Happy Mail

Hi everyone, on a dank grey end of September evening? How is everyone?

Mail! Not bills or lost ballots but happy mail---the postlady bringing gifts, large and small. I am even thrilled when an Amazon box appears, I admit. But what really warms my heart is the kindness and generosity of my blog readers and quilting friends---those generous souls who during the darkest months of the pandemic mailed me boxes of Triscuts, rolls of Charmin. You guys are the best!

A month or so ago, when I was showing my completed Tiny Baskets, I mentioned a special to me pale blue and brown ''seaweed'' fabric that for some reason I especially love, lower left corner. 

My mom gave me a tiny scrap of it, a jelly bean roll from the Cape Cod quilt shop. My mom never sewed but she'd stop in and pick up fabric for throw pillows now and then. I cherished that little piece, maybe 6" x 5" for years; then friend Mel helped me find more---a fat quarter from an etsy shop that specializes in out of print, collectible fabrics.  I mentioned that I thought the fabric was 15 or more years old, a line of repro fabrics from the Shelburne Museum in Vermont.[I did not find the exact year this line was released.]

Imagine my surprise, after that post, to get an email from blog reader Jerrianne in Texas, saying that yes the fabric was a museum line, dating to??? And that she had more of the blue to send to me. Omigosh, I was amazed and so pleased.

She went on to say that she had all the fabric from that line, part of an unfinished quilt she started but had never finished. She said my post inspired her to get the project out and work on it. And!!!! that that when her top was done, she'd send me ALL the rest of the fabric group.

I couldn't belive my good fortune. It is pretty unusual for someone to buy  an entire line and then keep it together, unused for so many years.

A few weeks later, both packages arrived! Filled with treasures.

Here is Jerrianne's page with her notes on all the patterns.

Everything is here. Aren't these early 1800s fabrics exquisite? I will enjoy the challenge of the soft colors.

Even a few beautiful quilt blocks!

Jerrianne's appliiique skills are inspiring.

She also enclosed two beautiful cards.

I would love to make this block someday. It is part of a Baltimore quilt in the Houston Museum of Fine Arts. here

Card image: quit c.1845

Once I had spent a few days ooohing and aaahing about the fabrics--so fine, so delicate in color, so authentic---I did a bit of research into the Sarah Johnson quilt, now in the collection of the Shelburne Museum. https://shelburnemuseum.org/collection/textiles/

Here is the quilt, made c. 1826. Star blocks are 4"   finished; it is considered a ''scrap'' quilt, using many fabrics. Handpieced, hand quilted.

Pattern: HERE

link to more info:  http://barbarabrackman.blogspot.com/2018/06/   here

                                https://www.antiquefabric.com/shop/shelburne-museums-sarah-                                                johnson-quilt-pattern-kit-fabric/    here

The fabric designs are 200 years old, as is the quilt [I am guessing it is not so monochromatically brown in person and up close.] I look at the quilt's picture and marvel; whatever would Sarah think of us, loving her quilt and fabrics, centuries later. Who will love YOUR quilt, in 2220?

Jerrianne herself is a marvelous quiltmaker! She has promised to share pictures of her quilt when it returns from her quilter. And here are links to her other beautiful quilts.

Jerrianne Evans here

Thank you Jerrianne! I am so happy to have met you. I will love and cherish your shared treasures.

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Off topic, because here at the beach, not only do I walk Mo and quilt, I also sometimes cook and bake, as you know. As the darkness of Fall draws in earlier each evening, I'm taking to heart blog friend Kit's advice to celebrate the darkness. I light my beloved scented candles so early now. And if I am in and out I switch on my wax warmers instead. A current fave is Cornbread and Honey from 1801 Candles. All that cornbread deliciousness  made me yearn for hot homemade cornbread. I am trying to eat down and restock my fridge from its jam-packed days in the early summer. I will restock soon, for winter storms and possible next virus surge. In my baking bin I found mixes:  Jiffy cornbread and Betty Crocker   blueberry muffins. I love blueberry cornbread, so I decided to mix the two and make a big pan, eat some, freeze some.

Ha! The sheet of cornbread was a disaster, a crumbling mess. Only edible with a spoon. I wonder what went wrong?

Next attempt will be homemade, "from scratch".

love

lizzy

gone to the beach......