Knowing I was going to be heading to Phoenix on Tuesday, friend Martha suggested an "outing day" with a new lunch destination to try, and time to wander a couple of antique malls.
You know she doesn't have to ask twice. I'm game!
Antique mall wandering is still a favorite pastime - the thing that has curtailed the frequency is simply the fact that I've been home for the past 3 years since Covid happened.
Tuesday will be my first time on a plane in 3 years!
With my travel life at a stand still, that only leaves local malls - and their merchandise has been slower to turn over, so things start to feel a bit hum-drum if you get my drift.
Machines have become more rare - prices have soared, quilts and sewing notions have become scarce if you could find them at all -
Especially the quilts - there just hasn't been anything photo-worth, as if everything that had any appeal had been adopted by someone intended to give it a good home.
That part is all well and good, but there hasn't been anything coming in.
But yesterday!
Oh Be Still My Heart!
A real scrap-bagger with fabrics dating from the 1880's to the early 1990s!
Just check these pieces out!
This was worth seeing.
I absolutely love that there are 1800's neon prints in here along with the humble plaids and checks - whether they were Alamance or Dan River, I don't know - but it gives us a glimpse of the kinds of fabrics this person stitched with.
Dresses, skirts, blouses, aprons, men's shirts and who knows what else.
Some of the bricks had "frugal piecing" where two pieces were joined together to make the piece big enough to be a brick.
Radiant Star
Martha and I both studied this one in wonder - there are 5 blue/yellow stars, 3 pink/blue stars - and then things went off the rails.
Don't you wish you could talk to this quilter to find out what happened here and why they went this direction? I also love how some of the Baptist fans were nicely rounded and evenly spaced, but there is this one at the bottom left that has twice the number of quilting lines and is kind of squashed in there.
I love stuff like this! This is where the humanity leaves its mark.
Just sweet.
It's hard to beat a good simple nine-patch. And this is traditional Southeastern style where the sashing is not completed around the outside edge of the quilt.
Evidently she ran out of "that" pink and used what else she could find for the sashing at the far right side. Interesting!
If it was perfect, it wouldn't hold our interest for so long.
This one was loved to shreds - I smile when I think of the winter chill kept away from those sleeping beneath it, snug and warm.
These are the BEST kinds of quilt finds!
Lunch was delicious!
Not only were the fish tacos melt-in-your-mouth fantastic, but what about that cute salt and pepper shaker holder? Adorable! We will definitely be going back.
The food was fresh, flavorful and not greasy No rice or frijoles in sight. Just so good!.
Back at the Studio -
Lola, soaking up some rays.
It turns out we picked a good day to escape - I went to meet Martha and drop off my car at the QPO so we could ride together only to find that we had no internet. I couldn't even text The Hubster because without the internet my Verizon booster doesn't work. So no internet AND no cell service.
When we got close enough to town where I did have a cell signal I called to let him know. He took on the job of calling tech support and getting things straightened out so that when I got back all I had to do was reboot everything and test it.
And since it's Caturday -
It is dreadfully difficult to get any amount of binding accomplished when these cuties just want to be either up against me, or nestled on the quilt in the hollow between my knees. Click to Play:
Yes, it's going to take a while longer, but I'm getting there.
Finally binding the 3rd side on Sugar Grove!
The response to my newest PDF pattern Unchained. has been WONDERFUL and that makes me so happy that you can't wait to dive in and make it, too.
Did you enter to win on The Gift-Away Post? I'll be drawing for 2 winners to each receive an Unchained PDF pattern from me along with a Roy G. Biv Color Roll from Cotton to Quilts!
Drawing happens Monday, 1/30/23!
I have placed the PDF pattern for Unchained at 25% off in both the Quiltville Store and the Quiltville Etsy Pattern Shop. No coupon needed! Price discount good through 1/31/23.
I've cut the price on Winter Blues and Forever Mine 25% as well! NO COUPON NEEDED!
But hurry - Winter blues is only 25% off through 1/31/23. Forever Mine pricing good through 2/14/23.
Weekend plans?
I'm heading over to the QPO studio to get some orders out before the USPS closes at 11am. (Yes, we are so rural they are only open from 7:30am to 11am on Saturdays!)
And then I'm combing through the scraps to pull more fabrics for the new project that's brewing.
The sun is shining, but it's cold - a good day for staying in and sewing away while I binge something. What's your latest guilty watching pleasure?
Quiltville Quote of the Day -
Sometimes the hardest part is just getting started and once you do you find your own pace and can move forward.
Just begin!
If I can just jump in and get started, all of the kinks seem to work themselves out along the way, and things come together.
Nine patch quilt found in West Jefferson, North Carolina yesterday,
Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!
6 comments:
If you go to Tucson be sure and to the Cactus fabric store.
Safe travels for you. Thelast flight I tried got cancelled so we have to drive everywhere. My body hurts for days after I get home. Me and a friend will go on the Shop Hop today. After she gets her housework done. She finally joined Quilt Guild. Yea, for quilty friends.
Its nice to know you do get away from that sewing studio or should I say both sewing studios. The balance in our lives is precious and a getaway day helps so much. Your creativity is inspiring, and I've delved into taming a pile of scraps and feeding several works in progress with the scraps. Three quilts are all scrappy with fabric all coming from scraps only. This process allows me to cut the different needed sizes. Also, I've found cutting squares larger than 3 1/2 inches is not a good idea for me. All of the larger squares are getting cut up so they will be used. I'm really glad I can close the door to my cutting endeavors and go for a walk. Love the pictures of your fur babies.
My guess on the baptist fan dilemma is that is where it all started and decided it was going to take to long to quilt that small so widened the spacing up. Just a guess. Or the opposite, and that was the last section and wanted to get it done but why put more rows in? What a dilemma and we will never know. hmm could be another person helped too. So many questions.
My guilty pleasure binge watching lately is Shetland. Unfortunately, I have to pay close attention, at least at the first 15 or so minutes, to get my ears tuned to the Scottish broge. Not much else can happen while this is going on, but it is just so addicting!
Could have also been a quilting bee. :) And the different blocks by friends.
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