Estate Sale finds...

I had hoped to go a quilt show in Atlanta with some friends today but MS decided otherwise.  It takes awhile for my body to get used to the summer heat here in Georgia.

So instead my husband brought me to an estate sale.  I am still looking for a few storage pieces for my sewing room and had shown him a great thread cabinet online...

Well as luck would have it we got there coffee in hand (before the doors even opened!) only to find out the thread cabinet had been pulled from the sale.  It happens.

We did however find some fun quilts.  And it is a good thing we were early as only a few minutes behind us was a dealer who took most of what we had left behind!

This first one may be my favorite.  The maker was pretty fast and loose with the block pattern so I would just call it a square in a square framed by half square triangles with double sashings and cornerstones.

It is very scrappy!  Lots of plaids and shirtings.  Reminded me a lot of my friend Bonnie!

The binding is just the backing turned the front.  See that often here in the south.  The quilting is large Baptist fans...also seen often here.  Pieces are fairly small.  The inner block is about 6 inches...

It needs a bath...first there is a small hole in the back that I need to repair.  If there are any loose seams or holes where batting could be lost in the wash or the washing motion could do more damage I always repair first.

Second quilt also reminds me of Bonnie...again, very scrappy and lots of plaids!  I think they are happy quilts...

The star is about 6 inches...

The biding is again back to front and the quilting is Baptist fan.  No documentation that they were made by the same person but my "quilty sense" (yes, a nod to Spiderman in a quilt blog!) certainly suspects a connection!

So bottom line...we went to get something to store my quilts in and instead came home with...wait for it...more quilts!!  (I have two more to share later this week!)

Back on my feet...

I know I've been "off the grid" for a bit.  Can you believe I had a computer accident?  Well maybe not on the computer but getting up from the computer.  I didn't get up very well at that.  I spilled backwards and gave my head so much of a whack that I haven't been able to do much.  But all is better now....

my $1 bag from an estate sale....

So much to cover...

I got cleared by my doc so I am headed up to Charlotte for the AQS show this week.  I will be doing hanging appraisals.  Which basically means appraisals on quilts that are in the show and the owner requested an appraisal.  This is my first time doing this at an AQS show so I'm a bit nervous about the mechanics of it all...let you know!

So my DH has done gone out to some estate sales for me the past couple of weeks to check on quilts and sewing related items.  Sometimes it makes me laugh to hear his description of a quilt and then see the actual quilt.  for instance he called and told me there was a Polka Dot quilt...so in he comes with a 1930's hexagon mosaic quilt!  (tiny pieces too!)

  Maybe now that he is retired more of the quilt terminology will rub off on him!

We have had a good summer (though hot!)  A couple years ago we stopped using pesticides on our property (except for fire and hills which is a granular application specific to the hill.)  Anyway, this year we have had a wonderful array of dragonflies during the day and fireflies at night.  Really quite magical.

Of course Watson and Dobby don't always agree...they spend hours chasing the large dragonflies around the yard!  They sleep well after the chase!

Auction finds!

I did get to go to the auction Saturday and I'm glad I made the effort!

This woman had more thimbles, boxes, thimble boxes even, and other sewing items than I've ever seen in one place!  (It made my husband very nervous.  "You are only getting one thimble, right?" he asked.  Silly man!)

There were however many folks there for the sewing items and several aggressive dealers bidding so I didn't come home with too much.  Happy (?) to say I stayed within budget even with the cake dish I couldn't resist!  (crystal is going for such little money how could I not bid!)

The auctions here are not nearly as organized as the ones I went to in England.  The auctioneer was sort of making lots as he went along just keeping them within the cosigner grouping.  This works well for the dealers but for those of us who just collect it means we go home with some things we don't plan on.  Some, like the German needle barrel, are a happy accident...others not so much!  I mean do I really need two walnut shaped thimble cases?  hummm...obviously the woman who collected this stuff would disagree since she seemed to have at least of half-dozen of everything!

All in good fun.  It did wear me out though.  Glad we had home-made New England Fish Chowder and banana bread left over from the day before so I didn't have to make dinner!

