Quilt No.392CC - Cressida Mary Webb Challis

Owner: 
Cressida Mary Webb Challis
Location: 
NSW Sydney
Maker
Maker: 
Isabel and Jean Portus
Made in
AUSTRALIA NSW
Patterms
Patchwork, Mosaic, Hexagon
Date: 
1941 - 1970
Description: 
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
History: 

Made by Isabel and Jean Portus, twin sisters, in Sydney. Commenced in the 1960s and completed in the 1970s. It was made for the single bed in the guest room of their home. After the death of Isabel in 1974 the quilt was finished by Jean and at a later date was passed to Cressida Challis, a family member. It is still used, sometimes, in the spare bedroom of Cressida's home.

Story: 

Isabel and Jean, who made the quilt, were twin sisters. They never married. The quilt which had been commenced in the 1960s was almost complete when Isabel died in 1974. Jean then completed it in 1976. 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.
The sisters made many patchwork articles, made their own clothes, crocheted and knitted socks during the war.

Related Quilts:

Billie Briggs
Quilt No.1051BB - 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.
Patchwork, Pieced Random, Crazy
Catherine Ringwood
Quilt No.482CR - Catherine Ringwood
The top of this quilt is 6 x 5 alternating squares and rectangles of check woollen material in 12 or more colour ways. Herringbone stitch in yellow stranded cotton is worked along each join and border.The border is plain grey wool. There is no padding and the backing is light blue crepe.
1118 x 814mm
Patchwork, Mosaic, Square
Lyn Uppill
Quilt No.219LU - Lyn Uppill
Scrap quilt made of vertical strips of rectangles alternating with narrow strips of pieced triangles. Colours are subdued, blues, pinks, red, browns and black, in small patterns and stripes. Fabrics are suiting, rayon, crepe, gaberdine, taffeta and blazer wool. The padding or middle layer is pieced from hessian and suiting fabric, knitted cotton. and khaki and brown twill (uniform material). The middle layer is then handsewn to the back.
1550 x 870mm
Patchwork, Mosaic, Rectangle
Dianne Gorringe
Quilt No.514DG - Dianne Gorringe
Patchwork quilt/cloth with strong overall design of very small squares. The colours are navy, red, cream, green (khaki) and fawn. There is a wide fringe on all sides. There is no padding. The backing is cotton sateen.
1240 x 126mm
Patchwork, Mosaic, Military
Betty Johnson
Quilt No.639BJ - Betty Johnson
Pieced wool quilt, machined. Rectangles and squares, from a wide variety of materials including tartans, checks, tweeds, herringbones, joined in strips and then the strips joined. The backing is scraps of woollen material with a seal motif aookiqued on. There is no padding.
1350 x 800mm
Patchwork, Mosaic, Rectangle
Cressida Mary Webb Challis
Quilt No.391CC - Cressida Mary Webb Challis
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
Patchwork, Pieced Random