We were greeted with sunshine and temps in the lower 40s as we headed from Mouth of Wilson, VA across the NC state line to West Jefferson, NC.
We were two girls on a mission - with a plan to get away and wander the aisles of a favorite antiquing haunt (hoping to find the right items to use a ready-to-expire gift certificate) and grab a gabby lunch out.
The best part of antique mall wandering with friends? We each focus on different things. We are on the hunt for - items that the other may be completely unaware of. And in the process, we start to appreciate just what those things are and why the other person has a connection to them.
And then there are the weird oddities that you never notice, but all of a sudden do.
Like why ONE mortar and pestle turns into the "theme of the day" and you realize you must have seen 20 of them in all different shapes, sizes and materials.
Would you have noticed if you weren't with anyone else? Who knows! Sometimes it takes two brains to put 20 mortar and pestles together into a theme!
Quilts were SPARCE!
And this is a trend I've noticed over the past few years. Where there used to me so many - they are just not there.
Are folks realizing their importance and just not selling them?
Or have they all turned to the latest clothing trend making jackets and more from them?
Someone was deeply involved in the Navy!
Or boating?
And they loved to embroider flowers.
48 states - each represented by its own flower bouquet.
But aren't you curious as to why this choice of sashing?
I am!
And our nautical themed day didn't end there -
Both of these quilts were hung as booth backdrops so it was difficult (make that IMPOSSIBLE) to get a full shot of the whole thing.
Most of the names are a MRS So-and-so.
Likely their husbands' initials -
Because women didn't have their own names back then.
Unless you were Gladys to the left. Go Gladys!
Each boat had its maker's name in black embroidery. But we all know there is always that one over-achiever in every crowd:
Well, Mrs. K.P. Westbrook - You embellisher, you!
Bless her, she just couldn't help herself!
And the conversations and giggles that flowed as we imagined who these people were, in the time frame that this quilt was made. Who used their own names, who labeled themselves only by the identity of their spouse, using only MRS. and his initials.
Martha, just a wanderin'!
Isn't it great to just slow down and poke around?
As luck would have it, Martha didn't find anything she wanted to spend that gift certificate on. I guess we'll have to go back!
I had thought that if my purchase came close to the value of the certificate I could just buy the certificate at face value from her, and use the certificate for my own purchase, but I came out to a mere $15.00 and that wouldn't cut it.
Still, this little striped stoneware bowl and peanut butter jar just hopped into my arms and begged to come home, so what could I say?
The bowl joined my stoneware bowl obsession on top of the old Hoosier.
I love them in all shapes and sizes - and really, I had sworn off of adopting more stoneware bowls - but something about the squatty shape and darling triple blue stripes of this one just called to me.
No "matching" bowls for me - they've all got to be individuals!
As to that peanut butter jar?
There is just something so cute about those polka dots around the red rim of that lid - and I ditched the Kirkland peanut can, filling that old peanut butter jar right up to the top.
I love vintage jars for storage, and this was just too cute to pass up.
I was happily worn out by the time I arrived home with my treasures.
I will admit to a nap happening late afternoon - with me awaking at 6:15pm.
It is still LIGHT at 6:15pm! Barely, but I'll claim it.
A re-heated potato soup dinner, and a long evening of TV while stitching on my applique border - I'm getting there. Not that I'll ever be a pro at it, but it's getting done.
Another few nights and I should be able to baste this quilt by the weekend. That's the goal.
Today - Eye doc appointment in Winston. A plan to hit Costco while I'm out there, and.....could there be another antique mall wander in my near future? There just could be!
What's in store for your Tuesday ahead?
Forever Mine PDF pattern includes the runner too!
On sale at 25% off through 2/13/22
Quiltville Quote of the Day -
I have always loved the glass half full analogy,
What took me a long time to realize was that WE are the ones that fill the glass ourselves.
We alone are the ones who focus on either the empty side, or the full side.
Make a choice! Whether the glass is full or not, is up to us!
Jacks on Six quilt made by me, early 2000s, hand quilted.
Happy February, Everyone!
16 comments:
It is always great fun to poke around in an Antique store, especially with a friend. This brought memories of doing just this with my Mom. Plus, your comment at the end brough back a wonderful comment she used to reply: when anyone would ask if she was a "glass half full" or "glass half empty" gal, her reply would be "Either way, there is always room for chocolate sauce." Have a lovely day, Bonnie. And, thank you for your blog that I enjoy every morning with my oatmeal!
I loved the signature quilt photos! I am making up a story in my mind about Gladys Corbett. She's an independent strong woman, way ahead of her time, and she is not a fan of Mrs. K. P. Westbrook! I love her and I only know her name on a quilt!
