Giveaway winner and Shabby Rose

I want to thank everyone who participated in the my 100th post giveaway.It was alot of fun seeing all the comments--thank you all very much. And the winner is....Marie Reed! I know Marie Reed from VTT-she has the most wonderful vintage postcards (and right now a great vintage video) so hop on over.



I've been slowly working on my Shabby Rose blocks and I am finally caught up!

I'm planning on using these blocks dispersed through a shabby chic style disappearing 9-patch, so I decided I should switch background fabrics after the first three blocks...but I'm not so happy with the results and may switch back again.

This is a little too light...I tried this fabric because there are curlyques in the fabric that are like the flowers and I thought that echo thing was rather neat but its really doesn't show up.

A little too busy...I could save myself some embroidery though-you can barely see the embroidered flowers for the printed ones!

Spring Blossoms Mini Quilt Swap Revealed

This is the quilt that I sent Mindy ( and she received) for the Spring Blossoms Mini Quilt Swap. I loved making this yo-yo basket quilt. Its all hand made (well, I did add the binding on one side by machine :).

It was alot of fun...there really was no pattern to follow, I just counted the bottom row of yo-yos, appliqued them in place and then subtracted and later added to the length of each row to create the basket shape. I laid out the handle yo-yos and then I basted them in place (only basting I did ;) I added the stems, (I had an oops there-I'd appliqued all of the top row of yo-yos so I had to open the ones I wanted the stems to go under and then re-applique them), then the flowers and then the leaves-sliding them under the basted handle as need be. Then I finally appliqued the handle on.

Remember when I had all that computer trouble: this quilt is the silver lining. I had plenty of time for doing my own hand work since I couldn't go looking at all the wonderful work being done elsewhere. (BTW, it happened again this week-end! but this time the cable company finally sent a repairman so I hope that is finally done with!)

Here's a close up of the yo-yos. They're 5/8" in circumference...1/2" just didn't look as good. You can see I used lots of 30s repros.

Here's a close-up of the hand-quilting. I used the little birds from the love birds heart that I designed for the wedding quilt.

Stop off at Mindy's blog and check out her beautiful applique quilt Fleur Pastelles.

Vintage Thursday Thingie: A Vintage Boyhood

This week I thought I'd share my best vintage treasure....or at least, some pictures from his vintage boyhood!

A Big Boy Haircut! This photo was printed as a postcard! A vintage postcard!

This is the back..lucky for us, his Mom hadn't sent out all the cards! This studio portrait/postcard was taken by Makine's Studio, Atlantic City.

A boy and his dog...well, not quite. Its the neighbor's dog, beloved Blacky. (Poor guy couldn't have a dog because of family allergies... still can't!)

Urkel?

Peter Parker?

No, Dan (and his Mom, Lea).

Happy Birthday Hubby!

For more vintage treasures go right to Coloradolady.

Bow Tie Quilt Border?

This is a bow tie quilt top that has been in the closet for ages. I thought I would quilt it to have ready for the next time the Haifa ladies give quilts to Rambam Hospital's Childrens Ward. It is on the small size and I know they would prefer larger quilts so I thought I would add another border. My idea was to add a red and white checkerboard using these fabrics. But I really wasn't sure how much I would like it.

I started with this fabric, sewing strips...as I was sewing the second strip set of this same fabric, the light dawned! I had enough of this fabric with the muslin for the whole border: no checkerboard!

Since I had already sewn two strip sets and I hate picking out...I decided to sew two more strip sets and add the two fabrics together as the border with a 4-patch in the corners.

Now, here's my dillemna: which way should I turn the 4-patches.

Style number one: the muslin border is continuous around the quilt like the blue border.

Style number 2:

I think I like style number 2...but help! Opinions welcome! :)

I need some help on something else too. I'd like to redo my side bar and add more blogs that I like to visit and I want it with the link showing the title and date of that blog's last post...and maybe a picture too but I have no idea how to do it! ...so can someone please e-mail me instructions. Please :)

I have found another blogging quilter resource: http://www.quiltqua.com/ Connie has lots of info there including a list of quilt bloggers and give-aways...and let me tell you, some of those give-aways are incredible! One is for a $10,ooo sewing room redo!!

Speaking of quilter resources: I have sent off my Spring Blooms Mini Quilt Swap quilt hosted by Michelle of the Quilting Gallery. I can't show any pix until my partner receives it...hope she likes it as much as I liked making!

I've had so much trouble with our internet connection these last few weeks, that I haven't been able to pass along an award I was so nicely given by Annie. This is a fun award: it has to go to blogs that are new to you.