I did however pull out an UFO to try and get a quilt out to the folks in Washington who lost so much n the mudslide last week....have the back ready just need to get it quilted, bound and shipped.  First however, I need to get Goldie out from underneath it! (can yo spot the "quilt" tail!)

Fan Quilt

I really tried to be disciplined while shopping the vendor room at Quilt Study Seminar last week in Lincoln.

  There are three styles of quilts that I would like to add to my collection and I was "holding out" for one of the those.  Well, only found a couple of blocks.  So then I decided on another quilt but when I went back it was gone!

So when the auction started I decided I'd get one that wasn't on my "list" but at least then I'd be donating to the Study Group.  Well I bid on many and only came away with one.  (it was so crazy that at one point Julie Silber, the auctioneer, was bidding for me....)  I ended up with the last quilt of the auction!  And a fan embroidered quilt at that!  Not my usual style but I do like it.  One of my sister's loves crazy quilts and this one is in very good condition.  I think it may find its way to Massachusetts...

I didn't get much sewing done this weekend.  Dh took lots of time.  We finally went and got some new clothes for him that done require a huge belt to hold his baggy pants up (he went from a 40 waist to a 32!)  He looked much better going off to work today.  So now maybe I can get some work done....

String Sugar quilt...

I forgot to include a photo of my new-to-me quilt.  Those of you who follow Bonnie Hunter's blog and know of the new book on strings that comes out next month will like this quilt...unlike Bonnie's though it used big pieces!  These blocks are 21 inches wide!

Today it goes into the tub for a long bath...it is a nice day for airing quilts and come summer we don't get a lot of those (too humid!)

After looking close this quilt has a bit of a mystery...just what did she use for the yellow fabric.  Was it a sugar bag that she dyed yellow...

or was it a Domino Sugar bag that was yellow to start with?  anyone know if Domino Sugar ever came in big yellow bags?  Maybe she just liked the color?  They had a separate shed/kitchen for canning so they may have gone through a lot of sugar....

When I lived in Baltimore I could see the big lit Domino Sugar sign from my rooftop deck...why did that sound so much cooler before Sarah P. saw Russia from her front door?!  anyway....

These signiture blocks were also in the box of tops...they got a soak last night and almost all of the age spots came out.  Really happy with them.  I know some collectors are against washing blocks or tops...it is a bit tricky.  I really think carefully before I do it.  First is the fabric and the piecing/applique strong enough.  Second do I think the stains detract from the block or could do damage.  If the answers are yes then I put the piece in for a long soak.  A soak is different from a wash...it is like the difference between pressing and ironing.  For a soak I fill the sink or tub up with soapy water then place the block or top in.  There is very little if any agitating.  Usually I leave it for a couple of hours then change the water then let it sit overnight.  I place them on a thick towel and lay them out flat to dry.

On a day like today a block dries in less than 30 minutes out on the porch!  I wish a got a before photo of the siggy blocks...they had several large brown spots and were dull in color...

At the Auction

Drove out to a country auction today.  It as a perfect day for it...sunny but cool...may be the last time that will happen around here for awhile!

I had my eye on several quilts they posted on the website.  When I actually got to see the quilts my list went down to 3...the first one when for a lot more than I wanted to pay...I got the second one...and am sort of kicking myself for not bidding more on the third.  Oh well....

Towards the end I did get a box of tops and blocks.  I think I like these as much as quilts.  The colors this woman used are wonderful...not a bit of plain white muslin to be found anywhere (except for two signature blocks but I think that was dictated by a group thing!)

  The variety of fabrics is wonderful (hoola girls and plaids in the same block!)...not unusual as the quilter's daughter who was in her 80's and passed away this year, worked at the local textile mill.  I hop to use these tops as inspiration to help me loosen up my fabric choices a bit.  (I admit to be a recovering fabric snob...more on that in a future post....)

There were three sewing machines in the house - a treadle, a wold pink one from the 50's and a Kenmore from the 70's. A neighbor told me they all belonged to the mother.  It is sort of sad to see a home broken up at auction but they said the only relatives lived across the country.  Most of the folks bidding were locals with few dealers from Columbia, SC and Asheville, NC there to drive up the prices!

