Thanksgiving Table Quilt Update...

Brynwood Needleworks - Thanksgiving Quilt

 

Last week, I told you I was going to Kathy D.'s home to work on my Thanksgiving quilt. This piece began life as a vintage tablecloth. I found two of them, so one was for our table, and I gave the other one to Kathy.

 

We made plans to get together to put them on her longarm machine and quilt them. I showed you the fabrics I chose for the backing, and was happy that I had enough of the the caramel-colored fabric, as that was my first choice.

 

Whole Cloth Thanksgiving Quilt

I worked on the quilt one day last week, and I went back again yesterday, intending to complete it. Fortunately, I did finish the quilting. This tablecloth was much larger once I started working on it, than it initially appeared.

Detail - Whole Cloth Thanksgiving Quilt

This was my first time using Kathy's longarm machine, so I got off to a tentative start. I decided to use a pattern that I've doodled in pen/pencil/marker since I was in junior high school (more than a few decades ago). I have muscle memory for drawing it over and over, so it was the perfect design for me to stitch in freehand (by machine).

Whole Cloth Thanksgiving Quilt

 

Kathy zeroed out the "odometer" on the machine before I started sewing, so that it would keep track of the total time I spent on the design. When we finally took it off the machine last night, the timer registered 6 hours, 15 minutes (and 33 seconds). 

 

We laughed because, to tell the truth, that was just the time the machine was running. I was at Kathy's house much longer than the initial 2 hours that registered on the machine. Yesterday, I arrived at 10:30 in the morning, and left some time around 6:45 in the evening. Did I say I was gassed by the end of the day? I was...but in a good way.

I love how my doodles translated to fabric and thread. All I have left to do is cut off the excess fabric and batting, and bind the edge. I'll do that over the next few days. I think I'll take a little break and just admire my first real exposure to the longarm. 

By the way, I'd like to give a shout-out to my longarm "expert" friends, Susan Slaton, Pat Alderman, Rhonda King, Melinda Sword, and, of course, my hands-on tutor, Kathy D. I have a new found appreciation for just how much practice, attention, skill, and talent it takes to do the work they seem to do so effortlessly. Kathy doesn't hire out her longarm work, but for all the quilters who do, you don't charge nearly enough!

Flea Market Finds...

Brynwood Needleworks - Flea Market Finds

Before going out for a Birthday dinner with my aunt and uncle on Friday, I had lunch and a visit with Sis (Deb, who is Mom's elder daughter). No trip to Wisconsin is complete without a trip to Kewaskum, WI to their antique mall, so Deb and I went there after lunch.

I always check to see if there are any needle tools or books that I don't yet have (or need), but these beauties beckoned me instead. I love vintage enamelware, and have a few different trays like this one. The difference is that my others have black edges and this one is blue. Oh, how I love blue and white. It was the first thing in my basket. I paid seven dollars for it.

Brynwood Needleworks - Flea Market Crock

There were two crocks - perhaps matching - for the same price, but I chose this one over the other, which was chipped on the top and bottom edges. It was five dollars, and I can already see a use for it when we get back home.

Brynwood Needleworks - Flea Market Find - Windsor Castle Plate

When I went up to the second floor, there were lots of vendors selling dishware. I notice whole sets of blue and white Currier & Ives sets, which reminded me of my "good dishes" in my first real apartment. I had to smile. I guess I loved blue and white from the start.

Then, I noticed a rack, filled with more blue and white plates, but there was one that caught my eye. I had it in my basket, but put it back...three times. I took that as a sign. It really was supposed to come home with me. (Don't you love how I make decisions on these matters?) It's a blue and white collector plate featuring Windsor Castle in England...my "homeland".

Brynwood Needleworks - Flea Market Finds -Windsor Castle Plate Back

I turned it over to see how much the dealer was asking. Three fifty? Giggling, I put it into my basket for keeps and headed to the checkout counter. 

 

There was one more item I purchased, but I'm saving that for my Monday post. In total, I spent twenty seven dollars (counting the item I've yet to show you). I'd say that's a pretty good day at the flea market!

