VINTAGE HALLOWEEN

This little Halloween party invitation is dated 1927 and came from my grandmother’s childhood scrapbook that was deteriorating.  Knowing how I loved vintage black cat art, advertising, pottery, etc., my Aunt rescued it for me.

Here’s hoping you have a joyful Halloween.  No tricks.  Just treats!

I'M BROKEN HEARTED BUT THERE'S A "RIGHT HAND OF FRIENDSHIP"

Game 6 of the World Series was back and forth, tied in the 9th, then the Rangers had to play two more innings.  But they didn’t win.  That was okay.  There was still another game left to win it.  Game 7 – the Rangers scored two runs in the first inning, and it was downhill from there.



So close yet so far away!  The World Series trophy went to the St. Louis Cardinals this year, but not without a fight!  I’m still a big Texas Rangers fan.  I haven't given up on them since I started watching them in 1996 and I'm not giving up now.

Completed block #43 of Brackman’s Civil War Quilt block of the week.  It’s called Right Hand of Friendship (although I keep thinking its name was Hands All Around for some reason).



After taking the picture, I noticed a bit of smudging of “Best Press” on some spots that aren’t visible to the naked eye.  So weird. 

Although the block is supposed to be 8 1/2” square, I came out to a perfect 8 1/4”.    Points are pretty good, the parts matched up pretty well and there are 1/4” seams on each side so I can’t really complain too much.   Anyway, I got week 43 finished just hours before week 44 will be posted by Ms. Brackman.

It’s time for me to wind down now after the stress of watching the game and the fun of putting together another CWQ block.

WHAT CAME IN THE MAIL TODAY

I collect all kinds of antiques and vintage items, including some related to quilting.  My most recent purchase comes from EBay, a booklet published by Aunt Kate’s Quilting Bee in 1965 called Abraham Lincoln Spread:  A Famous Quilt From the Year 1865.



The booklet stated that this spread was made in 1865, two months before Lincoln died, and located at the Shelburne Museum in Vermont.  I Googled the quilt and came up with this photo in The Quilt Index.  This is a photo of a quilt made in the 1960s based on the original quilt:



“Aunt Kate’s Quilting Bee,” a magazine for quilt lovers, was published by Glenna Boyd of Burleson, Texas from 1962 until 1979, with the help of her daughter in the later years.  I discovered her when I came across Mrs. Boyd’s obituary in the Fort Worth Star Telegram a few years ago where it stated she published this quilting magazine.  Since then, I’ve collected 55 issues of “Aunt Kate’s” and am still looking for some missing editions.  It was the precursor to the quilting magazines of today,  with a friendly, chatty style, and contained quilt patterns from several sources, including her own designs.  There were also poems, a scripture here and there, and ads for more quilt patterns.    A delightful publication from the 60s-70s, important to quilt history in my opinion.

Well, after a truly bad game on Sunday night where the Rangers lost by lots and lots of runs, they won the next two games.  Unfortunately, I was not feeling well on Sunday so I slept through the majority of that game, but on Monday night, I was wide awake, whooping and hollering when our guys did something good.  Plus nibble on my fingernails when things got tight, and cringed when they did something wrong. 


It turned out good for the Ranger Boys with a close 2-4 win. Now they head back to St. Louis and need to win just one of the two games left in the Series.  Hand quilting came to a halt by the 7th inning when things started getting too exciting to handle the needle.  I’m still making progress, but only when there isn’t much happening during the game.

Sew until next time, keep stitching.

Book Giveaway Notice

No it’s not me giving away a book but Colleen of Colleen’s Quilting Journey.  Just click HERE  to go to her blog and leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of The Devil’s Puzzle by Clare O’Donohue.  Part of Clare’s quilt-themed series, this book is described:

Small town mystery and neighborhood witches make for perfect Halloween reading, and THE DEVIL’S PUZZLE is certain to delight quilters and mystery fans alike.http://www.clareodonohue.com/

The Rangers are about to start game 3 of the World Series so I’m ready for for exciting action and hand quilting.  Hope Elvis and Ian provide a little more of their quick defensive double plays and their crazy offensive base running and stealing.

L to R:  Ian, Cruz, Elvis, Hamilton

A LITTLE FAMILY SEWING HISTORY

I’ve been doing a little family genealogy research on my Grandmother’s side of the family and guess what?  I found out that my great-great-grandmother from Scotland moved to London and was a seamstress for a while, then moved to San Antonio, Texas where she made hats.    That’s where my sewing gene came from!

