Saturday, September 22, 2012

Happy Fall!

Fall has arrived!

So excited that the temperatures are not as hot.  

Here is another vintage quilt that I bought during the early 90's.  I didn't have any time for quilting during those years & I fell in love with it when I saw it.  These were the colors that I had in my home at the time.  It is completely hand pieced & quilted by a quilting circle of ladies that were selling quilts at a craft show.  I think it's called a Dahlia pattern.



This morning was busy because it was yard work morning.  After wards, I remembered that I had purchased some mini-pumpkins & decided to bring them out.  I've not ever decorated much for fall but, this year I decided to place a touch of fall here & there.


A couple of weeks ago, I bought this velvet pumpkin from a friend who makes these.  I would have bought more but, this was the only orange one she had.




I think I'm going to try to make some in other colors using velvet fabric.  They actually look quite elegant when grouping several pumpkins together in olive greens, burgundy, & golds.  I've been seeing them at certain gift shops & they seem to be easy to make.  I'm going to give it a try. 

I need to take a break from quilting.  Yet, I still have to create something with my hands.  I'll let you know how they turn out.

Stay tuned...




Wednesday, September 19, 2012

More Vintage Quilts...

The picture below is based on an vintage quilt pattern of butterflies that probably came from a magazine.  I wish I knew which one but, I'm only guessing it was a mail order magazine.  This quilt was a wedding gift from my parents-in-law, 25 years ago.  My mother-in-law bought it from a neighbor who would make quilts to sell for extra income.  Both my parents-in-law & the neighbor who made this quilt, lived out in the country.  The only available patterns to them were from mail order patterns.



Closer look at one of the blocks...


Only guessing that some of these fabrics were from flour sacks, dresses, & calico.  These blocks were made sometime during mid to late 1980's.  To me the 80's seem like they were just yesterday but, I guess that tells you what era I'm from.


Below is another quilt that we received as a wedding gift from a friend of the family.  Her name is Amparo & she is now in her 90's.


Tia Amparito, (we used to call our elders Aunt or Uncle to show respect), gave me this quilt right before we got married.  I remember her telling me that this wasn't a real quilt.  She had used "cheater fabric" (preprinted fabric).  She also said that she would have appliqued a block if she had planned ahead of time.  I told her that I appreciated her taking the time to make this hand quilted lovely quilt, which means a lot to me.  It is made with fat batting & I love it because it is soft & warm to use. 


Border panel below...


Stay tuned, more vintage quilts in a couple of days or so.

Thanks for taking time to visit my blog.  I hope you enjoyed visiting.

Have a great evening!












Thursday, September 13, 2012

Vintage Inspired...

Finally have a moment to post pictures of the quilts my grandmother gave to me.  All these quilts are hand pieced & hand quilted.

This lone star quilt is 25 years old.  My husband & I celebrated our anniversary this month & this quilt was our wedding gift from her.  Isn't it gorgeous?  Of course, I think so.




This next quilt is called dresden plate made in yellow & brown calicos.  I remember her being anxious to finish with this quilt because she was tired of looking at it.  When she laid the blocks out, she was disappointed that she had to add two more half dresden blocks.  Like quilters of today, she would also reach that point where she didn't feel like working on a quilt.  This one was a UFO for a while.


This next quilt started out to be larger lone stars but, she decided to make a variety of small lone star blocks.  She also loved to add ruffles to her some of her quilts.  I happen to love the ruffles.


This last quilt is also made up of diamonds.  By this time, she had made several lone star quilts for family & friends & she was tired of working on a lone star.  So she must have found a pattern she liked & used the left over fabric for diamonds in this pattern.   I feel honored that this was one of her last quilts during her early 80's & she told my mother to make sure that I received it.  When I  use this quilt, I feel my grandmother's love & I get a great big lump in my throat all at the same time.   


It is so important to record the stories & histories of our quilts.  My grandmother worked very hard as a housekeeper for a local family for many years.  She helped to raise the children that were born in this family as well.  Each day after work she would go home & cook for her own family & then wash all the dishes & put them away by hand(no dishwasher).  She would then go outside & sit on the swing in the front yard to cool off & unwind.  