Speaking of fabrics...there was a set of 9-patches in the box.  I totally love this orange.  Another one I wish I could get more of!

Here is another set of blocks...these are in really good shape.  I may put them together if I can find a good sashing fabric.  Unfortunately there wasn't any of that fun blue in the box to finish them with!  Does anyone know the name of this block?  For now I am calling it an Annie's Choice variation.  Found several in Brackman that were close but none exact...

Quilt Auction Find

I learned (or rather relearned) a quilt lesson this past weekend at the country auction - you cannot judge an antique/vintage quilt from a photo. Take the quilt photo on the top of this page. Doesn't it look great! This quilt was one of the main reasons I drove an hour in searing Georgia heat to look at quilts (yes, I do have AC but even so...)

Well folks in person it isn't the runway model it looks to be in the auction online listing. I was hoping it would be circa 1910 but it ended up being more like 1950. There were some fabrics in there that would outlast a nuclear explosion..thick, thick polyester and some pre-quilted mattress covering type of fabric. Call me a quilt snob but I will only go so far as to have silk, wool, cotton, velvet or corduroy in my quilts. The handles were machine stitched down with some raw edges peeking out (I don't think that was on purpose.) Also the batting in the bottom half had gone walk-about...there was very little quilting holding it all together. So no, I didn't get this one (though even knowing all that I took a quick breath when they held it up during the auction....)
Here is another that I loved in the photos. Not visiable is some rough polyester. The patternreminds me of the weaving projects we made at camp with gum wrappers.

It was interesting to see which ones they chose to put in the cataloge...there were several good ones on a side table that weren't showcased. Go figure.
Now I didn't think I was going to be able to afford this next one. It was part of a collection of Southern Folk Art and based on the listing I thought it would be out of my range. I was wrong!

I heard one dealer saying it was a poor quilt because the muslin backing was pulled to the front which "means it was not original (had repairs.) Lots of southern quilts don't have bindings and just turned the backing fabric over to the front...but hey, if he didn't want to bid on it because of the I was happy! He was also very critical of the points being lost on two sides...doesn't bother me too much...otherwise the piecing is really good and it has these great wonky baptist fans!
Also, this one is all cotton and has just one little spotty stain on the back (may be rust...)

This painting is by one of the artists that was represented in the southern folk art collection...I have two of his paintings. This one hangs in my kitchen. So the quilt should feel right at home in the hallway of red quilts right next door....

I've made a bit more progress with my challenge quilt...it is about half sewn together. Should finish the top tomorrow and if I am lucky get a back ready for it.
I'm not sure if Brownie appoves of the new style or not....

After several days of MD appointments my Dh took pity on me and drove me down to a real country auction about an hour from here. There was great folk art going under the hammer and I kick myself for not pushing him harder to get the pink dancing chicken but he said it was just a bit scarey. Oh, well.

We did end up with two quits. Both of them are southern. They came from the same collection as the artwork and the pottery. This first one is most likely from the 1940's. It looks as if the baskets were all done by different people. The baskets and flowers are appliqued with a running stitch and have french knots in the flower centers. The quality of the stitching varies pretty widely. Also, the flowers and petals are arranged just slightly different in the blocks. This quitl also has the most unusual "binding" I have ever seen...more like a ruffle but not really a ruffle...there is a two inch fold of pink fabric with no batting inside around the entire quilt. Has anyone seen anything like this before? There was another one in the auction done the same way but it was in very poor condition so I didn't get it.

Tomorrow will be spent giving this a really good bath...it has some age spots and some general dirt that needs to go before it joins the rest of the gang. It should be a warm day again without too much humidity so a good quilt washing day.

Chair decisions....

Hope everyone is having a great St Patrick's Day! I am wearing green going to make some Irish bread!

I am in need of an opinion and my friend who was going to come over and help had to go pick her sick child up at school...guess I can forgive her. So I turn to you....