 

I've Named Her "Hazel"...

Brynwood Needleworks - Good Housekeeper Sewing Machine

She's been here for a while, but arrived damaged. The case was carefully packed in the shipping box, but the machine wasn't as well-padded inside her case. When she got here, she'd been jostled about quite a bit. Her spool pin was broken and the case was battered, too.

I sent her off to the "hospital" and she got a complete overhaul. Cleaned, repaired, tuned up, and with hardly a scratch, she's ready to go to work. Except that she needed a name.

This machine is a Good Housekeeper machine born in 1959. Yes. She's actually a little younger than I am. (sigh) Aaaanywaay...I started thinking about what I wanted to name her and I started chewing on the "good housekeeper" angle.

What came to my mind was a television show from the 1960s called "Hazel". You might remember it if you've been around a while.

"George Baxter was a highly successful corporation lawyer who was always in control of everything at the office, but almost nothing at home. When he returned from the office at day's end, to his wife Dorothy, and his young son Harold, he entered the world of Hazel. Hazel was the maid and housekeeper who ran the Baxter household more efficiently than George ran his office. She was always right, knew exactly what needed doing, and pre-empted his authority with alarming, though, justified regularity. - Written by Anonymous"

Seemed appropriate to me. I decided to call her "Hazel".

Are you ready for the goosebumps part of my story? 

Brynwood Needleworks - Good Housekeeper Receipt

When I began the process of recovering the remnants of Hazel's case, I took her off the base to set aside. Under the machine was the original receipt of sale. The lady of the house paid a whopping $59.95, plus $1.60 sales tax for the machine. She made a $30.75 downpayment. But that's not the really interesting part.

Brynwood Needleworks - Good Housekeeper Receipt

At the top of the receipt was her name. 
Mrs. Hazel Young
HAZEL!

I swear. I didn't see this before I chose her name! Pure coincidence. Cool, huh?
 

Brynwood Needleworks - Good Housekeeper Sewing Machine

When my machine came back from my go-to machine guy - Bob - he told me that when he went to pick up the case by the handle, the top of the case broke apart. (Lucky for us, it was only about 4" off the ground when it happened!) I won't be using the case anymore, but I wanted to keep the bottom of the case to use as a sturdy base for the machine. Trust me when I tell you it looked nasty!

Brynwood Needleworks - Good Housekeeper Sewing Machine

 

I got out a piece my laminated cotton (Yes. I even have a small assortment of laminated cottons.) and craft glue. I only spent an hour covering the base to "pretty it up". Now, Hazel is ready to sew and her base is presentable, too. All that's left is to make a cover for her and I'll do that soon.

She's a heavy duty machine, so she'll be multi-purpose, like Kenny, who still needs a base. (For those of you who missed that announcement, click HERE). She's going to be a fine worker bee my studio.

Creative Joy...

When we weren't relaxing and enjoying the holiday, I was in the studio playing. I finished the weekend with three new pincushions - and more!

These are all now listed in my Etsy shop and are available for adoption to new sewing or needlework  homes.

This one has a sweet, pink floral fabric, vintage lace trim (with a place to tuck a pair

 of embroidery scissors), light sage, ruched seam binding, and a vintage jewelry finding.

I like this purple ribbon-trimmed pincushion. It also has vintage lace with an

 opening in the lace to hold a pair of embroidery scissors. I cut the pin back off

a "Choose Joy" lapel pin so that I could affix it to the front of this one. I also added

 beads to the "blossom" I created from seam binding at the top of the ruching.

For the last pincushion I made over the weekend, I chose a pink rose fabric,

vintage lace, a vintage button and more ruched seam binding. 

Each pincushion measures 8" long x 4" wide, and is filled with crushed walnut 

shells for weight (so it doesn't scoot around on your sewing table), and to help 

keep pins and needles sharp. Each one is unique and handcrafted with TLC.

They can be found in my HERE, in my Etsy shop.

I finished out my weekend projects by making another dress for our project,

"Dress A Girl Around The World". 

