I played hookey today after going through a gazillion chapter edits on the book! I went to sew at my friend Mary's house in Asheboro. We have been doing this a couple times a month since I moved here, and it is always so fun to get together and SEW!
Today it was just us two crazy girls....and I decided this would be a great time to see if I can light a fire under myself and get going on that "Nearly Insane" I started what...about FIVE (or more) years ago! When ever the book came out....anyway..that was when I started it, and it was soon after moving to SC from TX, so..at least 5. I'd been in love with this quilt FOREVER. It was made by Salinda Rupp in 1870 in Pennsylvania. It has the weirdest blocks I've seen in my life! They definately take a bit of time and concentration, and when life got busy for me with school and then massage practice, it got put away. The first picture is a scan of the original quilt from "America's Glorious Quilts." The next pic is of my first 6 rows together.
It's half done. It's more than half done...but I got stuck on this one block and just could not get over this speed bump. I think these kinds of blocks you have to be in the MOOD to work on,and this one I was just NOT. It wasn't even the hardest block in the quilt, or the one with the most pieces, but it is a lone star with chopped off star points and everything has to just fit just SO...I paper pieced it in a gazillion sections, and I am proud to say it took me only about..umm....four or five hours..*LOL* 88 pieces in the lone star. All in all I sewed TWO blocks today, and they are only 6 inches a piece!
I'm thinking I'm going to bring this with me to work on in my hotel room in VA this next weekend. I'll be there for 3 nights. I have most of monday to myself because the guild meeting isn't until monday night, so it will be a good hotel project, just me and my featherweight.
Anyone want to come play? If you are in the Woodbridge VA area, just let me know!
I love rescuing cutter quilt pieces from ebay. Lots of times I'll just square them, bind them and use them decoratively as table toppers, etc. This is a pic of a double wedding ring piece I adopted! It was in pretty bad shape...FILTHY. And it was as stiff as starch....funky smell. Yep. Definately bleechh! So I squared it and bound it with a piece of vintage red I had. Then very carefully I soaked it in a bucket with a bit of oxyclean...no agitation. I put it through a "hand wash" cycle in my machine to rinse and spin it, and then laid it out flat to dry.The first pic is it before washing, the second, after. You can see how much of the yuck came out. And that red whatever that looks like it bled in the first one is completely gone in the second. A couple patches came unstitched, but I can redo those. Considering how gross it was, I'm happy with how "primitive" it just looks now! I confess to hating "pretty" double wedding rings. I made one! I hate *IT* and I think those feelings transfered to all double wedding rings! However, I love how maverick this piece is, and it's going to be a great accent somewhere.
My other find? I'm almost embarrassed to show you these, because you will think I'm nuts! I'm definately "NOT" a "RETRO" type gal. Let's just face it, if an item is YOUNGER than I am, it's just not vintage! *LOL* But I came across these tumblers and ice cream bowls in my wanderings, and they brought back SO MANY MEMORIES of visiting my grandparents that I had to snatch them up. I even sent pics to my mom to see what she said, and she remembers these too! They were really popular in the 1960s.....melmac insulated tumblers, with a layer of raffia/burlap in between the outer and inner parts of the tumbler. I even have a picture of my brother having a rootbeer float in one of these when he couldn't have been more than 4? A couple years ago I was at a family reunion and we were talking about things we remember, and these where what I brought up. Now they are mine. It's like reclaiming a part of my childhood...I've seen a pitcher and ice bucket on ebay, and I definately have my eye on those too!
I think I'll go have a root beer float to celebrate!
P.S.
Sue H left this comment:
Oh, how fun! We had lots of those insulated pieces. My mom worked at a factory -- Cornelius Company in Anoka, MN -- where they made that type of product. We had mugs, tumblers, ice buckets, but no bowls. Very cool.
This explains the other "regional" mystery! I was born in Minneapolis MN. My grandparents lived in Edina, MN. No wonder I attribute all my memories of these fun tumblers to visits to my grandparents IN MN!!! Thanks for the insight, Sue!
20 comments:
Hello Bonnie, when DH and I travel, I normally badger him to stop at antique stores.Recently, I found a battery operated Monkey that blue bubbles. Early sixties, I was given one for Christmas. I was six and spent the Christmas holidays in bed with the mumps.Dad used to throw out things to the tip and sadly that is where it would have ended up.Of course, I had to purchase him. Warmest Regards Lyn
Oh, Bonnie,
Five years of insanity is just too much ... best wishes for the next five years! I have often looked at this pattern am am glad I said "pass" - if you can't keep at it who can?
