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Friday, July 17, 2020

Stars, Swallows or Doves?


Miles were driven yesterday -

It was just a GET OUT OF DODGE (or Mouth of Wilson) kind of Thursday and instead of running errands close by, went further afield to break away.

Through Independence and Galax, through Hillsville and on to Floyd.

It was time to show my support of small business and get some different scenery for myself as well.

The day was beautiful – and provided the perfect opportunity for lunch on the patio at a small mom & pop restaurant (Hint – go EARLY there will be no one anywhere near you so you can safely eat.) and enjoy someone else’s cooking for a change.

I was happy to see nearly EVERYONE masked up and respectful of others, keeping their own cooties to themselves.

And – there was a 3 story antique mall in Floyd that really beckoned.

Were the place bustling I may not have gone in – but it was empty.  And it had been a long time – So VERY long – since I had the pleasure of just browsing.

My mask and I went in.


I became captivated by this signature quilt.

Who are these people?  Is there a date here somewhere?

I am unsure of the name of the block - it's based on an 8-pointed star where each of the large diamonds is a 9-patch of smaller diamonds.


Frank Foster, Mrs. Foster and someone named John K.


Hattie Struble.


Beautiful piecing and oh, that quilting!

Can you see the feathers in the border?


Dr. E. E. Major -

And someone has spilled the inkpot!


G. W. Simmons.
Mrs. Simmons

And still no date can be found.


More Simmons family -

Mr. & Mrs. Bradway.


And lovely feathered wreaths between.

There was no date.  The only message was on the price ticket stating that it was from the late 1800s, early 1900s and had been received from someone else also not associated with these folks – All of these signatures, no date – no location given.  Evidently that info all stopped when someone dumped the inkpot!


String block happiness!

And just that little bit of cheddar for the win!


Each block is almost a catalogue of just a few fabrics.


Wouldn’t you love to know what these scraps were from?  Dresses, blouses, skirts, curtains?


And the size and matching up of cornerstones is highly overrated!

Can I just share here how HAPPY it made me to be out examining vintage quilts?  Did any of these makers live through the 1918 pandemic?  Would their thoughts have been like ours during that time?

Caution and hope combatting fear, depression, sadness and loss?


Schoolhouse Fabrics!

And yes – it’s the whole schoolhouse!

In 1831, Floyd County was established and was named for Governor John Floyd. Governor Floyd was a native of Montgomery County, the parent County of Floyd.

Reflecting early and strong commitment to education in the community, the Jacksonville Academy was established in 1846. It served students from Floyd and surrounding counties. The Jacksonville Academy was located in one of the two buildings that is now Schoolhouse Fabrics.

(Floyd was previously named Jacksonville after Andrew Jackson, and then changed its name to Floyd after governor Floyd at a later date.)


Retail therapy of 2 half-yard cuts.

Now Schoolhouse fabrics is 3 floors – and if the pandemic is a sign of ANYTHING – it is that people are doing more sewing and crafting at home to keep themselves happily occupied in good causes.

The fabric selection provided only really slim pickings. Neutrals down to nothing – and that is my main go-to for fabric these days as I have plenty of colors on hand to play with.

I had to laugh – and should have gotten a photo – there were TWO pieces of flat fold millennium Y2k fabrics on the counter with other flat folds.  And I laughed out loud.

If this is an indicator of how old your merchandise is, and if it hasn’t sold by now – it likely never will go.  That fabric is 21 years old.  Still priced at $6.99.

The notions room was also very sparce – so many empty pegs on the pegboards. The supply chain is struggling, everywhere.

So all the way home – that thinking of selling off my stash idea?  I’m thinking twice on that.  Maybe I’ll just keep working from what I have until the supply comes back around.


Another must stop -

Miller’s Deli & Bakery in Woodlawn, VA.

This is a Mennonite store with great bulk foods, canned goods, lovely baked items and more.  I picked up some local Hillsville blueberries, some pickled cauliflower (Delicious and all for me as the DH won’t eat it. LOL!) And TWO handmade scrubbies.

