Shredded Silks, Etc.

I have rarely seen a silk quilt from the Victorian era in good shape. 

The silk processing meant that heavy metals and fiber-weakening
mordants were used in the fabric finishing process to give silk a heavier hand ((Oh, ladies loved the swishing sound of heavy silk skirts!)) and along with the dye process, deteriorated the silk over time. 




Many such quilts are just in shreds ----and it is so sad to see because silk quilts shimmer like no other!

This one is just a simple square-in-a-square, and uses the repeated grey stripe through out the quilt ---llok at it close and you see stars emerging, look at it again and you see diamonds!

Shredded diamonds.

Oh, but I can’t resist seeing the luscious fabrics up close, and perhaps running a finger over the shimmering fibers.

This was another “wonder” quilt – which means:  I will wonder about the story behind it, wonder about the maker, wonder about the source of the fabrics ---and wonder how it passed through a family's hands until it was no longer cherished or wanted and found its way, wonder of wonders, to a lowly little antique mall in North Carolina.

Unlike it’s uppity embroidered and overly embellished cousins, this silk quilt is just patchwork, plain and simple.  Square in a square--- side by side.  and it is STUNNING.  I may need to do one of these in the future. What a great leader/ender it would be!

This poor beat up child’s  toy machine ALMOST made it home with me.  But for the condition, I just felt the price was too high.  It’s adorable, though, isn’t it?

Those of you who are new here might not know that I also love to include a treasure hunt for the WEIRDEST antique mall item while I’m out shopping too.  It keeps your eyes always open, and you find things that you might have missed otherwise!  These items usually bring on fits of giggles and big smiles and makes you happy to leave some things behind when the day is done.

A year or so ago it seemed that I was running into these in really strange places ---

DIVING HELMETS!

This Post shared another helmet from another trip, along with some other really weird stuff that did not come home either!  This post shows another diving helmet – they are everywhere!  So yes, I collect Sewing Machines --- but I actually use them.

Come to think of it --DH can always be glad that I don't collect DIVING HELMETS! Would I use an antique diving helmet?

The label on the helmet was pretty cool though!

And as far as weird stuff goes --Remember the life sized Frankenstein??

What is one person’s treasure -----does not make it mine! LOL!

I’m turning on the Quilt-Cam at 2pm Eastern.  Yes.  I’m still working on those dang geese.  We worked on them Friday night – and I haven’t even cut that batch apart to press yet, so that is my job this morning to get ready.  I hope you’ll bring a project and come sew along!