This wonderful old historic 1870s home houses the Nacoochee Village Antique Mall!
And I made it there BEFORE the 5pm closing time yesterday!
It’s right across the street from the Nora Mill & Granary, and there are several floors and loads of rooms to walk through just full of wonderful goodies.
When I got there, I found I only had 40 minutes to do what I could before closing time, so I put my wandering into hyper-drive and focused on anything sewing/quilting/fabric/linens/vintage machines related.
You know how it is when you have something in mind – you can’t find it!
There were NO vintage sewing machines whatsoever at the Nacoochee Village Antique Maill. That doesn’t mean they have never had them, I was just told that when they get them, they don’t stick around long. SO much for that elusive wonderful purchase I was hoping to find.
I did come across some wonderful old quilts:
A Great 1950s log cabin!
Odd widths of logs, and great prints and plaids!
And that electric plum backing! GREAT!
I went up a couple of floors and around a few corners to find this one:
A machine appliqued dresden on a field of blue.
And this one:
A sun drenched photo of a yoyo from the 1930s --
I know there are some that love yoyos. To me they are a bad waste of good fabric that would have been better used in a real quilt! ((ooh, how is that for an opinion! LOL! Sorry if I offended any yoyo lovers out there!)) It takes a LOT of fabric to make one yoyo. There is no batting or backing. They are definitely not “warm, cozy or comforting” to be under. They are held together by whipstitches in a few significant places, and often times these threads break because the yoyo quilts get so heavy. If the yoyos are small, you can’t even tell WHAT the print on the fabric is---
I’ve had half a mind a time or two to buy yoyo quilts to take them apart and use the fabric in something else, whether it was repairing a vintage quilt that needed vintage fabric to patch or mend it, or just making my OWN vintage scrap quilt by actually cutting the pieces into useable shapes and sewing them so you could enjoy the print on each fabric piece.
No, this yoyo top, even though it had so much work in it, did not come home with me.
But this one I loved!
Blocks going every which direction!
Loads of ginghams and plaids!
This was another fun one too..just look at the scrap variety:
Hodge podge!
Is it columns? Is it rows? Is it blocks?
This was a whole scrap bag, a life of sewing left overs. I think it is bright and vibrant and happy, and it makes me want to know MORE about the maker!
But then I turned around another corner and spied this!
In a room where everything was marked 20% off!
My heart skipped a beat, sped up and started to pound!
And it isn’t even SCRAPPY!!?
1880s Double Irish Chain!
Pencil marks are still very visible where the maker traced a circle for the tea cup quilting in the alternate blocks.
The altnernate blocks are solid squares, with 4 appliqued red squares, one in each corner, which, before rotary cutting techniques, was the traditional way of creating the chain effect.
The red border fabric is a different red than in the center of the quilt, but still a close cousin.
There is a bit of staining, mostly on the back of the quilt, but all fabrics are sturdy and there are no holes. The binding is the top brought around to the back and machine stitched down by treadle-- A custom of the time for those who had the luxury of owning a treadle machine. ((Oh dear, what would they think of me having 6 functional treadle machines in cabinets in my house, and another 4 at the cabin?!)) Machine stitching the binding also made the edge of the quilt very sturdy.
The quilt looks like it was maybe washed only a couple of times if that – and yet the pencil marks remain, and the reds are crisp and bright!
The originial price? $95.00.
With 20% off? $76.00.
Yes, this is coming home with me! I can see it hanging over the banister at the cabin, with other red and white or red and green quilts at Christmastime.
I caved. And I’m glad!
Today’s workshop was fast paced, very busy, and a ton of fun. Photos to follow tomorrow. I didn’t even get a chance to write a lunch time galaxy-gram ---but you’ll get it all in the morning!
28 comments:
You found a beauty. The quilt sings Christmas. Good for you. Cathy in Kansas
I love the Nora Mill!! They have great stuff there!! Hope you stopped in there too! I used to buy grits, pancake mix, all types of stuff there.
I am AMAZED that you have found and recued that many Treadles. I wish that I could find the one waitng somewhere for me... The Red & Green quilt is specactular and I'm glad you took it to keep at the cabin. Lori and Randy will love it.
beautiful quilts!! Glad you took one home with you.