The early evening "monsoons" arrived with thunder and lightning, so I had 

to shut down my Destiny and unplug it before I could make the dress pocket. 

I'll add that today and then this dress will go with the others.

All in all, I think you'd agree. 

This was definitely a weekend spent pursuing my "creative imperative".

Nearly Tossed Away...

Our monthly guild meeting was last night. I'm the guild recording secretary (for the next eleven months), so I could be found sitting up front with my laptop, taking minutes.

One of the ladies came up with a bundle in her hands and said that a friend of hers (who is in a nursing home) had this "cutter" quilt she wanted to sell for $30.

I didn't even need to inspect it. I figured if it was really in terrible shape, I could use it for pincushions or stuffed animals, or other smaller projects. I immediately said I'd buy it and it was tossed onto the table in front of me. Mine. All mine.

When I got home, I inspected it to see what I'd actually purchased. I was really surprised. I wouldn't call this quilt a "cutter" (meant to be cut up, rather than restored) by any stretch of the imagination. When I looked a little closer at the quilt,  that row of squares above the green line of squares was missing!

See? Apparently, someone really needed those darker brown pieces for another project, because they cannibalized most of them from that entire row of the quilt. I'll be on the hunt for a fat quarter of a brown, patterned fabric to applique' into those voids.

I'm going to be watching for something appropriate to the era in which it was created. To my eye, it appears to be another quilt from the 1930s that has come my way. I can't believe my good fortune!

The zig zag border is more than a bit rough. It will need to be repaired and rebound. Most of it looks like this (or a bit worse). It will require quite a bit more work. I'm in no hurry, but I do want to repair it rather than cut it up. 

 

I want to restore this quilt to its original beauty. It quilt really deserves it, and I'm really looking forward to it.

The Kingston Quilt...

It was created in Kingston, NY - circa 1930 - by a family of talented women. Ann was just a child when her mother, grandmother, and various aunts sat at a huge quilting frame to quilt this top.

As I sat with Ann yesterday, she recounted the story of this quilt to me. She still can't remember where the kitchen table "went" while the women worked over this quilt, but she can still see the kitchen bustling with the busy hands and chatter of the quilters working at the large frame that held  their handiwork.

It has been in her care all these years, and she has been a loving steward of her family heirloom. As I looked at it yesterday, I marveled at not only the quality of the work, but also of its current pristine condition. It's spotless, undamaged and clean. The whites are nearly as bright as the day it was completed.

This is a Friendship Star quilt (one of my favorites). It repeats throughout the design, and will symbolize the friendship that Ann and I began over these blocks.

We also spoke about our families. The quilt was born in Kingston, NY. (I was born in Kingston-up-Thames, England); her son is a professional photographer (my husband made his living as a professional photographer); her son's chosen subject of photography is "jazz" (Handsome's life is his music - specifically jazz). There were more such coincidences, but you get the idea. I believe we met for a reason.

The Kingston Quilt now lives with me. 

It will be known by this name from this day forward.

I promised to give it the same love and care that has preserved it for the last eighty plus years. I will continue to marvel at the workmanship of the gifted women who created it, and I'll share its story with those who share my appreciation of it.

I'm going to make a label so that in the coming years, and hopefully another eighty years hence, more will know its history and continue to care for it.

Fascinated With Feedsacks...

 We had a special program at our guild meeting last night. Cecelia Reed

brought her vintage feedsack quilts, garments and bags to share with us.

I took over eighty photographs, but have managed to pare it down to ten to share.

 Cecelia's business is called "Pat's Sacks" after her mom, Pat who was a self-
proclaimed "hoarder" of all things related to feedsacks. Not only was Pat's home
decorated with feedsack creations, she had an entire room designated for all of
the vintage pieces she acquired over the years. Cecelia has taken over that role.

 As Pat began her program, she kept saying that the early quilts were boring and
drab. I kept thinking that I couldn't agree. Each of these quilts was an exercise
in color and frugality. Women of yesteryear saved and used every little piece
of fabric they could find to dress or warm their family members and loved ones,
and the designs were anything but boring. There was so much work in each one!

