Quilt No.390CC - 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 machine pieced squares and rectangles using a wide variety of materials in plain colours and patterns. It is one of a pair. There is no padding and the backing is 90cm strips of calico.
2500 x 2130mm
History: 

One of a pair made by twin sisters Isabel and Jean Portus about 1961 and on their deaths passed to the present owner, Cressida Challis, a family member.

Story: 

One of a pair of quilts made for the makers' own beds. "These were made c.1961 - my mother remembers staying with them at the time they were made, when I was a baby and my brother was about 3. They were made very quickly, machine sewn, because the twins needed new bedspreads and didn't have much money. They both cut out the fabric and pinned pieces together, and Jean sewed them on the machine. They have been repaired and some bits of fabric have been sewn over worn patches, because they were in constant use until 1994. After they were made , two curtains were made in similar style and fabrics. I still use these curtains, though I had to patch and replace the calico lining on the one in the kitchen in 1997. Previous repairs had been made by Jean. I used material from Jean's collection������.Patchwork was done in the evenings , a little before dinner, and more after dinner. Jean's great love was gardening, so in the daytime she was always in the garden when she wasn't working. Isa did some gardening too - she grew tomatoes. She usually cooked dinner and did a lot of the housework." [Cressida Challis 1.8.98]

Related Quilts:

Helen Cornish
Patchwork quilt in the Log Cabin pattern, each square 14cm x 14cm, made of used cotton fabrics with a fine wool fabric as the centre square of each. Colours are mainly reds, blues, greens and maroon, and pastels, in prints and plains. Quilt has a wide border of dark blue cotton with mitred corners. The padding is black and white mattress ticking, and the backing is the same dark blue cotton as the border. Machine stitched.
1770 x 1170mm
Annette Rich
Unlined quilt. Central square of floral chintz with rectangular and chevron border making a larger frame that is set within another square-on-point frame edged with 2 toned red leaf pattererned chintz. This quilt is mainly pieced (squares, triangles, lozenges) but the hexagon rosettes are appliqued. Dress and furnishing cottons dating from the early 1800s. Raw edged, unfinished. All hand stitched.
2400 x 2400mm
Val Ireland
Utilitarian quilt. The top and backing are machine pieced scraps of curtain material and clothing pieces. The centre is an old blanket and possibly clothing pieces.
2033 x 1525mm
N.S.W. Parks and Wildlife Service
Crazy patchwork on to foundation material with the edges of the pieces turned under and machined. It is not quilted. A 25mm red binding has been machined on. There is no padding. The backing is red wholecloth cotton.
1940 x 1540mm
National Trust of Australia (TAS)
Small rectangular bed cover, probably child's or even doll's, made from rectangles of cream linen stitched together with hand sewn french seams. The top surface is decorated with small squares and rectangles of coloured silk, velvet, wool and cotton attached approximately 25mm apart, with 3 stitches in centre of patch to attach to background. Bright pink wool patches stand out.
935 x 635mm
Billie Briggs
Hand pieced crazy quilt in a variety of plain coloured velvets. All seams are over embroidered in a variety of stitches. There is no padding and the backing is heavy black cotton. 1900 x 1630mm.