [NGA] 2215 x 2070mm