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:
Rectangular patchwork crazy quilt pieced in squares (3 across by 4 down), in silks and wool, with red sashing between blocks and red border, quilted. Colours are dark, with red and light blue. Embroidery includes double feather, rope, herringbone, satin, cross, sword edge, buttonhole and coral stitches, and French knots. Embroidered flowers include lily of the valley, rose, daisy, and sunflower, also butterflies. Backing is pieced in the frame style, with a large centre red square, within 10 frames or borders. Embroidered "In Most Loving Memory of My Darling 1883", "V.H.B." Hand sewn.
1900 x 1500mm
1900 x 1500mm
A hand sewn quilt of more than 6,536 hexagon pieces in cottons, silks and polyester mix. There is a centre circular pattern of hexagons within a larger hexagon and small hexagons form larger hexagons in a random pattern on the quilt top. There is no padding and the backing is a plain fawn sheet with a floral edging in hexagons. 2880 x 2550 mm.
Double sided quilt with both sides based on a central frame. One side has centre panel of darks surrounding 4 patch of the same print in different colourways. This is surrounded by borders of rectanglesis small prints, checks and stripes. The outer border is men's suitings. The other side has a centre frame similar to the 'Broken Dushes' pattern surrounded by wide borders in solid colours, paisley and fine checks. There is a dark strip across the top and bottom. It is roughly machine quilted.
1770 x 1380mm
1770 x 1380mm
Hand pieced hexagon quilt in pattern known as 'Grandmother's Flower Garden". 12 hexagons, in patterned cottons, form the outer border of each flower with an inner border of 6 matching plain coloured hexagons and all flowers have a yellow hexagon centre. There is no padding, a cotton backing and it is hand quilted.
2400 x 1780mm.
2400 x 1780mm.
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1931 x 1855mm
1931 x 1855mm
Machine stitched quilt made from tailors' samples cut into squares. The colours are mainly greys, browns and fawns. There is no padding and the backing is a grey herringbone heavy woollen material with a white fleck. This is folded back to the front to make a 75mm border and finished with a dark grey braid where it meets the patchwork top. 1525 x 1225mm