A Wallhanging From 1988

I opened the chest in the bedroom that has some old wall hangings, some UFO's, and various other items. This wall hanging was done in 1988 according to the back of the piece. It's probably about 40" square and is machine satin stitched and hand quilted.

This is the center. Back then when I hand quilted, I usually quilted some motif in the open spaces of the blocks. However, I did no background filler as I have done in a lot of them. Mostly it was crosshatching that I used.

Two more of the blocks. Blue and pink showed up in most of my quilts way back in those days.
And the difference in the fabrics now and back then is unbelievable. I would not even think of putting an applique on a plain white or cream background anymore. They are so beautiful when they are on subtle prints or dark or bright fabric. The sky is the limit and you can have any look you wish. That is not to say that the old quilts are not beautiful! They are. Cannot imagine what it will be like in another 20 years!

The rest of the blocks. I notice that there was the neat old smell of old fabric that came forth when the old chest was opened. Not a musty smell, but just old. I also took some pictures of a really, really big old UFO that I will post one day soon. Don't know why I never finished that. And there is one more in there, too. Oh me, oh my! I tell myself it's okay since I have finished so many pieces - maybe some day someone will just love to find those old things! (Cannot figure out why my small pictures are not side by side in the blog - they are here where I am posting them!) (Click to enlarge)

More Hats

The fourth and fifth ladies in hats just about finished. I also have found two more pieces of fabric to go with that I have already. Like the dark piece, especially. As soon as the little gal is out of the hoop, I can start cutting out the pieces for the hanging.

These little hats are all together now and I will be doing the embellishing. Not much quilting - some embroidery, buttons, etc. I have already sewn some lace on it. Posies and Teacups have their binding on them waiting for me to whip it down. Eventually they get done. (Click to enlarge)

Fashion Friday

Way, way back in April of 1949, Ray and I went to a dance in Galesburg at the extension of the University of Illinois where he attended school for one year. Ray is all smiles in his good looking suit, tie and the flower on his lapel. Carol is wearing a pretty white eyelet dress with a scooped neckline and short sleeves. A white necklace and earrings and a pretty corsage complete her outfit. Kind of a cute couple. We were married in September of that year - 61 years ago.

The band that played for that dance was Desi Arnaz - and here is his autograph on the dancecard. I don't actually remember much about that dance but Ray and I always had a great time and did quite a bit of dancing during our life together. (Click to enlarge)

Snowbound

Last year, I downloaded the free block of the month series Tisket A Tasket from the wonderful
http://www.bunnyhilldesigns.com/ and made my quilt in time for our guild's quilt show last May. (If you would like to check out that quilt, go to the April 24, 2010, post.) Anne Sutton, the designer, has another series of blocks for this year called Snowbound. I have been saving each month's pattern and thinking of starting the quilt. I had some blue and white dotted batik that I thought I would use for the background but wasn't really satisfied with it. Today, I went with four of my quilting friends on a fun, all day shop hop. Leslie, Linda and Janet are terrific gals to be with and there was a good lunch at a great restaurant called the French something (senior moment - it will come to me) , some great shops and everyone bought something - some more than others!! I bought this piece of beautiful bluegreen batik that looks like a lovely snowstorm.

There are a couple of ways I can go with this - in the top picture there are some Christmas fabrics that I have in a charm pack and also some yardage. Actually, very little fabric is needed for the blocks. I plan on using some fusible batting similar to warm and white for the snowmen. The layout of the quilt calls for irish chain blocks between the appliqued ones. Have not decided on whether to do that or not. Actually, the blocks are so sweet and simple they should not take long to do. Isn't it fun to plan something new? I so love picking out the fabrics and colors.

(Click to enlarge)

What I've Been Working On

Posies is amost quilted - should get that finished today. Quilted in part of the excess backing and batting around the edge yesterday - it wasn't too much ripping but glad I caught it when I did. Doing things like that keeps a quilter humble.

I am liking this little piece very much. It's only about 14" x 21". The colors are so very soft and pretty and it has been fun to do. Will use the Sulky thread to do some decorative stitches (have already done a little) then add some embellishment. The little hat in the right hand corner is getting colonial knots on every other buttonhole stitch. At the top in the lefthand corner, there is a little bead at every other buttonhole stitch. Will do some other embellishments and will figure them out as I go.

Here are my pretty girls in big hats - have a hat thing going, I guess - and the fabric I plan to use in a wall hanging. There will be two more girls wearing cloche style hats. Will put them on a layout I found in EQ5 which I am altering a bit. This is a fun one, also.

It's a cool, very fallish morning here in MI (in the 40's earlier) - a harbinger of days to come. I am a fall loving girl! My very favorite time of year. Maybe today I will get out a wreath and my little wooden scarecrow that I have had for a long time. Time to put the pink flamingoes in the shed until next year. (Click to enlarge)

Fashion Friday

I forgot to do a fashion post last week - it is becoming harder to find pictures that I haven't already posted. Will have to start going through some of my family's older albums and see what I can come up with or maybe designate something special for a different day of the week. However, today, I have spotted this one of my grandmother, Maggie, and my Aunt Leah on a trip they took out west to see Nelle which was probably in the 40's. Maggie is wearing a pretty print dress that has large white buttons on the bodice. I am certain I can see her cameo which she wore almost all of the time) pinned at the vee of her collar. Aunt Leah is wearing a dress that I am sure is very colorful and pretty. It is gathered at the bustline and looks great on her. Her hat - I think that is one of those Tyrolean mountain hats - with a feather on it. I just can't see her seriously buying that hat except as a souvenier. Leah had a great sense of humor and would happily wear something like that as a joke. Regardless, she looks cute!

(Click to enlarge)

My, How You've Grown

This, as I have shown before, is my mandevilla plant - freshly set out in my little garden space.

And here it is about a month ago - growing and blooming it's little heart out.

And this picture was taken yesterday evening - growing more every day and just beautiful. Tons of buds and sending out vines on a wire I put up to the right of it. You can see part of the moonflower plant that decided to come up from seed right beside of it. I had to cut part of that one away to get on my patio. If you enlarge the picture, you can see the stub of the branch that I lopped off the plant at the bottom of the picture. That one has been a very sturdy, serious grower!

A hanging basket planted earlier in my last macrame sling from my macrame days in the 70's.

and here it is last evening. Doing well. (The carpeting on my step to the little shed certainly is looking bad! Should have cropped the picture!)

I'll call this one "Free Portulaca in the Patio Crack" - you could never get one to grow there on purpose! It's blooming nicely and is partially watered from what drains out of the hanging basket. (Click to enlarge)