Lurline.
I remember those glasses and bowls but we didn't have any. We did have aluminum glasses though. They were used frequently for homemade root beer, either plain or as a float!
That quilt is insane:) Good job getting those blocks done though!
Another insane thing is I will be near Woodbridge this weekend, I live 2.5 hours away, but I am helping at my old church's VBS so I won't have time to see you. Such a bummer!
Love the cups and bowls, we didn't have them either but I knew people who did. They are cute and durable:)
Love the insane quilt. You're a better person than I. I'd never do it! As for the bowls and glasses, we owned those when I was a kid! What a trip down memory lane.
That "nearly" (or not-so-nearly) insane quilt is absolutely gorgeous - I applaud you for pulling out this UFO - I might be tempted to find a way to finish just six rows, but not you - you're a trooper! It will be fabulous when it's done.
Julie in Oregon
I'm with you - I love wild Double Wedding Rings so that rules out most of them. This one is great, so happy it cleaned up well. Your insanity is looking excellent - woohoo. um, as far as the melmac goes. I'll have a root beer float out of it when I come visit, but otherwise those are all yours. Definitely something I wouldn't be fighting you for at the thrift shop.
My gramma had those bowls and tumblers too. We only had regular stuff in them, not root beer floats. I guess I was deprived as a child. :-D
The double wedding ring really cleaned up nicely and I'm so glad you are back on track with your "insane" blocks. Can't wait to see it done.
That's an amzing quilt, but the title alone would scare me off starting it LOL.
I would be interested to know more specifics about how you got that red bleeding out of the double wedding ring quilt. I have a quilt I made that I need to wash, but I'm frightened! I spilt tea on it and one of the reds bled when I rinsed it (thought it had been pre-washed!).
Hey Bonnie:
I bought the "Nearly Insane" book a couple months ago and my local quilt shop owner went to Quilt Market and brought home the newest book from that same author..."Just Plain Nuts"! I love this new book and I think I'll go nuts first and then insane LOL.
What memories are tucked away in dishes eh!!?? For me, it's the plastic bowls, dessert dishes, etc. that came with cottage cheese, yoghurt and other products from Silverwood's Dairies. I'm tempted to start a collection of those!
Jacqui in Canada
I like those Bonnie.
You seem to get some cool stuff on ebay.
Love the insane quilt and I love your blog, read it everyday. I think we had those tumblers, I'll have to check with my Mom.
Ranette
Oh, how fun! We had lots of those insulated pieces. My mom worked at a factory -- Cornelius Company in Anoka, MN -- where they made that type of product. We had mugs, tumblers, ice buckets, but no bowls. Very cool.
Your "Nearly Inside" quilt is amazing. What a challenge. And it's absolutely beautiful. Thank you for sharing!
oops, I meant "Nearly Insane"!
I'm drinking my coffee out of one of the coffee cups right now. I love these retro things. You have a more complete set of the glasses than I. Enjoy! Cat
PS. I even put mine in the dishwasher & they do fine.
I grew up with all kinds of those mugs and bowls in our house, my grandma's houses and our camping trailer. Now I know why . . . I grew up in Blaine, MN and Anoka is the next town over. What a cool find!
Loved your confession, Bonnie. I can't remember all of the DWR quilts I "helped" my mother make when I was a kid in the sewing room... we made one for everyone that got married... and I thought it was always more fun to make them scrappy everywhere but at the 4patch intersections.
Those were the only parts that had specific colors that matched. Everything else was what ever I wanted to put together and line up for mom to sew. :) Too bad we never made me a DWR :( I was only a kid then...
Love from Texas! ~bonnie
PS - OH, and your insane quilt OHMY!! You are much braver than most! I'd never dare begin such a porject!!! Your little LoneStar is Awesome! Are you keeping a log of how long each of the blocks take to make? WOW, you amaze me Bonnie!!!
Oh, i recall those tumblers from the sixties. Probably from my grandparents, but can't say for sure. Gave me a nostalgic rush just seeing them.
I for one am glad you're doing the Nearly Insane.
Bonnie, love your quilts especially "Nearly Insane"...I would love to start that quilt, but, well your know, too many projects ALWAYS ahead of me to finish. Love your colors! Oh, and yes my Mom (85) still has those insulated bowls and mugs! Love em! Quilting Hugs,Mary
Ohhh, saw the newest edition to your collection in a more recent post (with their cool carrier). I didn't realize there were MORE items to the set! HOW COOL! I lived in Michigan when my family got their mugs. WOW! Nice collection.
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