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Saturday, April 05, 2008

A Wonderful Time In Asheboro!

I returned from Asheboro, NC last evening! First thing I did? Head to the hot tub! I am loving having our hot tub in the gazebo off the deck, watching trees go from blossoms to new leaves, seeing how the grass has become so fresh and green just over the past couple of weeks....spring is definitely arriving! Slow in coming, wet and rainy, but it is spring none the less!

Last night I experienced my first loud thunder-bumper storm here. It was fun being down in the basement studio all safe and dry while the storm rumbled on through. I wondered if our power would go out, but it didn't, luckily. I had to put borders on the baby quilt for my sister who is expecting her 4th baby, another niece for me, any day! I may miss the baby's arrival due to my travels, and the quilt is likely NOT going to be ready to ship for a couple weeks yet, but I don't think the baby will mind.

Anyway, back to Asheboro! Even tho Asheboro is only an hour's drive or so from my house, I had never been there before, so it took me into new territory. One of the fun things about traveling is meeting up face to face with people I have known via the internet for years, but had only communicated via email. I had the pleasure of finally meeting Mary, and got to stay at her beautiful home! Her decorating is so much my own style...or the desire of style, because it sure isn't evident in what I've done so far with this house! But her house is warm, wonderful, comfy cozy, and little quilt vignettes are every where! We just had the best time, and I'm glad she is close enough that we can get together for sew days or antiquing or whatever. I hope we will.


She took me to a fabulous antique mall....I must have hit the jackpot because she said the last time she was there there were NOT as many quilts! But this time...woah baby! And the prices were reasonable! She had her camera and took pics of my shopping fun. I ended up buying 5 quilts...most of them in "cutter" condition, but I bought them because I could so relate to them. I would love to recreate them....I just knew I would have so much in common with the women who made them, even as humble as they are. One is in complete shreds....But the design and the quilting in it are fabulous. (No pic of that one in what she sent me home with, but I'll get pics of it when I can) The deal of the century was in a "junk" flea market mall down the street from the antique mall, where I asked her to read the tag for me.....

"Mary...does this say $10.00?? Or is it supposed to be $100.00??? It was TEN DOLLARS..needless to say, we paid the lady quickly and ran!! *LOL*

This broken dishes in a 9patch variation quilt really caught my eye. LOok at those colors! The red is so vibrant....it's got shirtings and indigoes..plaids, stripes, prints...Everything that just "floats my boat!" The backing...simple home-dyed cotton...which I suppose really isn't all that "simple", I can't imagine what a pain it was to boil fabric to dye it in those days! The quilting is baptist fan, wonky as can be, and executed in black thread. I've got several antiques from this era that use black thread for quilting on utility style quilts. I LOVE IT.....I want to quilt with black thread on a utility quilt project like this. The blocks are big and chunky. She probably had to make it fast out of what she had to provide warmth for her family. And, it looks like the blue piece wasn't quite long enough...so what did she do? Added on some left over green. My kind of gal!


This "Northwind" quilt ALSO came home with me! Who would have thunk that *I* who has been in love with quilts with a gadzillion SMALL pieces would be so drawn to quilts with BIG blocks? I used to not like BIG block quilts at all...and they really have grown on me. This one also has a simple muslin type backing. The fun thing about this one is it is all pieced by machine, even the binding (turning the back to the front) is by machine. It is hand quilted tho...this time in diagonal (well SORT OF!) rows. You know how we would follow the patchwork as a guide to where our diagonals should pass through the block? This one has no rhyme or reason as to the placement of the diagonals..they just go wonky... ;c) Yep...a gal after my own heart (or was it a guy?? who knows?)

Look at that ONE lone cheddar block!? And notice how there is a row of "Burgundy" blocks that goes across the center of the quilt in a stripe? That is something we wouldn't do today. But in lots of old quilts, they grouped "like kinds" together..where we tend to scatter them so things are more spread out and try to avoid having the same thing touch each other. I love that they had less rules than we try to impose on ourselves. Maybe a life lesson in there somewhere?


This quilt was another FABULOUS FIND! The quilting is SO small, and some of these blues I think may have been green at one time...the yellow washed out of those over dyed greens and left the fabric a greenish blue again. The brown is probably hand dyed, maybe some of the others too. This quilt has such WONDERFUL blocks! I love the design. I have no idea where to put all these..but they just have to come live with me, if even just for a while...This is a very EARLY quilt. The batting is so thin it is almost non existent, and the quilting is so close, and echoed and echoed...

The other two quilts I didn't get pics of...so I'll have to do that for another post. I'll leave you wanting and waiting for more!