Vintage Sewing Machine Trade Card

The other day while reading Collector With a Needle’s interesting blog entry about her Martha Washington Sewing Cabinet, my oak sewing cabinet jumped to mind.  I bought this cabinet at an auction in North Fort Worth 10 or 15 years ago when Sweetie and I had a booth at the local antique mall.  However, this purchase was not for the antique mall booth – it was completely for me!  It has no labels but I believe it is from the 1910 era, plus of minus 10 years.

It is nestled between an antique steamer trunk topped with quilts and
a chair draped with an antique quilt.  Please ignore the dust and
the basket of cat toys under the chair (if you can).

Cabinet with top and drawer open



Close up of sewing cabinet front

My Friendship Triangle Exchange quilt is coming along.  I’m adding two more rows at the top and one row at the bottom then I’ll sew all the sections together and see if I want to add more.

Barn Raising HST in sections

I had to make more half-square triangles to add those additional rows – maybe 50 or 60 more.  Of course, there are two HS triangles out of each block of fabric sewn together.  I’ve just been digging through my scrap drawers and anything that is big enough to cut 3” square went into the HST mix.

Last but not least, the Texas Rangers won Thursday’s game in the 9th inning 2-1, but lost it on Wednesday 3-2.  They are on their way back to the home field in Arlington tied 1 and 1 in the best of 7 games World Series.  They’ve been close both nights, which makes it hard to hand quilt because I’m so tense watching the close call, outs, swings, and misses. 

After the game on Wednesday, I stitched 4 needles worth.  I load my needles all on the spool of thread, then separate each needle to cut the thread about 18” long, then tie the knot on the ends.  That saves more frequent interruptions of stopping to thread one needle at a time so I can stitch just long enough that it’s time to take a break at the end of the last needle.

Guess that’s all for now. 

42 H is for Hospital and Oh Yes–The TX Rangers are Headed for the World Series!!!!!

This week’s block for the Civil War Quilt is “H” is for Hospital.



Once again, my photograph and cropping skills are far less accurate than my sewing skills.  I absolutely love this block.  When I taught Beginning Quilting several years ago, this was the first block I taught so we could test the student’s 1/4” seams and make the necessary corrections before pressing on with the other blocks.  This block being #42 means we have only 10 more blocks and weeks until the end when it’s time to piece the blocks into a top.  I’m still debating on which way to set them although I have a pretty good idea (in theory anyway).

Barbara Brackman mentioned a book that I plan to read written by a nurse from the Confederate side of the conflict called Kate, The Journal of a Confederate Nurse.



Several months ago I read the memoirs of a nurse on the Union side of the war, Amanda Akin’s The Lady Nurse of Ward E.  Earlier this year there was an exhibit based on Nurse Akin at the Smithsonian Institute.  You can take an online tour of the exhibit by clicking HERE.   This quote from Nurse Akin is so poignant:

“We pass up and down among these rough men without fear of the slightest word of disrespect. They feel their dependence upon us for comfort and entertainment, and the difference in the wards where there is no ‘lady’ shows how much can be done for them.”
—Amanda Akin, 1863

The lives of so many women were affected just as much as some of the soldiers who fought the war, and that subject is of great interest to me. 

On a totally different note, tonight was a great one for the Texas Rangers as they head to the World Series for the second year in a row.    Nelson Cruz was the Most Valuable Player after breaking numerous post-season record in total number of home runs, extra bases, walk-off home runs, etc.



My hand quilting project is coming along as you may or may not be able to see in this photo.



If nothing else, you can tell where I’ve quilted because the safety pins are removed.  I am doing outline stitching around the flowers and leaves.  My stitching is getting smaller and more consistent the more I stitch but it will never be super-great.  That’s just not who I am I’m afraid.  I do the best I can do and that’s all I can do without fretting or worrying about such things.  I’m having fun doing it and that’s my goal.  I’ll have at least four more games and possibly seven to continue on my quilting quest during the World Series. 

That’s all for now.

41 Red White & Blue Civil War Quilt Block of the Week

This week, I chose not to follow the directions on Barbara Brackman’s blog but instead found a paper pieced star to avoid the templates and set in seams situation.  The paper pieced star pattern is at The Quilter’s Cache HERE. 



My only complaint is that it is difficult, in my case impossible, to keep the star background fabric lined up.  However, if you avoid extremely directional fabric, that won’t be a problem.  I couldn’t avoid it since these stars are my background fabric throughout the whole quilt.

To see another paper pieced star, visit Barbara M’s  blog Cookie's Creek.  She has no overtly directional fabric to contend with and her block looks just great!

My Texas Rangers have won the first two games of a seven game series (yee-haw) but lost Monday night to the Minnesota Twins.  That’s okay.  We still have tomorrow and only two other games to win to advance to the World Series.  They can do it again.  Let’s go Rangers!  Keep your fingers crossed ‘cause I said sew.



