1930’s Spinning Star

I’m writing this a bit a head – yesterday was a travel day and I wasn’t sure there would be anything interesting enough to fill a Monday morning post --- so this will fill the void with some really great eye candy also from my last trip through Georgia!

This was the most funky “sorta-dresden-plate-ish” quilt I have ever seen! 

This was also found in Braselton, GA – just heading back up from Atlanta on I-85.

I loved the colors.  30’s quilts are SO distinctive aren’t they?

“THAT” Green.
“THAT” Bubble Gun Pink.

And the splashy polka dots and prints of the era just evoke such a feeling!

Here is the whole quilt, what I could get of it:

What caught my eye was that each star is spinning differently than the next!

What at first appeared to be a completely  pieced design turned out to be:

Top Stitched Machine Applique!

Which really gave the quilter the freedom to turn and place her blocks in any rotation that she wanted, and that adds SO much motion to the quilt!  Don’t you wish you knew the story of this one?

Fun from the scrap-bag!

And – do you SEE THIS!??

I’ve shown several quilts over the past months where sashing is not completed, and borders are only on the top and bottom of the quilt ---Utility quilts, Southern Style!  ((And if you look really close, you will see a tiny bit of yellow added at the far left pink border --- did she run out of “that” pink?))

And just so you don’t think that I bring home every machine that crosses my path --- this is one I had the hardest time leaving there, but leave it I did:

Wilcox & Gibbs chain stitcher!

I was in instant love with this machine, but it was not meant to be.  I am SERIOUSLY out of room.  But – this is the original cabinet.  How do you like the foot-shaped foot pedal?! LOVE LOVE LOVE!  And I bet someone else has snatched it up by now, and whoever picked it up ---I hope they actually SEW on it!

Chain stitchers do just that – they sew with a chain stitch, much like the stitching on old flour or feed sacks – or – the kind of stitching you see running across the top of a bag of dog food.  The drawback of chain stitching is that one tug of the thread will unravel the whole thread.  The upside of chain stitch is that one tug of the thread will unravel the whole thread! 

Chain stitch machines were often used for pre-fitting a garment so changes could be made in the alteration process.  Another benefit is that  bobbins never run out, because there IS no bobbin!

Lovely little piece of history!

Today is a Roll Roll, Cotton Boll workshop with the Baytown Quilt Guild and I know we are going to have an awesome time!