Mid-November Quillting Update

 

Hello, hello, how is everyone? Got your Christmas trees up yet, tsk tsk tsk! Here at the beach the cold snap has passed, past few days have been lovely and warm despite the early darkness. Shorts and flipflops have reappeared. The evening sky has been amazing, I wish I could get a better picture.

And the frosts missed us. 

Makes sense, as it is far too early for frost here. Look at my deck pots, aren't they so sweet and hopeful, blooming on, yes a little scraggly---on into the autumn. I just love them for being so brave, so colorful.

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My brain is a jumble of quilting plans. With not much to show for it! Mo and I still are trying for our afternoon sewing hours. 

Soon the sun will be too low in the sky, the wind too brisk, the dark so early---so some days now Mo has his chew treat [no ice cream] in the little sewing room, to get him used to the change in our routine.

                                                           ''no ice cream, mommy? what the heck?''

This is my Thanksgiving Pineapple project's update, pretty much all the sewing I have done.

I sew slowly now, but the wool is hopefully forgiving. No need to rush it for this year's holiday, plans have changed. I will hold onto my dream of having my family and friends around my table and in  my heart for another ''someday''. My turkey plates and good silver, my mom's recipes, WILL be enjoyed again, I tell myself, pasting a stupid smile on my face.

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I recently acquired this gorgeous antique quilt block via Lori of Humble Quilts from her friend, quilt dealer Laurie Bingham. Grottogirl@wavecable.com  contact  Laurie sells in person only but if you are looking for something special, I'm sure she'd be happy to help.

Approx 20" square, part of a four block quilt top, I believe,

The cheddar center flower just ''makes'' it, doesn't it. 

This design is called Prince's Feathers or Princess Feather, a name of unknown origin, perhaps after the feathers on the Prince of Wales heraldic design. Think the Prince Regent of regency romance fame, c. 1810, or Victoria's son Bertie, who visited America in the late 1800s. Barbara Brackman wrote about the design HERE I have not yet settled on a date for my block, perhaps last quarter of 1800s.

No plans for this beauty yet. I love it. It is very well sewn, in classic needle turn, tiny stitches, inviable almost, instead of whipstitched. The red and cheddar are bright as they were over a hundred years ago, but the overdyed green is beginning to lose its yellow dye and slowly turning a dark teal blue. An effect that I find fascinating always.

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Then in a fit of extravagance, I impulsively bid on eBay last week, on this gorgeous smallish quilt top. It absolutely glows.

I always have wanted a quilt from this dealer, gb-best/ Donna Vitale. here   I was thrilled to win the auction.

It's rather small, like a child size, maybe 50 x 55". That is fine with me, I like small quilts for layering on my bed or over sofa arms.

Very autumn, the colors of the ornamental gourds I love

I don't have any Square in a Square quilts [aka Economy Patch**, I don't know why, Mel]. And the Streak of Lightning, zigzag setting is a huge fave of mine.

Two double pinks used, note upper right above, gives it extra interest. It's from PA, (possibly Mennonite?) c 1900, according to the invoice info.

It only needs a good pressing and then I'll send it to be quilted. I am already having fun choosing the backing. Perhaps a blue calico? Or pick up the green? Amazingly a very similar green is still or again available. 

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I have not forgotten Wagon Wheels! We had one rainy day to machine sew since September. I cut and sewed the beginning of its borders. It too will not be large.

The borders, despite very careful measuring may be ruffling! Oh no! I hope the fluted ripples quilt out.

I have a classic look blue plaid for Wheels' backing. Looks like homespun but is tightly woven and very smooth like the Ralph Lauren shirts I like to use. I am very tempted though to use this special Newspaper Boats print from Heather Ross as the backing. 

Wildly ''wrong'' but 1- I don't want the boaties to get lost in the fabric shuffle,  want them used and loved; and 2- if I save the blue plaid I can use it for my someday project of the Jan Patek pumpkins quilt. Your thoughts?

Last to share is this lovely sweet and patriotic fabric from Minick and Simpson. I ordered the stack of squares and  few yardage pieces for Lori/ Humble Quilts' fall sewalong, Land That I Love. The fabric just arrived, her sewalong is long since over. I will set it aside, I guess as a group, for another time.

Yes it's pink! Tiny flags and big bold cabbage roses.

Here is a link to Lori's blog if you'd like to see all the other other little quilts, always adorable. Non-USA participants were encouraged to use their own flag colors, so you'll notice everyone's quilts aren't red white and blue. Doll Quilt Sewalong, Land That I Love

Oh my, the sun is setting! Off I go with Mo. More soon. Have a great weekend! Beach walk planned, pic maybe Monday or Tuesday, so come visit again soon.

love

lizzy

gone to the beach....

💙💙💙💙💙💙

PS In late September I forgot to mention my blog anniversary! Twelve years. I still love taking my photos, planning my posts and writing my story. As always it is dedicated to my mom, to whom I wrote a real letter twice a week, snail mail, since I left home age 18. She passed away in 2009 and my blog was born, with posts at least weekly, content similar to what she and I---my best friend!---could no longer share.  My first post: HERE

Economy Patch info and history : HERE general gist is that it was popular during the Great Depression/ 1930s because frugal quilters could use very small bits of fabric for this usually small block.