I love these crocheted scrubbies – they do the job and rinse and wash well.

Another way to support small business.  This shop is independently owned.  There are some cute antiques and a smattering of fun kitchen items inside the shop.  It’s a great browse.  There were not many there, and everyone was mask clad.

All in all, the day out made me feel that we can still do the things we need to do.  We can support the businesses that need our business to survive.  We can enjoy the drive, the sunshine, the scenery -

We can do it easily by wearing a mask, keeping hand sanitizer in your purse, being respectful and kind of others, and make our visits as short as possible.

I feel restored today.  Not so much like the same 4 walls are closing in.


I was home in time to make 3 more string blocks foundations.

2 of them were appliqued last night.

3rd one about half-way done -

So I’ll need more for tonight!

And into the weekend we go. 

How are things shaping up for you?


Quiltville Quote of the Day -

Carolina chain quilt from my book Addicted to Scraps on sale in the Quiltville Store for just $15.99!

Hold your loved ones extra close, this world is a crazy place, and there is much sadness happening right now.

But we who love can shine the light!

Have a wonderful Friday!



25 comments:

  1. I wonder if that signature block pattern might be lurking under the theme of "snowflake", because that's sure what I see when I look at it. I'd be curious if any of your readers took on the "find the year!" hunt with that list of names you provided.

    Love that string quilt! I'm always looking for ways to use up the shortest pieces in my string bin.

    Glad you could get out for some soul restoration! With temps predicted to be in the high 90s today, I don't expect to travel much farther than my sewing studio.

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  2. I lived in that area in the 80's. At nine months pregnant, my Mom and I drove to Floyd to Schoolhouse fabrics. It was a great distraction for me, but Mom was worrying about whether or not I would go in to labor, and if so, how she could find her way to the hospital. It was a wonderful place.. filled to the brim! Now I live in Dodge County, Wisconsin... only a mile and half for me to "get out of Dodge"!

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  3. Thanks for your beautiful blog post Bonnie. Many are feeling quite depressed right now. It's hard to be the light and sunshine when you turn on the news, so I chose to just turn it OFF. Get to go visit my dear friend in assisted living today for the first time since March 9! Taking her some placemats to pretty up her table as they are eating in their apartment every day.

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    1. great idea for the placemats, thank you!

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  4. by all means hang onto your stash!!! another consequence of the sequester (don't care for 'lock-down') is I called my long-arm lady and couldn't get into see them until NOVEMBER 4. It would appear there are many of us diligently finishing former UFO & PHD projects! Happy that you got out and about and restored your creative child somewhat. Thanks, stay healthy, thanks for your contribution to MY life, Cats in Carlsbad, CA

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  5. Do you think the ink pot spill ruined a Wedding or Anniversary celebration quilt? Have a lovely weekend! So glad you got out and enjoyed the day safely.

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  6. Morning! Looks like a variation of what I call Dove in the Window though when I googled that almost none of th eblocks that came look what I learned as Dove in the Window :-). Glad you got out and about. As for our fore mothers amd the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic they had no social media to add to their angst so I am trying to replicate that at my house :-). Have a great weekend.

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    1. You're right; Block Base shows the pattern as Dove in the Window. They show the star in two colors so you have to take a second look. Published in 1933 by Home Art Studios. The info states: "A mail-order pattern source from Des Moines founded by H. VerMehren. Patterns appeared under the names Nancy Lee, Colonial Quilts, Bettina, Hope Winslow and others in periodicals during the 1930s. They can be confused with the Aunt Martha Studios since both used the name Colonial Quilts. Booklets included Colonial Quilts and Master Quilting Album.

