Can they be saved ? . . . . .

I went antiquing last week with a friend of mine.  I bought some Christmas things.   I also bought some more wooden spools.  When we got back to her house, she said she had a few things for me.  One was another wooden spool (you can never have enough!) but also two quilts.  She had them stored in a metal storage building with a bunch of boxes, her son's batting helmet, lawn equipment, etc.

This one is in horrible shape.  Click on the picture and see what I mean.  I didn't really look at them very well.  Imagine my surprise when I hung them up to take pictures and saw this.

And this ......

Can you see it?  It was a signature quilt.  The first one says "Julia Bigham -  May 9th 1865".  The second one says "Margret A Pifer - May 14th, 1865.  And the third one says "Susanna Greenwood - May 9th 1865".  It is hard to tell in the photos.  I had to stretch the block a little to get it smooth enough to read it.  Trust me.  Can you believe these were sitting in a storage building?  I'm going to find out where she got these from.

Here is the back of the first one.  The maker hand quilted an overall fan pattern and had a blue plaid for the backing fabric.  There was no binding left.

The second quilt is in better shape.

Those blocks that look red and white are really red and batting.  From what little bits are left in the blocks, it looks like it was the same fabric if not close to the other blocks that are red and green.  I don't know why the green fabric would have been so completely destroyed in some of the blocks and not the others.  Maybe the way the quilt was laying on the bed where the sun shone on it?  Who knows.  And the original color may not have been green.  I may have to investigate some "where the sun don't shine"!  I can't find any labels or markings from this quilt but it looks like it may have been from the same period.

This one had a muslin backing, 1/4" shadow quilting in the blocks and a kind of chevron/cross-hatching but only one direction kind of quilting pattern.

Now, to decide what to do with them.  At the very least, measure carefully and recreate a pattern of both of them.  Can't let a good quilt go to waste!

Blessings, Cathi

Forgot about this little guy . . . . . .

If you have been keeping up, the Computer Geek has moved out of the house leaving an empty room!  Yaaay for me.  I have decided to do a little rearranging in his room to hold some of my fabric stash.  I've had to go search through plastic bins in a storage building for the last two years.  It's gotten kind of old now.

Thought I would show this little quilt that I made about 8 years ago for his room.  It was my first attempt at stippling.  The stippling is much too close but I was excited that I had finished it.  

I tried not to go in his room while he lived there except maybe twice a year for a good dusting.  Hence I forgot about the quilt being in there. It's time for a fresh, clean sweep in the room before I hang this back up.

Blessings, Cathi

Quilts and front-loading washers . . . . .

Here's my thoughts on the front-loading washers:

I'm not real crazy about them. Not today anyway.

I needed to wash this quilt.

I use it in the evening when the a/c seems a little colder.  Sometimes the boys lay their heads on my lap.  Sometimes Nelson feels the need to try and climb on my lap (remember he's almost 100 lbs.)

After washing it today in the front-loading washer, I went to take it out and it was still heavy with water.  I tried the "drain/spin" cycle but it didn't help.  I had to carry it out on the deck and throw it over the railing for it to drip dry. Ran it through the "drain/spin" again and it was ready for the dryer.

So my question to all of you, do you have the same trouble?  This isn't the first time it has happened.  It doesn't happen every time.  Is there any trick to avoiding this?

Blessings, Cathi

Two Feet of Wool . . . . .

I've been a little busy the last few days dying some wool.

 
The stack is 23" tall.  There are 13 different colors in there.  71 pots at an hour per pot in just 5 days. It took most of yesterday to cut them into fat 1/8 and fat 1/16 pieces.

Now I just have to fold and label all these!  First I am going to scan one of each to put on the website.  Maybe up there by Sunday?  We'll see ...........  If they aren't, feel free to shoot an email to me!

