A Red and Dill Pickle Green Quilt for Christmas

Merry Christmas, everyone! I'm still baking cookies, lol, this last batch was a flop. Lucky for me my mom's snowballs came out great, so we won't starve.

A few days ago on the Humble Quilts FB page, Lori asked if we decorated with quilts for the holidays. I don't display many quilts in my home, despite having a collection that numbers in the hundreds, antique and vintage / not made by me. The rooms are too small, the atmosphere too beachy, my kids don't much like floofy country stuff, and so on. One quilt on my bed sometimes and one or two folded over the arms of the sofas. This year I got out this beautiful red and green quilt. It is a pattern called Chimney Sweep or sometimes Album, I believe.

I'm guessing it dates between 1880 and 1920?

It was a rescue quilt from the old now defunct Thursday pickers market. I bought two quilts and a top for 30.oo. The second finished quilt was also red and green, a similar patch to this but the red squares formed an X. I sold it to a woman who needed a ''red cross'' quilt for a fundraiser auction, and she couldn't find a traditional red and white version.

Anyway these quilts were so damaged by cigar fumes that when I dug them out from under the dealer's table, they simply looked icky brown. The pink and brown Churn Dash top from the same estate sale must have been stored carefully as it was in lovely clean condition.

I was glad it was a cold autumn day and I was wearing gloves because the two quilts were untouchable. We put them in a black garbage bag and I brought them home.

Now what? I finally soaked each quilt in the bathtub until the rinse water ran fairly clean. Then I washed them and dried them. And their antique charm and beauty was once again revealed. [yes, I scrubbed the bathtub afterwards, eeeeew.]

I knew the nasty brown tint was nicotine because the quilts I inherited from my aunt were similarly stained---and scented. She was lifelong smoker. My mom showed me how to remove the grime of years...and the icky smell.

I love this quilt for its fabrics. There are at least six different reds and six or more ''dill pickle greens''. What a fabulous repro quilt fabric line this would make!

Some damage where the prints have cracked, this stripe being the worst.

I'm always collecting repro and vintage fabrics in hopes of repairing it someday.

Muslin back, fine utility quilting, simple cables on the sashing and borders. Handpieced.

Unfortunately the exposed stuffing attracted Mo's interest and the quilt again went into the storage armoire for its own protection. Maybe someday...

***

On a looking forward to the New Year note, I am in love with this quilt on the cover of the current Simply Moderne.

I'd love to make it in all red and white, a holiday topper for my all white bed? I'd do shades of red for the wool work tree and red cottons for the borders. I'm torn...should I start gathering fabrics or send it to its turn in the project queue?

I think it would have such a lovely Scandinavian look in red and creamy white....

See you soon! I still have presents to wrap! How about you? And what are you cooking? Do you celebrate on both Christmas Eve and Day?

love

lizzy

gone to the beach.....

dense fog advisory today:

Mo had his Christmas bath. But Santa is gonna bring him COAL because he ran away the other night. Bad dog! I looked up why dogs run away and it said it's because they aren't happy at home! Isn't that awful, we love Mo and try to make him happy. I think he just has the car-chaser gene, though.

Out and About ~ It's Christmas!

Hi! How is everyone? Excited? Exhausted? Bored to tears? I've been having a very fun Christmas. Besides spending time at home with family and friends and Mo, there's been some excellent girly outings to share with you.
First--and sadly the last [of this year] Flea was on Sunday. It was big and bustling and packed with junk and folks enjoying the sunny crisp day.

I always get a kick out of the washing machine guys. Do these things even work?

And Santa was there! Selling granny's garage crapola, just like a regular guy.

Also my pet peeve--I got there early but even as I entered the market a dealer was frantically repacking her pastel mercury glass Shiny Brite ornaments and she whisked them away before I could grab even one or two of the very lovely selection.
Of the items I was bemoaning not buying last visit, only the pretty sweater--pickle green, red, cream, mustard--hand knit fair isle sweater was still there. I wanted to felt it and use it for Christmas cushions and other crafty things. BUT it was quite small and no bargain at 20.oo firm. I also loved this enormous 12 gallon pickle crock, speaking of pickles. It was taller than my knee, really big and cool. But I couldn't imagine how I'd get it to my car, so ---no.

Earlier in the week, my friend L and I made our annual Christmas trip to the pretty flower nursery, over the bridge on the mainland.

It's not tres chic---or all white---but it's gaudy and glittery and fun and we love it.

Ideas for decorating in and out.

Lots of lovely real trees. I hope they all find a good home.

We loved these herb topiary trees, great gift idea. They smelled delicious, especially the rosemary.

Many beautifully decorated trees.

And their specialty, fairy houses, was all tiny gingerbread homes for the gnomes and elves.

The shop is located in a bustling harbor village, so it specializes in beachy and nautical [aka ''coastal''] Christmas decor.

 I picked up a few little stocking stuffers that I can't show off right now.

So pretty! We then stopped at Trader Joe's so I could buy a selection of unusual cheeses for my Christmas Day afternoon antipasto platter. And peppermint ice cream.

On Friday my good friend B drove down from upstate for a thrifting day and dinner. We made it to the thrift shop without getting lost! Yay! Sadly prices there are outrageous, and discouraging. A beautiful modern, machine quilted throw in whole-cloth taupe reversing to cream cotton, scalloped edges, was 49.99! But what caught my eye was this grouping of cashmere sweaters.At one time I was collecting these sweaters and cutting them into squares about paperback book sized to make into a colorful cozy cashmere throw someday. This batch had great unusual colors.  Orange! You never see orange cashmere....But they were 8.99 each! And if I got 10 of them it added up to more than $100.oo with tax. No way! Across the street at the big Marshall's there were gorgeous cashmere throws from Ralph Lauren and--Tahari?--for less. In chic neutral colors, no difficult knitty sewing involved. I was a little sad though. And went home with nothing.

We had delicious Thai food, right across from my bigger town's main square [where the farmers market usually is]. The lights were so festive and fun. We made up for our disappointing thrifting day by shopping in the surf shops there on the main drag. I got myself a very cool "Surf Wax" soy candle. I love shopping local, especially in the surf shops,lol.

There's an outdoor skating rink here under the glittery trees.

B thought I was nutty but she patiently drove us home by a circuitous route so I could look at all the outdoor Christmas lights on the houses. Christmas lights weren't part of her childhood in Queens but they were a big deal at my house. I love how happy and hopeful they look in the dark winter nights.

Here's Mo too, lighting up, in his special reflective sweater. Thank you again, Mel!

love 

lizzy

gone to the beach....

Happy Winter Solstice, Happy Yule. Winter begins now but the days are getting longer. Something to savor. And don't forget to admire the rare Christmas Day full moon.

Mo killed the Christmas Tree watering can.
And ate it.

PS Speaking of decorations, have you seen this idea? Mercury glass pine cones, painted with Krylon's "Looking Glass" spray paint. [try Amazon, Home Depot prob won't have it] I must make these, to fill my big wooden bowl in January. So cool.  They also tell how to bleach pine cones, for that chic white Christmas look.
http://goodlifeofdesign.blogspot.com/2013/11/give-pine-cones-whole-new-look-for.html