When Goodies Come Home....

I have to scramble to find places to put them! I just love antique textiles. And I think of the hands that held these pieces, traced, cut, pieced, layered, quilted, and those that were covered by these works of love...put to hard use in their life-of-a-quilt duty to keep a family warm, and I just feel connected somehow.

Is that strange? Maybe just a bit. I also admit that I love looking through the old photographs in antique stores. Children, couples getting married, old ladies sitting on porches, all different stages of life. I can't make myself buy them as if they were family, but I feel like acknowledging the existence of each and every one of those individuals and wonder about the lives they lived. There was one box that had family photos all the way up through the children's lives as they had grown into adulthood and beyond.

Someone had taken the time to write on the back of each photo who was in it and when it was taken. But enough generations go by and it just doesn't mean so much to the future generations any more. Is it sad that these end up in an antique mall? Or is it a lovely appreciation and a glimpse into the lives of others? Better than in a box on a shelf in an attic? The jury is out. Makes me wonder if my photos will end up on a shelf in an antique mall some day! If so...I hope they leave out my 2nd grade pic, I really hated that one. Bad glasses, bad hair, a bump on my chin from falling off my bike... ;c)



Lemoyne Star! A TINY LEMOYNE STAR!! I've always wanted to hand piece one of these, but I know me. It probably isn't going to happen in this life time, or maybe this decade at least. But I am in love with all-things-small and this one just made me squeal right there in the store! Lois was holding it up as I turned around. I just about dropped my parcels and purse drooling over this. Yes, some many of the patches are shredded from hard use and age. But it hasn't lost its impact! It contains mid to late 1800's fabrics, some maybe a bit earlier. Let's face it, I have over 30 years worth of scraps in MY scrap bag, so did this quilter!



The little blocks finish at approximately 4.25". The points are PERFECT..no chopping and lopping going off on this quilt. It was pieced by expert hands. Stitches small and even..



I love how it was quilted...due to the small size, the maker simply stitched two diagonal lines through each block, corner to corner in both directions, and then did the same with the horizontal and vertical...8 lines sectioning the block like a pie, following the inner lines of the diamonds. So some of the quilting is in the ditch, some of it extends into the corner and side background patches, can you see it?

Simple but effective, she didn't feel the need to outline quilt a 1/4" inside each patch, and the quilt is stronger (probably why it survived this long) because the quilting CROSSED the piecing lines in the patchwork.

The blocks are also quilted in the ditch between the block and the sashing, and the 1" sashing has one long line of quilting down the center.

The backing is a lovely stripe, and it is turned over the edge and machine stitched down as binding.

Now wait for it...in case you think that this quilt broke the bank (or maxed my credit card!) Price? $28.00!! Now you know why I about fell to the floor! And I think Lois would have adopted it if I hadn't been there, but she thought that the guest-traveler should have first dibs. Dib I did! Thanks Lois for passing on this one!



You know, I really thought this would cure my need to MAKE a tiny lemoyne star quilt? What was I thinking? I want to MAKE one more than ever now! GAH!!! Someone help me please!

A bit of info on the home front:

We left the house at 5:15am this morning after waking up at 4:45am to get Dave to the hospital for his hernia surgery this morning. He was first on the OR schedule, and I'm glad...we could both pass on breakfast and catch something later since he had to be NPO since midnight. Everything went fine. He's always been a very healthy guy, very active. He doesn't smoke or drink, and hasn't had any anesthesia since he had his tonsils out at 6 years old...and due to this was classified as a total LIGHT WEIGHT when they put him under! He had the hardest time coming around, and feeling like he could move, get dressed, go to the bathroom, etc. I think he has a new appreciation for those of us who have had surgeries, borne children, and lived to tell the story!

He's a trooper, and is resting in bed with the remote on one side, and the dog on the other, entertaining himself with things like "Ice Road Truckers" and copious amounts of "The 70's Show" and whatever else floats his tv-watching-boat. I'm glad this is behind us. Any kind of surgery where they have to put you completely under is scary.

I did buy a turkey. I'm cooking. And basically the turkey was free...I went to Harris Teeter and bought all the "buy one get one free" type holiday items that I would have needed anyway. The turkey was even on sale, and by the time I checked out they said I saved $18.00 which makes the turkey MORE than free. So we are good. The only thing I need is some whipped cream for the pie, and some dinner rolls, and I don't want to buy those too many days in advance. My plan? Get the rhodes frozen whole wheat dinner roll balls and bake them myself to make the house smell good. Works for me...more time to sew!

The mystery still needs the binding finished, so I think that a couple of movies and my behind in the reclining side of the couch stitching away is in order. There will be more goodies from the antique mall next post, I think I've probably stretched this post out as far as it can go, and if you are still here reading along with me, pat yourself on the back, get away from the computer and go DO SOMETHING! :c)

Happy Thanksgiving, Y'all!