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  7. that pickled cauliflower is making my mouth water!
    This is a scary time for small businesses & large here in Canada too. I'm doing my best to support my LQS instead of online buying & I'm pleased that both jumped on the wagon for online shopping when the pandemic hit, so have managed to "stay alive" through the chaos! It is so wonderful though, to mask up and actually go to the shop to see them! It's a good thing that our walls also have doors - we need to replenish our souls, & help others replenish theirs too.
    Have a great weekend! Happy sewing!

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  8. Name: Hattie L Struble
    Birth Date: 2 Jul 1857
    Birth Place: Allen County, Ohio, United States of America
    Death Date: 29 Sep 1936
    Death Place: Toledo, Lucas County, Ohio, United States of America
    Cemetery: Fountain Grove Cemetery
    Burial or Cremation Place: Bryan, Williams County, Ohio, United States of America
    Has Bio?: N
    Spouse: Charles E Struble
    Children: Helen Struble
    Walter M Struble
    URL: https://www.findagrave.com/mem...
    Save Cancel

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Sandy - you have made that quilt 'Real' with your research.

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    2. WOW! Thank you, Sandy, for finding the info about Hattie Struble! She's real. Don't u know all the signers of the quilt were delighted at its beauty! We have Strubles here in the Austin/Pflugerville area. Unusual name- wonder if they are related? Thank you!!!

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  9. So glad you got out! What fun!

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  10. The black fabric with the butterflies was fantastic. Any notes on the selvedge for what it is so I could find some?
    Your day seemed so invigorating and full of joy. Just enjoying yourself. My best friend of 45 years and her 92 year old mother go for drives to get her Mom out a little bit. There is so much beauty no matter where you go if you only look for it.

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  11. Hubby and I came to the conclusion that you need to treat the most important person in your life as though they ARE the most important person. Be nicer to your spouse than anyone else. Has worked for 46 years so far.

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  12. There was a Hattie Struble and a Martha Major in Brooke County West Virginia (just did a quickie search on Ancestry) possibly where the signature quilt originated!

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  13. Don’t you just love Floyd! I haven’t been in several years, but it is a lovely little town.

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  14. Hahahaha millennium fabric! Yikes! Every time I think I've used the last of it, I find another little piece!! Not sure when it'll all go away!!!

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  15. `I believe this autograph quilt is from Iowa. In the 1885 Census of Audubon County, Iowa the following are listed: S F Donelson and wife E E; C W Simmons, wife E A, sons O C, C L, and Grant. (In other Census and family records they are named Chester W, Elizabeth Ann Crow, Omar C, Cassius L, Grant M. They also had a daughter, Eva E who would have been about 23/24 this same year and may be the wife of S F Donelson listed on census as E E.) Also on this census is Jacob Swinn and wife, Mary. A (T)Lillie A. Bradway lived and died in Audubon in 1889. Not sure how these are connected to be on the quilt but by 1907 all of the Simmons listed and Mrs. Bradway had died.

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  16. Looks like a great Browsing day. I remember sending you some Scrubbies from my friend. Glad you found some newer ones. they wash up good but do wear out.

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  17. Love that you managed to get out for a break, this time is taking its toll on us for sure. I’m much more tearful than before the slightest thing will set me off.
    Loved that really pretty quilt the history must be so interesting. And I hadn’t even noticed the wonky cornerstone lol
    Stay safe
    Love and quilty hugs
    Anne xxx

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  18. Floyd has a wonderful Quilt Show every other year. It should been this year but it of course, it was cancelled. But next year it should be back.

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  19. Did you buy that signature quilt? Worth adding to the collection!

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  20. I love those scrubbies. It's one of the items I always buy on trips to the Mennonite shops in Lancaster County, PA. I agree with you that they work well. They also clean easily. I stick them on spokes in the top shelf of the dishwasher. I lament the dwindling supply chain, but I figure it means people are keeping busy. Keeping busy is a good way to fight depression and try to get through these trying times.

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  21. Bonnie, Jake and Amos have a web page and sell many type of pickled and preserves. It is an Amish Co. based in the Lancaster, Pa area. I order from them all the time. Their salsas are to die for!

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