Spring Projects

It seems as if the days are flying by and of course they are.  I'll post a Sunday scripture and the next thing I know, three weeks will go by in the blink of an eye.  I've been busy sewing for market, getting caught up on other quilting and I managed to squeeze in a trip to Georgia to see my brother and his family with my niece and great nephew.  I can't stay focused right now and I'm blaming the weather which can't seem to stay focused either.  I sew awhile, then knit awhile, then read, then stitch. I'm constantly bouncing around but somehow I manage to get things done.  My latest antiquing discovery was this little button box with the sweetest colors.  So much to do, but I'm itching for an adventure, how about you?

Busy Hands

It is a cold and windy fall day today.  The high is expected to be 48 degrees.  It's a good day to stay inside and I would if I had any food in the fridge.  This time of year the weather fluctuates between warm and cold, sun and rain on a daily if not hourly basis.   I ventured out yesterday to Pink Castle Fabrics to pick up a book I had ordered.  Of course I came home with this pretty bundle of fabric.  I may leave them on the pink pedestal for awhile because for me, they are a yummy treat!  I took a break in my custom quilting orders to make the sweet patchwork quilt from a Tiffany bundle I had purchased this summer at Pink Castle.  I really love it.  One of my favorite things about it is that black and white polka dot fabric.  It just really makes everything pop!  In the evenings I've knit up a little hat for a new little cutie that was just born.   A bit of thrifting led me to this vintage child's dish rack and pretty transfers.  With the blooming of my Christmas cactus I'm reminded of the season that is upon us.  Time to start dreaming of gift making.  Have a blessed day!

xoxo,

Vintage Quilt Find

On a recent visit home I came across this quilt while I was out antiquing with my Mom-in-love.  I was immediately drawn to it because of all the various fabrics and the fun pattern.  It was quite dirty and stained but after an overnight bath in the wonderful Vintage Textile Soak, it was 95% stain free.  I am in love with it and can't stop looking at it.  I also picked up some beautiful yarn in "Fresh Water" colorway for a special little boy who is coming into my life.  I'm going to be Great Aunt Nay, and I can hardly wait!  Have a blessed Monday!

Smiles,

Hello, Hello, are you still here?

I am so happy to be back here!  I ended up purchasing a new camera as it was almost as much to fix it as it was to buy new.   I can't believe how much better the pictures are.  The summer is whirling by!  We've had lots of weddings, the funeral of the Mother of my dear, dear friend,  kids preparing to head back to college and another round of beginning quilting to teach starting next week.

I'm still getting caught up on custom quilt orders but did take a break to play around with Lori's Scrappy Crossroads block.  I was in love from the first cut of fabric!  I want to make this king-size so I have a way to go.  I liked taking this picture because it showed me how I need to balance the fabric in the blocks better.  The bottom two have very little white and so they are darker.  I really didn't see that till I snapped the photo.  So I'll need to make a few more like that so they don't stand out so much.  I have been paper-piecing for the Strawberry Swap I'm doing.  These blocks are so addictive. The book I used is "Cups and Saucers" by Maaike Bakker.  I'm warning you in advance, you won't stop at one (kinda like chocolate kisses, or so I hear!)

I've done a bit of thrifting lately and found the potholder and S&P shakers.  I just can't seem to get enough of this time period.  I'll be back tomorrow to show you what I've been up to in the kitchen. Hope you are doing well!  Blessings!

Hugs,

Antiquing

Next to fabric shopping, nothings pleases me more than a good day at the antique mall.  It was a beautiful sunny day yesterday and I took a long drive on a route new to me.  The road was dotted with lakes and farms, sheep grazing and daffodils nodding as I went by.  I listened to a great sermon on "The God of the Impossible" on my Iphone using the Idisciple app.  By the time I got to the antique mall, I felt as if I was filled up with a tall glass of water on a hot day.

The mall did not disappoint.  I came away with a few treasures, some of which are going to my booth at our local antique mall.  I was so thrilled to find vintage feedsacks at $3.00 each.  They washed up nicely as did the doll quilt in the first photo and the apron in the third.  I will be keeping these.  The colors are so vibrant and pretty.  I've got quite a bit of yardage for each feed sack so my mind is spinning on what to make.

I hope you are having a blessed Thursday, friends!

Hugs,

Wednesday

Happy Wednesday, Friends!  Just popping in to say hello.  I wrestled with squaring up my quilt yesterday.  Boy oh boy, a bit challenging for a king size quilt.  I started the binding last night.  This will take awhile but I'm so excited to use this one.  I unpacked a few of my friends too, I keep finding boxes that I haven't unpacked and was happy to see their cute little faces again. Blessings!

Hugs, 

More Vintage

I have three more vintage quilts to share with you today.  This first quilt is a baby quilt my friend Joanna dropped off to me the same day I received the other vintage quilts.  Oh what a fun day that was!  This quilt is square with nine blocks.  Six blocks are the same fabrics and three are different.  Joanna asked me why that was.  I told her a very resourceful quilter used what they had on hand to fashion this quilt.  The pale yellow background adds a lovely touch.  It appears to be bound with a red handkerchief, how creative!

