Quilt No.964NGA - National Gallery of Australia

Owner: 
National Gallery of Australia
Location: 
ACT
Maker
Maker: 
Constance Bright & May Bright
Made in
AUSTRALIA TAS
Date: 
1881 - 1900
Description: 
"This is a crazy quilt consisting of nine panels of crazy patchwork joined together with bands of olive cotton sateen fabric. The fabrics of the patchwork are a rich variety of silk brocades, silk ribbons, fabrics with metallic threads and velvets. The embroidery is of a variety of silk threads, including chenille.
The quilt is padded with a layer of cotton wadding backed with a piece of tarlatan. The padding is only present beneath the patchwork panels and the bands that join them. There is no padding in the edge border of the quilt. The layers are quilted with machine sewing.
The quilt...
History: 

The quilt was made by 2 sisters, Miss Constance Bright and Miss May Bright in Tasmania about 1893. A member of the Bright family was employed by the Crosby Shipping Company in 1835. A descendant of the Crosby family, Miss Catherine Crosby, later owned the quilt and gave it to her niece, Miss Jean Brodie, in 1930. Miss Brodie, Queensland, donated the quilt to the National Gallery of Australia to mark the occasion of the Bicentenary in 1988.

Story: 

"Miss Constance Bright (United Kingdom c.1812-Australia died c.1915) and Miss May Bright (United Kingdom born c.1813-Australia died c.1915) made this quilt. They were sisters who came to Sandy Bay, Hobart, with their family as free settlers in 1835. The Bright family came from Skiffington Hall, Leicestershire, England and was employed in Hobart by the Crosby Shipping Company in 1835���." [NGA]

Related Quilts:

Virginia Solomon
Log Cabin quilt featuring centre square and 3 outer borders. Evidence of later repairs and additions by machine and hand sewing. There is white paint on it. The log cabin pieces are sewn on to black netting. There is no padding and the backing is a centre piece of gold damask/sateen and green and black sateen borders.
1728 x 1321mm
National Trust of Australia (WA)
Silk and velvet frame quilt with centre patchwork block of squares and triangles with a top and bottom border of silk in Royal Stewart tartan. This rectangular centre frame is surrounded by plain and 'saw tooth' (triangles) borders. The outer border is dark grey silk embroidered in pastels in stem stitch in a meandering vine and leaf pattern. There is no padding or quilting. Backing originally of mustard wool material machine stitched along turned in edges. Dark red cotton is attached to original backing.
2015 x 1320mm
Pauline Munro
Quilt of woollen rectangles, probably tailors' samples. Machine pieced. The backing is floral cotton similar to curtain material.The backing has a french seam down the centre back and is folded over to the front to form a binding. There is no padding.
1440 x 1260
Harden Murrumburrah Historical Society
Patchwork quilt has pieced blocks in the 'Ohio star' pattern in red print and white cotton, alternating with plain white blocks. Quilt has a 9cm frill in red and grey geometric print cotton, machine stitched around the edge. Quilt appears to have some hand quilting. No padding. Backing is white cotton.
2210 x 2060mm
The Pioneer Women's Hut
Machine pieced cot quilt made from squares of material including tweed, wool, blanket and pyjama material. The squares are joined in rows with colours randomly placed. There is a pink satin edging. The backing is part of a pale pink blanket.
1150 x 900mm
Kristine Gray
Double sided frame quilt. All reused materials including corduroys, wools and light weight suitings. Machine made and not quilted There is no padding as already heavy and warm.
1780 x 1530mm