Ta ta 2009

My last quilt of 2009 is another rescue.
I found it in an antique mall two years ago in Macon, Missouri, a town on route 36.

It was too grand in former days to risk leaving for someone to cut up. It features techniques I can't imagine mastering, mostly wonderful trapunto hand quilting.....

There are justifications for acquiring a quilt in fragile shape like this.
You can admire and replicate the pattern.
You can study the incredible quilting.
You can note how the fabric aged.
You can marvel at the cool fabric - I love the flower center at the top.

I truly enjoy writing this blog. A reporter in a former life, it seems I still have the urge to report. I am "easily entertained" (as a co-worker I did not click with once opined) and delight in things people say and things I see. I love thrift, I love quilts and I adore good writing. All come together in the simple title hung on this blog quite quickly last March. I find it remarkable I can share what I enjoy and hear back from others with the same sentiment in Canada, and England, and Kansas City. It's satisfying and most of all, fun.

Happy New Year! See you in 2010......

Green & Red Log Cabin

I hang up this Log Cabin every December. It measures 72" x 78". I found it at the antique mall in Ottawa, Kansas in 2003. For $15, how could I leave it behind.

The Log Cabin block centers of blocks are red wool with the exception of the 3 red cotton centers in the middle of the quilt. The green logs are wool also. Blocks measure 12” — there are 36 total.

The quilt's condition is fair. The fabrics are fragile—you can see through some but that is valuable because you can see that some blocks of this quilt were foundation pieced (the foundations show through) - others were not. It is hand pieced.
This quilt is tied with red yarn. Note that some of the red yarn color faded to white on the log cabin side but is red on the backside.
The front of this quilt is brought to the back to bind this quilt. I love the backing, it is such sweet fabric.

Ghosts of Christmas past

Our family Christmas celebration was delayed this year because we were snowed in. The snow plows finally got here the day after Christmas so everyone came over and celebrated, then celebrated again today.

Here are some Christmas past pictures from the family album.

This picture is inscribed Preparing Xmas dinner. That is my Grandma Anna Gehlbach in 1954.

A candid shot of Grandpa and Grandma Gehlbach surveying the gifts under the tree in 1954.

 My cousins in 1955. It looks like Philip is holding a puppy.

 

Our family in 1963. Note the tree on the table -  away from baby Gregg.

A snowed-in Christmas

Merry Christmas!

Luckily, ace stringer Roseanne got this festive photo BEFORE our big snow arrived yesterday. Today, these little beauties may be buried in snow drifts. They are a much-admired holiday display in her neighborhood.

We are enjoying a white Christmas! It's delayed the family dinner a day or so......drifts are almost 2 feet deep in our yard. Merry Merry!

Christmas miracle

This is the season when I venture in to retail stores.

Because I go there rarely, I am astounded at the things I see. Look what I discovered at our Gap store yesterday.

It's presented as a scarf but you will see it's yardage! This scarf is cotton plaid, as so many of us store a great deal of in our homes. It is long and unseamed so they had to use the length of the fabric. The ends are either cut tapered or straight across and the edges are raw, so they fringe a little. There are shirts in the same fabric nearby.

This might just be a christmas miracle for thrift shop regulars. I am off to rip up a few last minute gifts.
Merry Merry!

A Hat for Tom (Happy Birthday Betsy)

You might remember I make toothbrush rugs. They fill several needs for me: to use up fabric, give my hands something to do, and play with color and texture.

I visited my cousin Tom in LA (Los Angeles, not lower Alabama) last spring. It was cold as we flew out of the Midwest so I wore my toothbrush hat. I learned to make these last Christmas - we saw one downtown and my daughter Betsy wanted one. Here she is wearing her hat. My friend BB played with the photo and wondered if this could also be a bowl......

 

Tom liked the hat AND he had a favorite old flannel shirt he was being nagged to let go of. We agreed the shirt would make a nice hat. Tom tried the hat on when he was home for Thanksgiving and I just finished it up. He asked for part of the shirt too so I made up this little blankie to go with the hat. It's ready to go in the mail this week.  Merry Christmas Tom! Don't go koo koo and burn the blankie, Van! and Happy Birthday today, dear Betsy!

A Good Week

It has been a good week, one that has left me a little visually overstimulated, as you will see.
I am lucky to have friends who like to shop creatively. We walk through innovative shops and admire their creative merchandise. Then we have a good lunch and hit the thrift shops (for items we can afford).
Here are a few items we admired, courtesy of the wonderful Anthropologie shop on Kansas City's Country Club Plaza.

The coolest chairpad ever (made from old sweaters).

Applique on a felted wool throw.

Folded ribbon adorns a jacket.

A button star on a Christmas tree.

We exclaim that we could make that often (but we don't get around to it). It is a treat to see such creativity.

I also got to help with a photo shoot in Bennington, Kansas for an upcoming Star book. I don't want to give away much of it now but suffice it to say, Lynne Hagmeier wins. I do believe she has the most quilts and most interesting antique collection I have ever seen. And displayed so well.  Stay tuned for an upcoming book showcasing both! Below you'll see Star photographer Aaron Leimkuehler shooting a portrait of Lynne.