This tulip basket quilt is just so pretty!  The rows are facing each other like the blue basket quilt showed you previously.  This one has a couple of bad stains that won't budge.  One actually looks like paint, the other black ink.  It is still so very pretty and the applique and quilting are award worthy.  It's a nice dose of spring today!

Last of the bunch is a rectangular crazy quilt.  Made up of mostly silk with a few other textural fabrics, this one is completely stitched with red thread in a feather stitch.  The size would make a nice topper for a piano or an accent at the foot of the bed.  Some parts are beginning to shred, but all in all, it is in good condition.  I did not soak this one because of the speciality fabrics and all that red.  

I hope you have enjoyed my stroll through vintage quilts this week.  I am so blessed to have friends and family that gift me with such treasures.  It is making me take a look at how I quilt.  Not everything needs to be "quick quilting".  It seems the quilts I love the most are ones that were more involved and took more time.  Each type of quilting has its place and I do both, but I encourage you to have something more challenging to work on along with your other projects.  Have a great day!

Smiles,

Baskets

Hi friends!  The next vintage quilt is a throw-size beauty.  Little blue baskets surrounded by the most fabulous hand quilting.  Notice the unusual arrangement.  There are six rows of baskets but they face each other.  I have not seen this before!

Looking closer I found one block that is different from the others, can you see it?  It was common in Amish quilting to purposefully place a mistake in the quilt thus acknowledging that the Lord is the only perfect one.  Most of us would agree that we don't have to "purposefully" put a mistake in, they happen on their own!  I do like the whimsy of the block in a quilt with rather precise points.

How wonderful to find a name on the back of this quilt, Enid Burrows.  Well, Enid, you did a fantastic job!  For those of you who asked about the vintage textile soak, go here.  I can personally say that it works wonders on vintage quilts.  All the yellowing and spots came out of these quilts.

Smiles,

Aged to Perfection

I want to share with you the vintage quilts I received from my Aunt Beth Ann.  These quilts were in her family.  The first one is a twin size pink and white quilt.  The hand quilting on this is super tiny.   I am in awe of the stitching.  It is a simple pattern of two different size squares.  The pink has mellowed to a lovely shade.  I have a fun story for you.  After I got the quilt I soaked it over night in a vintage textile soak to remove the yellowing.  Almost immediately I began to notice hard dark bits in the batting which were rising up to the backing.  These fragments were everywhere.  I decided to open up a seam and take one out.  This is what I found…

…a tiny leaf with a stem (I put it in the shell so you could see it better).  I removed another one that was a hard seed.  So I began to explore vintage quilt batting on line.  What I discovered was so interesting. Before the invention of the cotton gin, around the late 1700's, cotton was picked from the field and batted by hand.  Often times all the cotton debris (leaves and seeds) where not removed entirely.  It also said that quilters who lived in the south where cotton was grown continued to make their own batting at least until the 1940's because it was less expensive.  I have no idea how old this quilt is, but I'm thrilled at this discovery.  When the quilt is dry, you can't see the debris at all.  The other two quilts I soaked did not have this in the batting.  I will show you the next one tomorrow.

On Saturday I was bored out of my mind!  I started playing with scraps of fabric and this was the result. I made a simple envelope back for the sham.  The pillow is a standard bed size pillow.  I was craving color and I got it!  Blessings today, friends!

Joyfully,

Vintage Stitches

I have been given some wonderful vintage quilts.  The kind that make your heart soar!  I will work on getting some pictures for you.  Today the sun is shining, yea!  I am out the door to enjoy it while it lasts. Have a most blessed Friday!

Hugs,

Giveaway Winner & Art Hop

The winner of the December giveaway is Brenda from Quilting Along Life's Way.  Congratulations!
I took some pictures at Art Hop last night.  I was able to complete five quilts this month and added two from my quilt stash.

I had a small space to work with so I thought going vertical would be the best idea.  I found this ladder at a resale shop this week and Maddie painted it for me.  The lights are a vintage strand I found on a recent thrift outing.

I had some fun with the tags.  Keren from Free Pretty Things For You designed the tags for me when she designed my blog.  I used a recycled measuring tape and button pins to complete the look.

I made two extra buntings when I was making them for the cafe and had them for sale as well.  I don't know what it is about bunting that makes me so happy.

There were lots of fun and pretty treats for customers and Christmas carols never stopped playing. Lots of twinkly lights and laughter, the best kind of Christmas merriment.

Vintage Santa mugs kept winking at me all night long.  They are just so adorable.  In the end, I didn't sell as much as I would have liked, but I know that purchasing an expensive quilt is quite a commitment for people.  Today we have a showing on our house and I plan on spending the day with my husband who is home from work for the weekend.  Maddie has her Christmas formal so hair and makeup are on the agenda.  Have a blessed day, friends!

Smiles,