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:
Patchwork quilt made for a child. All cotton with cotton padding. White blocks have embroidery depicting different nursery rhymes eg Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary ; Old Mother Goose. These blocks are separated by rectangular strips of teal cotton. The quilt is hand stitched and heavily quilted.
1677 x 1271mm
1677 x 1271mm
Hexagonal piece of patchwork made up of 9 rows of rosettes of hexagons in a wide variety of colours and patterns mainly in silks and velvets. It is incomplete. Backing papers are still in the outside rows and also basting threads. Hexagons are joined by fine whip stitching. It is unlined.
1370 x 1220mm
1370 x 1220mm
Machine sewn quilt made from 125mm squares of scraps left over from dressmaking, joined in strips and then the strips joined. There is a border of fawn cotton and the backing is the same material. The padding is an old blanket and the border is padded with sheep's wool.
1400 x 925mm
1400 x 925mm
Suffolk Puff quilt made from a variety of scraps of dress materials including cottons and terylene. It is backed with white cotton sheeting and edged with a frill of white terylene. There is a matching pillow sham.
1740 x 1300 mm.
1740 x 1300 mm.
The suffolk puffs are mainly cotton in a wide variety of colours and plain and patterned materials. The puffs are small squares rather than the more usual circles. The backing is teal satin hand stitched to the top. There is a teal bow at one end. There is no padding.
1570 x 1100mm
1570 x 1100mm
" This well worn quilt is of pieced diamonds set into squares (221 make up the quilt). Thick woollen fabric has been used for the pieces. These are with plain dyed fabrics or tartans and checks. All work on the quilt is hand sewn. The quilt was lined with a fine blue cotton." [NGA] The quilt is not padded. 1835 x 1400mm