Good choice. What a treasure. I would have nabbed it had I been there. : )
Sew pretty. Love old quilts. You found some real good ones. Whenever I see them they are priced so high theres no way I could afford them but I live in So Ca so that explains that. lol Thanks for sharing.
Love your new quilt!! Glad you had .fun antiquing
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Next time you do quilt cam maybe you could talk about this..... I'm wondering if you wash your quilt treasures you bring home right away before displaying them. Thanks. Janita
Great purchase and the price was soooo right!
You gotta be kiddin' me?!!! Good GRIEF! The first thing I thought when I saw the photo was CHRISTMAS!! It will be perfect. What a find.
I love your new quilt. It will be perfect for Christmas decorating. Great find at a great price!
What wonderful quilts! I don't blame you at all for snapping up that Irish chain! The 3rd quilt I made is very similar to that one and I love to put it on my bed at Christmas.
Wish I could have taken the Log Cabin home with me. I am teaching Log Cabin Blocks this weekend and just completed a scrappy black/white/gray one for my son and his wife. The quilts were all wonderful and really don't know how you chose.
Such a beautiful quilt treasure! It will be wonderful in your home.
And I am definitely with you on the yo-yo opinion.....not a fan 😳
I was so convinced you would take home the gingham and plaid scrappy quilt! Great finds
I think the quilt you bought is beautiful. I think it'd be great fun if we all went shopping together during our retreat time. You have such a great eye!!
Nice find. But the Dresden would have come home with me! 😍
Jeannette in Sunny Saint Augustine, Florida
Great finds. I love yo-yo tops. Have a vintage one. They are meant for a topper over a blanket or spread for some color in the summer when a heavy quilt would be too much. Also in the same category of crazy quilts, which I also love. I am also fortunate to be the owner of three treadle machines, one which belonged to my Grandmother. Right now my favorite to sew on is my little Spartan made in Great Britain. Happened to pick it up from someone that had only wound one bobbin for it and for whatever reason never sewed one item on it. Basically a 'new' vintage machine. Have a total of 16 machines and try to use them all.
LoVe all those quilts too. Also LoVe the YoYo topper. I have a small doll size one I made and use it as a small table topper. Wouldn't make a quilt size as it's not that sturdy, but was interesting to read above comment . Didn't know how it was used before. Makes perfect sense to me though.
Hugs Marg.
Bonnie: Those scrappy quilts look like something you would love! AND That Irish Chain is BEAUTIFUL! You got it at a steal. I am glad it is going home with you. It deserves to go home with someone who will cherish is, as I am sure you will! Great Find!
Oh boy Bonnie I just love the beautiful quilt you bought. I don't know if it's the color, the fabric or what draws me to it but I would love it. Great buy.
Linda.
Beautiful quilts you found! I also made a "find" yesterday at a thrift shop-a Necchi (looks vintage) sewing machine that says "Made in Italy"! I'm trying to find out when it was made. I plugged it in and it runs so smoothly! The topcoat is flaking off and I'm wondering how to smooth it all off without harming it. Any suggestions or information from readers would be great. Model BF
I have a red and white Irish chain which was made by my husbands grandmother about the same vintage. I was wondering if yours had the red faded through on the back in washing? I doubt if mine has ever been washed. Love them and what a bargain you got.
Oh, I am so glad that you found this quilt and that you are giving it a good home where it will be loved and treasured!
At a estate sale I found an incomplete yoyo quilt with circles cut to finish. I brought it home and took it apart and the fabric is in several of my quilts. I love doing this now that I have opened my mind to anything goes. P.S. It was Bonnie that helped to open my mind.
I don't really "get" yo yo quilts either- not warm, not sturdy... but I like them anyways! Not enough to make one, just admire.
I think that's so neat, that the double Irish chain pattern was made by applique into the alternate squares. I never would have guessed that. It almost feels like cheating, to add squares into a pieced pattern, but actually it's quite clever!
I love how immediately I become engaged in your very busy life. I love how candid and generous you are with your life. Thank you for taking me on all your trips and adventures. Yes, I am living vicariously through you, Bonnie. What a wonderful ride!
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