We met up with a dozen or so quilt guild ladies for dinner, and then off to the guild meeting we went. Mary took some pics...and I just had to laugh. This one looks like I'm doing the quilter's version of Michael Jackson's "Thriller" !!

It's tax prep weekend..along with everything else...and then I'm headed to the DC area of MD on Monday!

Buddy Update....not good folks. :c( The doc got in there and there is more damage than was visible on the xrays. Buddy is going to have to have more work done on Tuesday, they are going to have to put in some plates instead of the simple wiring and pinning that they thought. He really did a number on his carpals/metacarpals when he jumped off the deck...please keep the good thoughts and prayers coming! He's home with us and all bandaged up and on meds until then! Jeff and Dave are going to have to deal with him since I'll be in MD....



21 comments:

  1. WOW!! Can I travel with you, please, oh, please?! LOL
    Those quilts are some great finds!
    Poor Buddy! Will keep good thoughts and prayers going.

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  2. I think I like that one cheddar block! It's a maverick, to be sure. Thanks for sharing all the great quilt pictures. I never find great deals like those.

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  3. Woah! This is a huge shopping extravaganza!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Right on! You go girl. ;)

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  4. Sorry to hear about Buddy, if your anything like me I hurt as much as they do and feel so helpless when my 'babies' hurt.
    Looks like you had a ball in Asheboro, and I like the quilts too.
    I espescially like the one you were using in your presentation of the fabric food chain. That is soooo cool. I was given a lenght of pre- patterned material at our church guild and asked to put a border on it. This has given me some wonderful ideas to pull the colors from the quilt and use in a strippy border.
    Thanks Bonnie for all your inspirations. Have fun in MD next week.
    Fran:-)

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  5. Love that lone cheddar block. Maybe it would be fun to do an entire one in that pattern with cheddar as the background?
    I will keep both Buddy and your family in my prayers! It is difficult when a member of the family needs surgery!

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  6. I LOVE the quilts! I just love looking at old quilts. I always wonder what was going on during the time they made them or why they used certain fabrics.

    I sure hope the Buddy does okay! Poor thing!
    Kristie

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  7. What a wonderful collection of quilts - I can hardly believe that you got one of them for only $10!!!
    Big hugs and kisses to Buddy - we're thinking of him :)

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  8. How is Buddy? Oh, the quilts you got are awesome, esp. the cheddar one. Can't wait to see the others. Did you leave any quilts in that mall? Oh, to go antiquing!!

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  9. WELL, hello from Tx. How are you? what great finds you found!

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  10. Ohhh, poor Buddy. My thoughts will be with him. Boy, would I love to be packed in your suitcase. Can't wait to find out if you will ever get to Florida so I can come to see you. Have a great time, travel carefully and keep the piece. Renee

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  11. Those are lovely finds. The shops around here never seem to have such goodies. Hugs to your furbaby hope he gets better soon

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  12. Looks like you had a wonderful time in Asheboro antiqueing and teaching, what a treat for both you and them! Wishing you safe travels to MD, Hannes and I will be praying for good results for Buddy.

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  13. Anonymous7:01 PM EDT

    What a quilt selection! I enjoy all of your commentary on your finds, especially the part about the groupings of like kinds/colors in antique quilts, even when they really stick out. That is also one of the big reasons why I love antiques. Fewer rules, a lot of individual and "make do" creativity. Thanks for sharing those photos.

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  14. Poor Buddy. Give him a hug for me. Your buys are great! And the cost even better.

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  15. I am sorry for your poor Buddy dog...I hope he is set to rights on Tuesday!

    Looks like you found fabulous finds in Asheville! Fun scrappy make-it-do quilts...my favorite too...

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  16. If I learn to apparate can I come on the next antique jaunt? I can't believe $10. Really?

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  17. I think your quilt finds are wonderful, and what great prices! I love looking at old quilts and trying to figure out what "rules", if any, the maker set for herself. Love that cheddar block! What inspiration these oldies are! I'm keeping Buddy in my thoughts - I hope he's better soon.

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  18. Wow you hit the motherload! Nice quilts.

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  19. Wow what a beautiful Quilts!
    Kind regards

    Sonnja
    Beertje Zonn

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  20. Those quilts are just wonderful! Isn't Asheville great...I keep trying to get my DH to think about retiring there.

    Brownie had lots of problems when she broke her leg too. She sported a cast for almost 6 months. She just would not stay off of it which kept making it worse. In the end it healed but will never be straight...she has a bit of a John Wayne walk now.

    Enjoy Maryland!

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  21. Praying for Buddy! Such a sweet doggie!

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