Red Floral Quilt ~ 1855

Quilts have been on my mind. Somehow I've been pulled into stitching two new quilt tops. I always feel like I have accomplished something if I complete one, and now I have two that I am sewing on at the same time. A little bit here and a little bit there.  I wonder --- will I actually achieve my goal of two completed quilt tops? Of course! Both are king size. I am motivated and both are Bonnie Hunter designs. I am enjoying learning her techniques and I really enjoy how there is a flow and ease to stitching her patterns.

Speaking of quilts, I thought I would share pictures of a quilt I found at an old flour mill and restaurant recently. It was on display along one wall of the eating area. The stitching is amazing! All hand-quilted, each stitch looks perfect to me, and I admit that I examined the quilt for awhile. The hand applique was also stunning. This quilt was made in 1855. It's easy to envision that the stitcher of this quilt was a pioneer who came west on the Oregon trail. Imagine the hours and hours of work that were spent in careful creation of this practical project. Don't you wish you knew the whole story?

Although it's not my place to worry about things like lack of protection from light and dust, I was concerned that it was displayed in an open area where it could be touched and handled. The note pinned to the quilt with an old pin concerns me as well, as it looks to be on the verge of rusting. What would you do? Would you talk to the business owner about care of the gem of this antique quilt? Sometimes it is really tough to mind your own business when you have appreciation for the stitching of another. An inquiring mind wants to know.

A Car Show & Community Spirit

May days are wonderful days. It's such a beautiful month. The weather is pleasant and the earth is starting to green up again. People that have been holed up all winter because of inclement weather are ready for interesting things to do outside. Communities plan parades, picnics, and events for many purposes, but I think one reason is so that we can have fun things to do!

Usually I share quilters "show and tell" here on my blog, but in all fairness to the guys in the family, I thought I'd share something that others in our community share and enjoy. Cars! 

Does this car remind you of youthful days?

Or how about this pretty white Mustang? Or the one below that is accented in red?

Such a cheerful interior! Red is the color of my true love's heart. I'm pretty sure that the interior of this Mustang has captured many a guy's heart as well.

And how about this purple paint job? It's gorgeous, but look!

It was the A & W tray and mugs that caught my attention. It was always a very special treat when I was a kid when Dad would take the family out to A & W for frosty root beers on a hot, summer night. We'd all jam into our little VW Bug and in later years the Ford Galaxy for an A & W  run. It was always a special occasion!

Brent enjoyed his casual walk around the park. He examined each vehicle and read each description of work done.

He ended up finding a friend and his car, and the tour ended there. He enjoyed a long visit and thorough examination of Doyce's first car. It is a beauty! 

What starts with quilting must end with quilting. Although there was not a quilting "show and tell", I spent time visiting with Doyce's wife about quilts, quilting, and quilt guild. What a pleasant day and such a nice way to share in some community spirit.

The Antique Family

If you look closely, you may be able to see how ribbon and fabrics were used to create flowers used to adorn the garments of this interesting group of people. The flowers are used both pinned onto the gowns or incorporated into the hairstyles of the women in this group. I agree that the flowers may all be live and real, but since we were talking about ribbon flowers yesterday, I am going to assume that's what these are. I found this picture on the wall of a restroom at one of our local antique shops. You are seeing a picture of a picture, thus a bit of glare from the glass in this photo from my cell phone. What I think makes this photo most unique of all is the lace collar that the gentleman is wearing. He fits right into the group and if the handlebar mustache wasn't quite so obvious, he might get lost in the crowd! I wonder --- is the woman sitting in the center his wife and the others his lovely daughters? I suppose we'll never know, but old photos like this do give one much to ponder about. This photo is a delight, and could only be made more of one if they were holding teacups for tea!

What do you think of this gentleman's fashion sense and style?