Quilters On The Town!

Isn’t this just adorable?

I FELL IN LOVE!

Irene and I needed a break from the machines – Cabin Fever was becoming a real thing – we’d been sewing since Sunday – Wednesday needed to be the break day.

We headed over to West Jefferson, North Carolina for a round of antique mall wandering and lunch out. 

I’m not usually a girly girl pink/yellow/blue “cutesy quilt” girl – but this one just spoke to me.  Look at the half blocks!  on two sides!  (I guess the bed was only that big….)

This quilt is so heavily quilted – I can only imagine the hours and hours that went into it -

Interesting filler quilting -

Some diagonals, and some L shaped right angles –

It just BEGGED me to bring it home.

The only real wear and tear on the quilt is the binding.  It’s got a muslin backing, with the backing rolled to the front and stitched down as binding.  Single fold. But how many years did it take until it was this worn?  How many slumbers beneath it?  How many “make the bed and straighten the quilt” mornings?

I LOVE IT!

Also lovely!

I can’t imagine the hours of hand piecing that went into this lovely star – and the fabric placements are so “make do” for such a lovely and precisely pieced quilt. Was this ALL she had in her scrap bag?  Did she sacrifice a new dress to use one big length of large plaid as the background for the quilt top?

Many of the dark browns are shredded.

The mordants in the dye are caustic and this happens over time.

But those two pink diamonds in the left brown star? 

"I'm out of white, so pink is my new neutral!"

(And evidently so is gray!)

And the odd placement of one of the pink diamonds in the middle star?

It’s so nearly random – these “odd diamonds out”.

I can see this maker in my mind.  Trace the template, cut the pieces.  Stitch by whatever light is available.  Can you see how precise??  I really would like to know about the living circumstances that went on during the making of this quilt – what the fabrics were saved from.  How the pieces ended up in this chosen way.  There is more behind this story. I just know there is.

I can guess THIS story!

“Let’s fold that old blue quilt and leave it in a sunny window so it fades just that area.”  LOL

This quilt was a very humble attempt to make a stunning quilt out of simply not much.  Whatever they could get their hands on, and evidently the background fabric was the big sacrifice.  Instead of it being a skirt or a dress – it became a beautiful indigo background.

The center circle is pieced in places.

I’m not sure why there are a couple of spaces of indigo blue background showing through --

Maybe the block wouldn’t lay flat and this was the solution?

Space those diamonds and stick in a wedge and then Press it all to heck!

Not quite round, but close!

This is the ONE lone pink block in the quilt.

Check the full quilt photo above one more time and find it.

Almost modern, but vintage!

I have had a wonky log cabin on my mind for quite a while.  What makes this one striking is that the blocks are grouped by “like kinds.”  That bright green is so very unexpected.

All of the blocks have either blue or black centers – of varying sizes.  It’s a definite scrap bagger with a limited color palette – again – was this all the maker had to work with?  Perhaps it was a family of all boys -

But when you look closer -

There is pink in here – loads of sweet pink gingham.

Always remember to look closer -

At the bottom left – I love that light blue gingham used on the “light side” of the block.

We pet a few machines.

Beautiful White Rotary.

Boat anchor of a Morse!

I love how mid century it looks.

Made in Japan, is likely a lovely straight stitcher.

I have enough.  I have more than enough!

Be Still My Heart!

I have been looking for a buffet for the dining room at Quiltville Inn.  The size of the room calls for something big and chunky.  Imposing.  This tiger oak is just GORGEOUS and I love the empire style.  There may have to be a trip back in my near future! 

Right now the dining room is full of sewing chairs in boxes ready to be assembled – book cases ready to be assembled – but I’m still thinking on this.  It’s GORGEOUS.

The day could not be counted complete until we each found the most ridiculous thing – the ugliest thing – the “Now who thought THIS was a good idea?” thing.

And the day did not disappoint!

Tole painted porcelain bed pan.

Because even bodily functions should be pretty.  LOL! And then what?  

Hang it on the wall and put flowers in it?

Oh dear. 

Has anyone seen my spare TP rolls?

You will be happy to know that Irene and I listened to our better judgment and decided not to pick up these lovely crocheted toilet paper hiding Barbie dolls for the restrooms at Quiltville Inn. Even if they are correctly ethnically diverse! Lol! #justsayno

The one on the left?  There is something totally disturbing about how short her arms are. (thinking T-Rex here)

Nope.  Left them behind….laughing hysterically all the way!

Beautiful West Jefferson from the “Back Street!”

There are several new businesses coming in to this thriving downtown area.  A new Italian restaurant. New gift shops, clothing stores, coffee houses, and of course antiquing places which we love.  We weren’t able to hit them all.  We stayed out until doors closed at 5pm and made our way back to the cabin for evening stitching time, dinner, a hot tub soak, more sewing and eventually lights out at bed time.

And today as I type this, the hum of Irene’s machine is keeping me company and begging me to hurry so I can get on to some more stitching of my own.

It’s our last day.  She heads back to Kentucky tomorrow morning and I head home to Wallburg to get the mail out – but I’ll be back up on Saturday.  The ceiling is all done at the Quiltville Post Office and we have a painting weekend ahead.  HOORAY!

Did you see that we’ve got a Quiltmaker Bundle Gift-Away happening on yesterday’s POST?  Drawing to happen on Monday. Gotta be in it to win it!

Quiltville Quote of the Day -

I am having such a great time with my friend Irene visiting! As much as we love sewing together- if you removed all of the fabric, the machines, the quilting, she'd still be counted amongst the best.

She is as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside.

Friendship is a beautiful thing!

Have a wonderful Thursday, everyone!