A Surprise Box from Ardis!

Good things DO come in BIG boxes!

When we pulled in the drive and started unloading the car yesterday, I came across a box in my entrance way that HAD to be moved to let us pass.

At first I thought it must be more golf or tennis stuff for the DH --- but no ….this box was addressed to ME!

I set it aside while we continued to unload the car, put the left over groceries that needed to go into the fridge away, and unpack the remains of our trip ----but the box was calling! I couldn’t wait to get everything to a point where I could dig into it and see just what was inside.

When I opened the lid --- the first thing I found was a hand written letter from Ardis H in Texas.

She writes:

Hi Bonnie,

I’m in the cleaning mode! I too love scrap quilts and just need to share these scraps with someone --- you know sometimes you just get tired of the same ones over and over. So hopefully you can use some or pass them along to other scrappers.

The star quilt was made by my Aunt and she was born in 1910 in Bashor, Kansas. I just couldn’t leave this in the closet anymore!

Look at these yummy 1930s prints and colors!

Wonderful dress prints and solids --- all on a shirting ground!

Blues – with a bubble gum pink center. I love how the red star tips tie everything together star to star to star.

Purples around a green center!

Each one is different than the next, and I just love them all!

The letter continues:

The bow-tie quilt was a top in my other Aunt’s things. It was the only one not quilted and I don’t know any history on it. She was born in 1909 in Kansas, also in Bashor.

I know you will enjoy them. My boys will have several of their aunt’s quilts to enjoy too plus all I have made and my mother also.

Thank you for all the adventures and quilts and of course patterns that you share on your blog.

Keep it coming!

Sincerely,

Ardis H, TX

I am of course without words as I handle these precious pieces of patchwork for the first time – getting to know their fabrics and their colors, the stitches of their makers. The bow-tie has some FABULOUS 1930s & 1940s prints in it:

Dresses, aprons, blouses and skirts ----plain and simple muslin used as background.

How about that scalloped wedge border? Maybe this is why it stayed a top so long? :cD

That blue --- is SO perfect, it just catches the eye!

I’m thinking Ardis’s aunt loved her stripes…..how many of these blocks are stripes? LOTS of stripes! Fun how you can get to know a person’s likes just by looking at what came out of their scrap bag!

What does your scrap bag tell others about you?

And THIS is what came out of Ardis’s scraps for me to play with! I’ve already dug in and pulled a bunch of the purples that were buried down deep into this mix. I’ve got a plan for them --- yes I do!

And she is right – it IS always more fun to play with someone else’s scraps than to keep sewing with your same old scraps over and over and over again --- this is going to add new life to mine!

Thank you for thinking of me, Ardis! I really am blown over by your incredible gift ---