Antiquing My Way Home!

"Necessary" errand days can be quite routine with nothing to talk about.

This appointment, that to-do list, that car service, that this-or-that.

It's what happens in a normal day-to-day life full of just.....well, LIVING.

As the saying goes: "Not much to write home about."

And then the opportunity to throw in a FUN little side adventure happens and makes the day all that much better!

All at once things can go from simply ordinary to divinely extraordinary!

Aren't these baskets just the cats meow? The fabrics in them are absolutely a fabulous revelation into the contents of the maker's scrap basket - and they span decades of scrap saving.

I just love everything about this - some baskets with dark backgrounds.  Some with light.  And a few with a mixture of many different things - whatever was on hand to get the job done.

I love that the baskets all face the same way - which would be across the bed instead of up from foot to headboard.

It was also interesting to me that this quilt was tied, not quilted.  The batting is heavy wool.  And the backing, though old, is not nearly as old as some of the fabrics in the baskets themselves.

Were these blocks set later and tied by a relative? Or - was the top complete (in the time out box) and finished by someone else later?

We'll never know!  All I knew is that I could finally let that "hurry hurry hurry" voice in my head go, and just slow down and enjoy the space around me as I wandered through the antique mall.

Where I first spied the pile.

And yes, there is a treadle machine in rough shape in the upper left corner, but the way the furniture was I really couldn't get back there to check it out.

A few steps away was a fairly open space where I could lay out the quilts for a closer look-see.

1930s bow ties set with red.  CLASSIC!

If you look just above the second row of blocks, you'll see where the tops of fans from one side meet the tops of fans quilted from the other side.

And if my eyes are doing me right, there is a "fill in" line quilted in to take up the excess empty space.

Fans are all about winging it, folks!

Another simple quilt -with more fans!

A bit blurry - I was snapping quickly!

And yet, more fans!

Such a free form composition of string blocks, squares and rectangles.  It came together however it came together without too much worry or thought about it. Circa 1930s.

Poor shredded thing!

It looks like it has been much loved and used hard!  I found these fans SO interesting!  They are more square?  Nearly "tubular!"

The stars are hexagonal - so to quilt it with these "square rounds" is so unique to me.  I am curious about the maker's marking process.  How did they know how far to go before turning their corner to head straight down instead of across?

I flipped it to the back to inspect further.

Can you see that the fans quilted from this end meet in the middle with the fans quilted from the opposite end? 2 big rows of huge fans quilted from each side.

A board and c-clamp quilting frame quilted from 2 sides and rolled toward the center.

I'd come sit at your frame any time, whoever you were!

A simple strippy top in a booth full of vintage tupperware.

A Dresden Plate in an area that didn't have room to spread it out.

Beautiful 1930s fabrics.

Large maple leaf blocks.

Alamance plaids maybe?  Or are they Dan River?

I love the yellow plaid sashing. SPRING!

Is it Churn Dash? Or not?

Which way are these triangles supposed to go?

Evidently - they go any which way the maker wanted them to!

This one also has big fan quilting, but what I found the most charming was the use of gingham in alternating colors to frame each of the blocks before setting them together.

Without the sashing you wouldn't recognize that the quilt was made in blocks at all.  

This one is just SWEET all the way around!

This treadle I could get to!

These also made me smile!

Holly Hobbie & Raggedy Anne!

And a more modern version.

when was the last time you saw a tube of tinker toys?

I remember my brother having these and I always wanted to play with them.  So much fun!

MASSIVE DESK!

I know it's hard to tell by the photo but this desk is absolutely HUGE.

All I can think is that back in the day it must have occupied the whole of a lawyers office or something. 

Would it make someone a great sewing desk?  Yes.  But I have no idea how you are going to fit it in the car or get it through the door, and forget about stairs.  LOL!

The white lamp is definitely a NO.  LOL!

But, how much is that doggie in the corner??

He's a cutie!!

(That face- what a face! LOL!)

It was an awesome wander that took me about an hour - just long enough to get all the cobwebs out of my mind and set me straight before heading back up the mountain toward home.

Oh - and it was about 55 degrees in Winston.  The sun was so warm through the car windows I turned on the A/C to cool it down. Yes. I did. In February.

But by the time I reached the elevation of the Blue Ridge Parkway, it was 37.

By the time I reached Martha's to pick up a couple of things - the car temp said 35.

By the time I was further up the mountain at home it was 29!!!!!

This morning it was 19.

It's a good thing February is our shortest month of the year because February - I'm done with you!

So welcome to the weekend everyone - I hope you have some plans to play with some fabric over the next couple of days.

I've got Fish School units to set.  I've got another project I am DYING to dive in to that will use up strips and squares and some leftover string bits.

The problem is - which to start with?

This continues!  Did you enter yet?

Rhododendron Trail has been retired from the blog, has been completely unscrambled and rewritten into PDF Pattern Booklet Format and is available for download in the digital pattern section of the Quiltville Store!

I've kept all of the hints, tips, tricks and optional methods in - the full 8 week run of instruction is now in an easier to read and understand format!

I know you've been waiting for this one!

Cabin Corners is also available!!

Sew Many Scraps!

Wondering what to do with all of those precious small saved pieces? 

Stitch up a riot of rainbow color accented with red and give it all (including the kitchen sink) a fabulous place to land! 

This is a foundation paper pieced pattern with 16 pages of full instruction, and many full color photos to help you on your way to sewing up the scrap stash.

Quilt Size: 84’’ X 96’’

Yes there are introductory pricing discounts, and even a  Rhododendron Trail Cabin Corners Bundle!

The bundle is a limited time offer only available through 2/28/22 so hurry!

And also YES!  We are having a Gift-Away!

I'll be drawing for 2 winners who will each receive that Rhododendron Trail Cabin Corners Bundle AND a Color Aplenty fabric roll from Cotton to Quilts!

Head on over to that Gift-Away Post and get your entry in. We'll draw for our two winners on Saturday, February 26, 2022.

We may never fully sew ourselves out of the scraps, but we'll sure have a ton of fun trying!

Quiltville Quote of the Day -

1950s string snowball quilt found in Mineola, Texas.

Or as my wise friend Sally told me once: Let go or be dragged!

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Where are your dreams pushing you today? Follow!

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!