By the way, did you notice the similarities in the last quilt block and the Texas Ranger's logo?  Both five-pointed stars.   Thank goodness we didn't have to add a circle, a banner, and little round shapes at the end of the points on our design. 

The hand-quilting project is coming along both during the games and other times when the mood strikes me, as well as my friendship triangles probject.  I'm having to make additional HSTs to add length to it but I'm making huge progress.

Untl next time,

FALL SPLENDOR QUILTS

My Fall Splendor Quilt got 41 votes!  Thanks to all of you who helped.  The winners had many more votes but I'm very pleased with my result. 

Fall is in the air and this is a shameless request begging you to please vote for my quilt on QuiltingGallery.com.  The theme this time is “Fall Splendor.”  This is my entry, “Pumpkins for Sale”:



To vote, just click HERE.  The quilt entries are listed in alphabetical order so just scroll down to the last part of the page where the voting is done and click in the dot next to mine, PUMPKINS FOR SALE.    There are a lot of nice entries.  There is no huge prize, just fat quarter bundles of “Autumn Gatherings” from The Fat Quarter Shop, but wouldn’t it be nice to win!

Voting ends this Sunday at 11:59 p.m.  Enjoy looking at the wonderful fall-themed quilts.

LATEST CIVIL WAR QUILT BLOCK

This is Order Number 11 of Barbara Brackman’s Civil War Quilt block of the week #40.  That means there are only 12 more weeks to go!



It is the picture that is askew, not the block.  It is machine appliqued using the raw-edge method.

Yesterday I was alone watching the Texas Rangers play the Tampa Bay Rays, except for my trusty buddy Rowdy Ranger, while my Sweetie was at work.  This is how Ranger watched the Rangers, except when I was whooping and hollering after Kinsler or Beltre hit a home run.

Then Rowdy Ranger would run like a “scalded” cat to the back part of the house until he felt it was safe to come back, only to be startled awake again by my enthusiasm.  I couldn’t help myself.

They now play the NY Yankees or the Detroit Tigers, depending on which team wins their playoff in the next few days.  However, it doesn’t matter which team the Rangers play next.  The Texas Rangers will win either way!!!!!  More time for hand quilting.

HOW I USE MY TIME WISELY

Baseball games take a long time to play – at least a little over a couple of hours and up to 4 or more if they are tied and go into extra innings.  How do I help use that time wisely but still keep up with the game?  Hand sewing work.  During the current playoffs between the Texas Rangers and Florida Rays, I’ve been hand quilting.



This quilt top has been waiting for quilting for almost a year now.  I think I worked on the applique pieces prep during last year’s play off and world series games.  This if my first attempt at hand quilting using a smaller needle and thread.  In the past my hand quilting consisted of #8 perle cotton thread and a #5 or 6 needle.  The stitches are further apart, used in simple designs light a Baptist fan or grid quilting.  On this quilt, I wanted to outline the applique pieces so I opted for the more traditional quilting method.  

At first, I tried using a large hoop but after working with it for a couple of hours with poor results, decided to take off the hoop and just do the lap quilting.  That worked much better for me but my stitches were still a little too long.  However, the more I stitch the better the stitches began to look.  I can definitely tell where I started compared to where I am at the time.  Much, much improved but not perfect.  The index fingers are getting pricked and tougher each day which is another good sign that I’m making progress.

Maybe by the end of the World Series for 2011, my Poinsettia Wreath quilt will be completely hand quilted and ready for Christmas display.   And the Texas Rangers will the be World Series champs.

Let's go Rangers!

TRINITY VALLEY QUILTERS’ GUILD SHOW 2011

Friday, September 30th, my friend Charlotte and I attended the annual quilt show of my local guild, the Trinity Valley Quilters’ Guild in Fort Worth, Texas.  I didn’t take as many photos as I intended simply because we kept running into people we hadn’t seen in a while that required a lot of chatting and catching up.  It was a wonderful show.  I was to work at the admissions desk on Saturday but got sick and couldn’t get back to photograph more quilts.   As soon as the photos are uploaded to the Guild web page by the photographer, I will share that link with you so you can see more fabulous quilts if you so desire – and I bet you will!!!!

Here’s what I have:

This minature quilt is based on a large antique pine burr quilt
 I exhibited in last year's TVQG show.

For some reason the background looks brown here

But the background is really blue.

The quilting on this is spectacular!!!!!

This is a Jo Morton pattern from several years ago.
I made one way back when early in my quilt making learning period
and this one puts mine to shame.

If you would like to see the picture of and read about the tale of my sad "Prairie Basket" make from the same Jo Morton pattern from above, just click here.
Hope you enjoyed these quilts as much as I did.