Here's a picture of the swing but, my grandmother didn't like having her picture taken.  So this is my Mom & Dad during February-1957 while they were courting.  I love this picture.



On most evenings, my grandmother would go through this routine & then go back indoors to work on her hand piecing a little bit at a time until it was time to go to bed.  Like today's quilter, she wished she had more time to quilt.     

She made her last quilt in her early 80's.  She passed away at the age of 88 years of age.  She was a great influence on me in many ways.  Through quilting, I feel that I keep in touch with her in some way.  When I was eleven years old,  she took me aside and said that if I was to grow up to be a proper lady, I would need to learn to use a needle & thread.   After this she had me sewing on her black singer sewing machine in no time.  I was hooked & the rest is history.

I'll have more vintage quilts to show on a different day.  Thanks for stopping by & visiting.  

I hope you enjoyed it!





Friday, September 7, 2012

Vintage Inspired...

What is vintage versus antique?

Antique would be a sought after item that is one hundred years or older.  Vintage is not old enough to be an antique and not new enough to be modern.  At least this is what I comprehend about vintage.  Vintage is in!

During my recent "shopping for inspiration" trip, I stumbled upon some unexpected items...

A Sunbonnet Sue quilt, tattered & faded.  



My grandmother made numerous sunbonnet sue quilts as gifts for family members & close friends.  When she asked me if I wanted one, I told her that I really wanted a lone star quilt.  I was around 19 or so & didn't know any better.  I wish I had asked her to also make a sunbonnet sue for me.  Seeing sunbonnet sue quilts brings a smile to my face because they remind me of my grandmother.  She shared the same passion for quilt making as I do.  I received my gorgeous lone star quilt as a wedding gift from my grandmother.  I'll post the quilts I inherited from her on a different day.  I'm very lucky & happy to have my grandmother's quilts & care for them like expensive jewels.

What a thrill to stumble upon this next sunbonnet sue quilt that made my eyes widen like a kid on Christmas morning.  


Below is the lower half of this sunbonnet sue quilt.  This quilt reached out & gave me a great big hug so, it came home with me.  I love it!  


Next, I found this quilt but, I only took this picture of the block because there was another shopper interested in purchasing this quilt.    I think this pattern is called, "Hands All Around".  I love the colors!


This next quilt top pattern is known as, "Grandmother's Fan".  


This next quilt is a simple tulip appliqued block that is in the typical red & green colors used during it's time.  


This beautiful quilt is a, "Grandmother's Flower Garden".  


Some day I will make a grandmother's flower garden quilt.  I love them.  

Here is a photo of the stunning quilt my friend Jeanne made.  Jeanne, by the way, is meticulous with her quilts.  All her quilts are gorgeous!


I hope that this inspires you in some way.  You might not be interested in reproducing antique quilt patterns but, seeing finished quilts might be just what you need to motivate you to finish those quilt tops. 

This weekend, try to carve out a little time for happy hour in your sewing area.

Enjoy your weekend!










Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Vintage Tendencies...

Today I'll share with you the everyday things that keep a lot of us from creating every single day.  I don't have someone come in to take care of the housekeeping that needs to get done like....

laundry.....


and starching & pressing shirts.....yes....I iron my husband's shirts.  What?  You say that I'm a little old fashioned.  I think the trendy word to use is vintage.  I do have vintage tendencies.   


Why don't I let the dry cleaners press my husband's shirts?  I don't like the results.   Many years ago, I told my husband that I'll iron his shirts & he can pay me.  No argument from him since, he likes the job I do.  Besides, I can't complain because I'm a highly compensated domestic engineer (a.k.a.housekeeper) that no one else would hire.

After these "have to be done things" are done, I usually find other things that have to be taken care of like this picture below...


I've been closing the closet door to this mess for some time.  


Then there is the outdoor stuff......need I say more?  Anyway, I'll have something interesting & inspiring to blog about in another couple of days or so.  

I think I might go antique shopping for inspiration!

Stay tuned.......