I bought the chair above at auction a few months ago...actually there are two of them. I thought it would be good practice restoring and recovering. In the end the chairs are in much better shape than I thought they would be (they were only 10 pounds for the pair so I didn't expect much!) I was surprised when I got them home just what good condition they are in....a bit of polish on the wood and new covers are all they need. It looks like someone did the springs and muslin covers fairly recently. The material used for the chair cover was a bit light for upholstery use which is why they got so ragged so quickly.

So they have sat in my sewing room with potential fabric choices sitting on top of them. I need to make a decision....help....

First, I don't want to buy any fabric...I also have a decorator and upholstery stash in addition to my quilting stash! Most of it is left-overs from other projects or picked up as a remnant on one of my many trips to the decorator stores around Georgia and North Carolina. Second, it doesn't have to "match" anything. These chairs already don't match anything in my house! They will most likely sit in my very eclectic (nice word for packed and messy) sewing room and be covered in material or a cat and only be brought out when we need extra seating.

So number one is the "shabby chic" faded roses. (at one point this was going to be curtains then my DH nixed it...no flowers on curtains!) Number two is "blue polka dot." Number three is the "suiting patchwork" (I made a great tote bag out of this.) Four is the green silk. Five is the Grape silk. (both of the silks are decorator weight that I got as remnants thinking I would make some crazy quilt patches and reupholster with them...not happening in this lifetime.)


I also tried paisley and some buffalo checks but they were all too large. Taking a photo did help as did pinning the fabric in place. There are some more choices in the garage but I am too tired to get them so I am limiting myself to these! What do you think?

Thanks for all of your nice comments on my posts during National MS Awareness week. Now it is nice to get back to quilting....

More pincushions...

We had terrible wind storms and rain last night. Add that to the cats wanting to stay safely in the bed with us (storms can't get them if they are under the quilts) I didn't get much sleep so this may ramble a bit!

First, an auction find...the painting above I got last week for 3 pounds! I know it is a bit naive but I just love their dresses and the braids down her back. It will look great in my sewing room...or maybe the hallway outside my sewing room - there isn't much wall space left inside!

Yesterday I had trouble posting photos - so here are a few of the pincushions I tried to get on my blog. First is the lazy quilter's pincushion. This cup had a tiny crack at the bottom so I stuffed a ball of batting inside and covered it with a scrap of fabric. Ta-da! A pin cushion that I don't have to worry about the cat running away with....


Below is one of my favorites - and my cat's favorite too! This little rooster/chicken was given to me by one of my friends at guild. I love the sparkley glove tip that she used for the feathers on the head! Because of Brownie's fascination with this pincushion it stays in my traveling bag and goes to quilting bees and classes.
And since this is National MS Awareness Week I am going to post Funny MS story #2 (see yesterday's post for an explanation of this!) The first spring after I was diagnosed I went to see my neurologist wearing a typical Georgia spring outfit - cute little sandals and peddle pusher jeans. My doctor just shook her head and said she had bad news...those sandals had to go. She only wanted me to wear shoes that fit firmly on my feet and gave them some support. Now I never considered myself a shoe junk-y but when I went home I filled three (big) bags with flip-flop type sandals, cloth espadrilles and tiny sling-backs. I put the bags in my car to bring to Goodwill in the morning and tried to console myself with how much room I now had in my closet. My husband brought me out to dinner to show how proud he was of me. I wore some boring brown loafers.

About one o'clock in the morning there I was in the driveway rummaging through the bag to find my red leather sandals that I bought in Santa Fe...and the white silk sling-backs I wore at my wedding...and then the really cute fabric flats I got in San Francisco's china town....the pile of shoes on the driveway grew.

At this point my neighbor, who was an intern at the my hospital, came home and wandered over to see what was going on. I looked very guilty! She went into her house and came back with a couple of glasses of wine. We sat in the driveway and I talked about each pair of shoes and why it was so hard to part with them. In some ways I felt like it was giving in to having MS though the logical part of me knew that some of these shoes were just plain dangerous! (Even in college I once fell off my high-heeled clogs and broke my foot and that was when I was a jock!) Eventually all but the red Santa-Fe sandals went back into the bags. A girl had got to have some limits after all......

So I am now constantly on the look out for safe but fun shoes....those above I just got a Christmas and are my current favorites!