A Giraffe in Egypt? - a Quilt finish

 

Hello, hello, on this grey, rain squally day. It's cool and blustery. 

I'm so thankful that the Heat Dome has not come to the coast yet/ ever?---- Instead we have hurricanes to watch for; is he headed my way? 

This week I finished Mr. Giraffe Goes to Egypt:

Outline quilting on giraffe block.

Tomato soup red conversation print backing. Boat instruction link at end of this post.

Best color and clarity  photos are indoors on the pine cupboard.

I began this little project a year or two ago. Lori of Humble Quilts had a challenge project: To find and use an ''orphaned'' antique quilt block. I have loved and saved this funny redwork block for years---far as I know there are no indigenous giraffes in Egypt!--and I thought it perfect for the challenge.

But then.....

Meanwhile Lori sent me, so generously, a beautiful c. 1850-70 brown and red madder print block to use. See above.

Of course Giraffe was set aside, though I think I used the design ideas, easy peasy hourglass blocks, etc. Giraffe was finished last Fall, layered for quilting and set aside for this summer's outside handwork. [Yes, I am a planner.]

The redwork block and little quilt  have a made up by me story, something that came to me as I handled the old funny block. Years ago I studied and collected redwork extensively, and a recurring fable or urban myth is that the small redwork blocks were done by children convalescing from then-dreaded illnesses like strep and scarlet fever. 

So my block was embroidered by a little boy named Tobias*. He was 8 years old, and feeling much better after being ill, but Mama kept him quiet in bed most days. And she helped him with his geography lessons by having him embroider the Giraffe and other interesting things. Exotic animals and places were much studied in Victorian times, and though a child like Tobias might never see a real live giraffe, this would capture his imagination.

Other days, Tobias and Mama would piece the bright triangles of the hourglasses. Mama sewed them together. They chose the backing, newsprint origami folded boats that by spring Tobias was well enough to to sail in the beach's vernal ponds. Mama watched him closely, then satisfied the child was now well and happy, she finished the quilting, choosing a boyish brown star for the binding, a sentimental thought towards her boy, her little star, her heart, who was well  and almost nine.

                                 

Tobias lived to a great old age of 86, and all those years he truly believed that giraffes roamed by the Great Pyramids of Egypt.

I did some photos on the deck rail, with the zinnias that always influence my quilts' colors:

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pattern pic

As previously mentioned I hope to make Jan Patek 's Liberty Pumpkin for this Fall. Julierose is making one too and if anyone else wants to join in, please do so. We'll show our progress here and prob on Julie's blog. No rush, no pressure, no final due date. Just fun.

Jan P's staff is notoriously slow with mailings so I went ahead and pulled fabrics. [They also have digital if you're in a hurry]

These are stripes , coffee-sun dyed, with Julie's method of letting the dye bath steep.

This print is amusing because I always thought it was little pumpkins. Only after I dyed it did I see it ia really tomato pincushions!

These are potential fabrics. I tried to find prints with Halloweenish stars or moon, but not broadly Halloween/ moderns.

This is the pumpkin [below], tho I have a cream. and navy Star print I may use instead of the lucky horseshoes. 

I am also working o my first Sarah Sporrer hand applique block, but that's another post. Hopefully if it's rainy tomorrow, I will get that block, and the Carrots block,  prepped for the coming sunny days. Summer is still going strong here, lasts through October, most years. [note the child-inspired tiny prints Tobias, Mama and I chose...]

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As for Mo, he is okay with some rain days too. 

but m-o-o-o-om, it looked yummy and was so cute....and, and, and...

He has been naughty on the deck--throwing over the big meadow pots, when ''attacked'' by leaf blower wielding gardeners next door! Oh. My. And a sudden interest in the new fountain, which he will no doubt tip over onto himself.

And yesterday he ate a lady bug. He was chawing and gulping, I thought choking, I tried to clear the obstruction, and the ladybug popped out--alive and well.

He also had his once a month spa day, smelled fab for about an hour, lol. Lavender-coconut-oatmeal sham and cond!

Hope your weekend is great!

love

lizzy

gone to the beach...

* Fictional Tobias is named after my dear friend Toby [Tove], an older lady who taught me all about beachcombing and reading the local tides and wrack line, when I moved here years ago. Toby has passed on now but I think of her often, her beachcombing skills were amazing. Coins and gold rings were her specialty, she thought seaglass was just trash.

How to make a paper boat CLICK HERE   or do a search on YouTube. Kids love making them. You can add tiny toothpick and colored paper flags just like the fabric has.