Thanks for highlighting the Iowa block!
Susan, from Iowa
I love old signature quilts and feel the desire to bring them home and research the names until I find a common bond (same town, same church, maybe same family).
I miss antique shopping with a friend, and hope that I might get to do some in the coming month or two.
As for the state flower quilt, it may be that the maker was trying to make it more "American" to go with the blocks. I like to see the quilts but also all the other goodies.
Anna in IL
Oh happy happy day! Found the "missing" Grassy Creek Block!!! Love your wanderings and Gladys must have been a single woman, "spinster" and Aunt Gladys to her nieces and nephews, retaining her ownership of self, and just the one to hoot at Mrs. K.P., the over-achiever... she just kept stitching and made three times the number of quilts as the other ladies... she had up to five cats at any one time and baked the blue ribbon pie every year!! Her peanut butter cookies were loved by all the youngsters, as was she, her home becoming a gathering place for all... now... in California at least... by law, no gift cards expire... this may be different for "certificates" -- hopefully, Martha will be able to extend her date and find a special treasure for hers. Love how, your life has changed Bonnie! Rather than packing and schlepping and off to the airport, you get to take time with a friend and go wandering... and I'm confident pretty soon, you'll be a quilter's best tour guide too. My creative child just went romping and stomping about the signature quilt...she made up every word about Gladys-- there's more, a little romance novel-ish, heartbreak and courage! Everybody have a wonderful quilty day, I'm gonna... <3 Cats in Carlsbad CA
Glad you and Martha could browse the shop together. 20 Mortar and Pestles? We look for different things. I get very nostalgic looking at things Antique, 50 years ago I was 15. My Grandma, Momma and I used those things. Treasures to be honored. Loved the State Flower Embroideries Quilt. They are probably old blocks with newer sashing.
Amen to "Go Gladys!"
Quilter Kathy, this is my story...
Mrs.K.P.Westbrook was the wife of the Mayor Westbrook and Gladys Corbett was her spinster sister whose beau had tragically perished in a biplane aerobatic stunt at the county fairgrounds. Gladys was heartbroken at his death and vowed to forever be true to his memory, despite the many suitors who came calling to her sister's home to vie for her hand in marriage. With her inheritance from her father's estate, Gladys left the Westbrook home to join the ranks of the suffragette....
I was really starting to enjoy Cats’ story about Gladys and would like to hear more about this mysterious lady’s life of “romance, heartbreak, and courage”! What a gal, that Aunt Gladys!
I have the same 48 state quilt blocks in a quilt my mother made. She started it in 1953 in Bremmerton, WA where my dad was stationed while in the Navy. It took her until the mid 80's to get it finished. She always said "every time she pulled it out to work on it, someone died". I was born in 1956, the same year as Alaska and Hawaii were admitted to the Union. She sashed her quilt in green. Who knows why someone used the sailing sashing; US Navy connection, someone who enjoyed sailing, or it was the fabric they had enough of. I will just think of it as someone who was in my mother's situation, a young bride far from home who needed something to occupy her hands while being a Navy wife. As to the dearth of quilts in malls, it could be because fewer quilts were being made from the 50's until the Bicentennial.Kinda like the "Boomer" generation only in reverse. I share your crock hobby but one only has room for so many and after that, it really has to speak to you to get brought home. Enjoy it!
Hi Bonnie, i once asked someone close to me who has an extremely difficult life, how he keeps going and he told me about the glass half full or half empty, but then he said, i take a tiny glass so mine is always full and overflowing!!!!
Your friend has a beautiful attitude. Thank you for sharing. I hope I can remember this.
thanks Rubysue... i just hesitate to monopolize the page! after all, it IS Bonnie's space... didja notice? someone before me also picked up and drew similar pictue of dear Aunt Gladys... thank you, Cats
Loving today's posts. My friend has a quilt of her mom's with signatures. Next time I see it we'll have to get the stories going! And I remember that some of them were also over-achievers!!
My parents married in 1952. Sadly after only 19 years of marriage, my father died. Until my mothers death 3 years ago, after my father had been dead almost 50 years, my mother still signed her name Mrs. Richard Burnell. When I got married in the early 80's I kept my own name (our kids have his name, I thought that was enough). It was hard on my mom and every year she would send a birthday cheque to me as Mrs. Robert .... And the bank would not cash it, because that name was not on our account and I had no id with that name. Every year I explained it to her and the cheque would remain uncashed. And every year she would make the cheque out as Mrs. his name. For 35 years. My mother was rather insistent on her point of how things should be :)
Nice day Bonnie, old friends and old stuff, couldn’t have anything better
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