Hello Again!

I guess I'm still enough of a zombie that I can't think of a catchy title phrase for this post. However, the Hello Again part does apply, as I feel like I am going around on a Merry Go Round! (And having a mighty fine time of it too!)

I arrived home from TN and AL on Sunday night after spending time with the Evening Stars Guild in Pelham, which is a suburb of Birmingham. I'd never been to Birmingham before, so it was fun to wander around. You know me and antique malls! Even if I don't buy something, sometimes a photo is just the inspiration I need.

I really REALLY love the "Utility" style quilts best. The ones made not to win awards,but to cover those we love. To be worn out with the using, functional every day quilts.


These pics were taken in an antique mall in downtown Birmingham. Nothing came home with me, but the photos. Compared to others I've found, these were pretty pricey for the kind of quilts they are and the condition they were in. Still, don't you love this improved 9 patch? I love the colors and the splashy dress fabrics, definitely from someone's sewing basket! That yellow just brings in the sunshine, doesn't it?

How about a little string snowball/bowtie cutie pie in an old iron sits bath? Sometimes just looking at the ways quilts are displayed gives me ideas for home too....but I don't know where I would put a sits bath, nor could I fit in this one :cD I love the blue chambray that was used as the background fabric. Definitely an "every day work shirt" type of fabric, it gives a homey feeling to this scrap bag quilt.















This flying geese quilt was my fave find of the day. Very worn, but still wonderfully graphic. I think I see one of these in shirt plaids and stripes in my future! It's a classic!



I will admit to NOT being a lover of the average every day wedding ring quilt in all it's perfection. I made one once...my second bedsized quilt. Hand quilted. I think that was enough to make me NOT like the pattern, but I love this splashy version with it's big "squarish" rings instead of the perfectly round ones. It's got ATTITUDE! I love it when someone uses something other than "muslin" or "white" for the background..some bold IN YOUR FACE color! (like cheddar or red maybe?) It just gets me all excited. This one was made in the 40's. Very fun with the polka dots, lots of bold prints and a great accent of black.

And this one needs no introduction. It was just BEAUTIFUL in unwashed condition. I had to turn the binding over in my hand to check to be sure it wasn't a chinese knock off because it didn't have much quilting in it,but it is all hand pieced and quilted...binding applied by hand. Not a knock off, and never ever washed. Someone's prize. And here it is in an antique mall. *SIGH* That's almost sad, don't you think? I'm not sure what is sadder...for a quilt never to be used, or for family to sell it to strangers. Still, it was graphically lovely with it's traditional solid green and red on cream.

Wouldn't this look awesome on a wall at Christmas time?