Blessings, Cathi

Hartfield - Block 2

Dawn of Linen Closet Quilts posted Block 2 of her mystery quilt this morning. She is gracious enough to design and give away for free a 10 month mystery quilt.  As she puts up a new block on the 15th of each month, the older one is taken off so make sure you show up to her blog at LEAST once a month.  More would be nicer.  If you missed the first one, you can purchase it for $3.00.  There are 5 pieced blocks and 5 appliqued blocks.

Can you believe I am finished mine already?!  Me - the procrastinator.  Got a wild hair, I guess.

Just don't ask where Block 1 is . . . . . . . it's applique . . . . . I'm just saying . . . . maybe in wool.

Blessings, Cathi

Christmas Star Trip - an official flimsie . . . . .

I put the last row of border blocks on about midnight last night.  Now we can count this as one in the win column!

This is the 5th Star Trip I have made.  I should say the 5th colorway I have made with this pattern.  I have made duplicates of the same colorways.  I used to teach this class so had lots of partial samples in different stages of doneness!

This quilt is very easy.  It is just 4 different nine-patches.  Above is one of them.  You have to be a little organized to put it together but the outcome is wonderful.  The pattern is called Star Trip by Jane Martin.  The pattern is over 10 years old.  Jane never did sell it through distributors but out of her house. 

When this one is quilted, I will show you all the ones I have made.  It won't be long.  I want this one finished by Christmas.  It's hung around long enough.

Blessings, Cathi

Finished for tonight . . . . .

I just have another hour of sewing on my Christmas Star Trip quilt but it will have to wait until tomorrow to show you.  We have had a torrential thunderstorm this evening that lasted for hours.  The quilt really needs to be photographed outside.  Besides that it is very wet out, it is also very DARK.  Not good for picture taking!

Hope those of you that played with us today had a good time.  Next month Sue will be hosting again on the second Saturday in September.  We're almost finished with the Scatty Stars quilt.  Stay tuned!

Blessings, Cathi

A funny looking thing . . . . .

I have my Christmas Quilt Along top put together with today's directions.  I am really glad I changed the colors of the rail fence blocks.  I had a red and dark green.  Don't worry about the shape.  It will all "straighten" itself out next month.

I'm still going to try to put some green in here in the border but not quite sure how without having it look off balance but we'll see.  If it doesn't work in this quilt, maybe the next one!

While I sewed the rows together, I watched this movie .....

Now to feed the puppies and then back to the sewing room for the rest of the evening.

Blessings, Cathi

First things first . . . . .

My sewing room/office is in the dining room - the tiny dining room.  Just a small 10' x 10' room with lots of storage lining the walls and the dining room table (leaves taken out) for a work surface.  There is no room for an ironing board.

I was using Computer Geek's tabletop ironing board he had in college.  But it was in rough shape not to mention that the padding was so thin that the grid marks from underneath were showing up on the pathetic cover.

So before I start cussing at it again, I decided to make a new cover for it. 
 

First, I turned the board upside down onto some heat resistant stuff I found at the local fabric store.  After tracing it and cutting it out, I basted it to two layers of batting just for a little stability.  Next I trimmed the batting.

Here I pinned the former crappy cover to my new cover fabric and trimmed 1" around.  After turning under the edge 1/2" and the 1/2" again to make a pocket, I threaded the cording from the old cover through the pocket.

And here is the new cover!  Now I am really ready to go . . . . . .

Back soon with some real progress and maybe a game or two!


Blessings, Cathi

Survey Says . . . . .

Sue and I are conducting a survey.  To make it easier for all involved, we are going to have it posted on just Sue's blog.  You can find it here.

Won't you please take a moment and fill it out?

Blessings, Cathi

Christmas Quilt Along #1 . . . . . .

Welcome to the August edition of the Christmas Quilt Along.  We are glad you could join us.  It's 10:00 here on Friday night but I wanted to be ready for all our participants in earlier time zones.  You know who you are!

Mr. Linky is waiting for you on the 2011 Christmas Quilt Along tab at the top of my blog.  This month you will receive the directions for the 20 (yes, 20) rail fence blocks.  But trust me they are easy to do!

