Quilt No.391CC - 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:

Teona Smith
Suffolk Puff or puff-ball quilt is made from scraps of dresses and pyjamas, mainly cottons, but also taffeta lining fabric, net, lurex, flocked organdie. The quilt is in bright clear colours, the fabric mostly in small prints, ginghams, different size spots, a few large prints, Chinese brocade, nylon. Puffs are 5cm across, and set 31 puffs across by 45 down. Puffs are squared off when whipstitched together, so corner holes are smaller than usual.
2180 x 1500mm
The Embroiderers' Guild of S.A.Inc Museum
Wholecloth quilt in white cotton voile with alternating designs of Australian wildflowers worked in multi coloured cottons and shadow work. It is backed with yellow voile. There is no padding.
2010 x 1910mm
Fred Wood
Patchwork quilt made from a variety of printed cottons over 70 prints, using shirting and dress fabrics, fabrics also from pyjamas, curtains, aprons, tablecloths. The centre medallion is a square within a square with white borders, the inner frame made of sawtooth triangles. This is surrounded by pieced triangles, square within a square and crosses. Outer frame of sawtooth triangles, and outer border pieced of squares and triangles. Colours are pinks, blues, burgundy and pastels, with floral, stripe and check prints. Lining of cotton. Backed with a printed cotton. Quilt is bound on all edges.
2430 x 2250mm
Elsie Shephard
Double sided patchwork quilt/rug constructed from squares machined together in strips and then the strips joined. The squares average about 27cms. The materials are mainly woollens, fleck tweed, school jumpers, gren check, and chenille and all are from used clothing.
1800 x 1170mm
Daphne Akehurst
Quilt in a wide variety of patterned and plain hexagons in cotton with a wide green border. There is no padding and the backing is cotton.
2500 x 2200mm
The Pioneer Women's Hut
Double sided patchwork quilt. Machined squares and rectangles joined in strips and then the strips joined. Wide variety of materials, mainly woollen from hand or machine knitted jumpers, many patched. All materials came from worn garments from family and friends of the maker. No padding.
1860 x 1410mm