 This particular quilt is actually covered by another quilt in an 

effort to conceal and preserve the blocks beneath that were deteriorating.

Cecelia shared fully-intact sacks, as well as those which had been sewn into

aprons and other items. Even though she only brought a small selection of her 

favorites, there was still a staggering number of them displayed for our program.

Some of the nubby cotton sacks were cut up and sewn into baby (or adult) 

undergarments. Many of the original bags were burlap. Can you imagine 

wearing a pair of scratchy burlap undies every day? Those were the days!

Cecelia did mention that she sleeps on now-soft, cotton feedsack sheets.

Her quote was that sleeping on those vintage sheets is "absolute Heaven".

I was especially taken with this feedsack nighty with a crocheted bodice and 

sleeves. There was a soft, blue ribbon woven through the crocheting. I would

wear this in a heartbeat! I loved the air of nostalgia and those simple days gone by.

We all gasped when Cecelia opened up this Drunkard's Path quilt. So much work!

Likewise, this quilt was made from tiny scraps of vintage feedsacks. Many of these

 quilts were referred to as "summer quilts", because they were made with sacks on the

front and the back, with no cotton batting in between...lightweight for hot nights.

(These certainly don't read "boring and drab" to me. How about you?)

  Cecelia's mother created many of these quilts. She hand or machine pieced them and then hand quilted them. She was a nationally recognized and awarded quilter. Looking at her work, it was apparent that she loved creating every one of them.
Pat saved a 2" square of every feedsack she ever came across. Those squares  were then stored in slip sheets in multiple looseleaf binders - now in her daughter's possession. They are a definitive record of printed sacks in the United States, and will eventually reside in an archive in Utah, where a person can actually earn degree in feedsack expertise! She plans to hand deliver them when  she decides that she's able to part with them. For now, she and guild members are able to enjoy the vast wealth of knowledge Pat left in her daughter's hands.  

PS. While my friend, Ellen's surgery took longer than expected yesterday, her surgeon is very happy with the results. We stayed in Ft. Myers until late day for a post-op appointment, and when the bandages came off, Ellen could see where she had previously been unable to see. She nearly cried for joy. I was blessed to be with her as we shared her happy results. I took her back home and then I returned home after 6:00. It was a long, tiring and thoroughly miraculous day. She wanted me to tell you, "Thank you from both of us for your prayers and kind wishes."

Busy Hands...

  Sharing a vintage image by Linda Edgerton today. I so love vintage art and the innocence portrayed through soft colors and sweet faces.    I've been really busy, but not doing what you might think.  I'll reveal all on Monday, and looking forward to a little rest. Soon.

Not Too Shabby...

...for a Shabby Tote, that is.

I finished the model for my next class. Now, to write the pattern for it.

Sewn with sweet, floral fabric, vintage lace and button, a dreamy image

and a floral accent on the pocket, all merging to become one girly bag.

 It can be sewn with or without batting. Then, add a pocket inside

for your keys or cell phone and voila! Grab your tote and head off

to the nearest flea market, shop or event to show off your creation.

You know your friends will want one, too! They make great gifts.

I'm really excited to share my pattern and techniques with the 

students who sign up for this class.  It's going to be so much fun!

Just imagine them bringing all their own laces, buttons and trim

to class and then letting their imaginations run wild. Wheee!

Once the pattern is written, I'll also be able to share it with you

via Craftsy. I'll let you know when it's up on my shop site, so you

can play with your vintage stash, too! I'll also have little kits that

will include the outside fabric, and image of your choice with

coordinating vintage lace, just in case you'd like a little headstart.

I'll put those up in my Etsy shop. I guess I'd better write that pattern!

Today, I'll be teaching "Flutterby" at Crazy Quilters. 

There really is nothing quite so rewarding as the look on a student's

face when you can tell they've learned a technique you're teaching.

I'm going to be looking for that today.

I hope you have a creative day today, too.
Later, girlfriends!