And what shall I work on during the day?

Well, it could be . . . . .

I could finally finish putting these rows together. . . . . .

Or put the borders on this quilt . . . . .

Or quilt this one . . . . .

Or finally put these together . . . .

Or put all my rows together according to Sue's directions . . . . .

Or even start something new!

Whatever it is, I'll keep you posted.  What are you going to do?

Blessings, Cathi

Just the cutest thing . . . . .

I just added these to my website.

Aren't they just the cutest thing?  The ones with the heart shaped thumb holes are 4" long and those tiny ones are just 2-1/2".

I haven't made a big announcement but I have revamped most of the website including FINALLY adding patterns and kits.  I still have a major overhaul to do with the wool pages.  Baby steps, baby steps.

Blessings, Cathi

Day 17 - Whoohoo . . . . .

It's here, it's here !!!

Already earmarked what I'm starting first and drooled all over the rest!!

This Saturday is the next installment on the Christmas Quilt-A-Long.  I am actually hosting this month and I will be in town!  The first time I will be home on the second Saturday since January.

Here is a sneak peak of the next step in the free quilt blocks that Sue and I are giving out to participating Christmas crazies.

I hope you can join us.  There are only 139 days left until Christmas.  Have you even thought about what Christmas gifts you want to make this year?  I'm just saying .....

Blessings, Cathi

Update, Day 15 . . . . .

I say Day 15 because that's how many days it has been since Carrie emailed me to tell me she had received the new Primitive Quilts and Projects magazine and saw my ad.  One day later, Paulette blogged about receiving hers.

Thanks to those that have offered to let me "borrow" theirs (you know you wouldn't get them back!) and to those that have offered to send one to me.

 

And on even a sadder note: I saw on someone's blog this morning where she was almost finished making one of the projects in the magazine!  Aaaggghhh.

But alas, not in today's mail, either.  In fact no magazines today.  Yes, I will be sending an email to the sisters  at Homespun Media to see if mine was even sent out.

And because no post should be without a picture ........... Something to cool you off!

Blessings, Cathi

Magazine Update:

National Geographic and Entertainment! but no Primitive Quilts.

By they way, we don't have that many magazine subscriptions.  I have Primitive Quilts and Projects, Country Sampler and A Primitive Place.  Dear Hubby has Golf and Guideposts.

All the rest are Computer Geek's.  He was helping out a friend and ordered a bunch of magazines then canceled them.  But they are still coming.

Just not mine . . . . .

Blessings, Cathi

A baby quilt I want to make . . . . .

almost . . .  I would really like to make one for my own grandbaby but since that isn't happening yet, this is the next best thing.

Fabrics that I am enjoying! 

Unlike the last two baby quilts I made.

 

The baby is 4 months old already but it's too hot to enjoy a quilt right now so no hurry.

I'm making this sweet number.

It's from Australia's Naive & Country Quilts magazine - Vol. 2 No. 1.  Couldn't find a date but I know I have held on to it for quite a while, like years.  I knew there was a reason for saving it!  As you can see, the half-square triangles are finished and the rest is cut out.  The applique's are cut out also but forgot to put them in the picture.

I'll work on this a little at a time over the next few months.  Maybe then it will be cool enough to use it!!

Blessings, Cathi

ps. Magazine update.  Today was Sports Illustrated and Golf.  No Primitive Quilts.

Lost . . . . .

Help me !!  My issue of the new Primitive Quilts and Projects magazine STILL hasn't arrived!

I heard my advertisement was in it . . . .

And lots of beautiful prim projects to make . . . . . but my copy seems to have gone M.I.A.  Perhaps a mail person in the local post office is a prim quilter.  Maybe I should go meet them!

So if you have seen it, could you send it my way?  

edit - still not here today but I have been told my ad is on page 94 and it's not really an ad it's just a listing. But that's okay, it's in there ..... I just can't see it.

Blessings, Cathi