Here are the rules for this terrific award!

1) Accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award, and his or her blog link.

2) Pass the award to 15 other blogs that you’ve newly discovered. Remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award.

Here are the new blogs that I have visited! No, they are not all quilting blogs! :)

http://quiltsalott.blogspot.com/
http://quiltinlibrarylady.blogspot.com/
http://humblequilts.blogspot.com/
http://too-many-hobbies.blogspot.com/
http://www.shessewpretty.typepad.com/
http://devondesigns-mary.blogspot.com/
http://mamanjackjack.blogspot.com/
http://www.nopatternrequired.com/
http://auntiesquaintquilts.blogspot.com/
http://quiltingallday.blogspot.com/
http://inspiredbyantiquequilts.blogspot.com/
http://www.thestilettomom.com/
http://ansewon.blogspot.com/
http://celasia.canalblog.com/ This is in French but don't let that stop you...oh the eye candy!
http://gwendiesquilts.blogspot.com/


Have fun visiting them!

Vintage Thursday Thingie: The Boston Cooking School Cookbook

The Boston Cooking School Cook Book is probably better known today as The Fannie Farmer Cookbook. It was first published in 1896 and sold 3,000 copies that first year. It was reprinted in 1897 and again sold out all 3,000 copies. It was a hit! and revolutionized cooking and baking with its standardized measures. (Remember having to use a knife to level the flour in a measuring cup in home ec....well, thank Fanny Farmer!)

This copy is from the second printing of the revised 1930 edition-by then 1,486,000 copies had been sold!

Wasn't this a wonderful gift! Darcy knew of my love of all things vintage! and has trusted me with her family treasure.

The obligatory opening picture of the test kitchen! But look at that island with the pots hanging! Best test kitchen in any of my cookbooks! So modern! And what could she be making after icing her cake?

Why not Eggs a la Goldenrod? Using those 1930s well-loved hard boiled eggs! In case you didn't like the egg croquettes from a few weeks ago:

While this egg recipe may not be to my taste ( there are lots of good recipes in this cookbook) the presentation! and the dish! are lovely!

But the very best part of this cookbook are the advertisements in the back. Need some oil?

Forget the Mazola, I want the coat and the hat! And don't they make a lovely couple...shouldn't they go out dancing?


Maybe you need some coffee? Its delivered fresh twice a week by the Fleischmann's Yeast Man!!

In this ad, Fleischmann's doesn't want you to buy their yeast, they're reassuring you that all the best groceries and bakers are using their yeast just like "discriminating housewives used to before quality bakers relieved them of the drudgery of home baking". This is such a modern cookbook!

But maybe you don't need food supplies..after all, this is the age of mechanical innovation.

( I remember my elderly uncle never said "Lets take the car" - it was "Lets take the machine"...and this was the 1950s!)


Could you use any of these kitchen helpers?

Need a new washer? Or better yet, a sewing machine? Graybar's at Lexington and 43rd is the place to go...they design their appliances for a woman from a woman's viewpoint. Oh yeah!

Need a new stove? Wow, this has a double oven and a storage drawer! I should have looked at this model last Thanksgiving when my oven died the day before the big dinner. Oh, that's not a storage drawer...I think its where the coal goes!

Maybe you need some new dishware/ casseroles? What's this new product?...Pyrex!

These are my 1930s Pyrex dishes. They were my grandmother's. I don't use them anymore because there used to be three and now there are only two :( There also was a wonderful removeable handle that has simply disappeared (unless it broke and no one told me....)

This is my 101st post. To mark the 100th post milestone, I'm having a give-away so just scroll down to the post below this. (No, not the Pyrex.)

I was so clueless when I started that my second post was that I had added a picture to the first! But by the fourth post...well, that was VTT! and I was in full swing!

To see more vintage treasures and to join us for a fun time, hop on over to Coloradolady.

100th Post Mini Quilt/Pillow Give-away

Its my 100th post! Wow!

To celebrate this milestone in my blogging adventure, I'm having a give-away of this cute, summery mini quilt. Its 16" x 16" and can be used on a wall or table . I've added an extra back with an opening and a cover flap at the top so that you can slip a 14" pillow form in, if you life.

Just leave a comment and you'll be in the drawing on June 30th.

If you mention this give-away on your blog, let me know and I'll put you in the drawing.

I'll automatically enter my "followers" (so if you don't want to take part, please let me know).

Oh, this is fun! I can't tell you how much I'm enjoying blogging and the wonderful friends and community I've met here in the blogosphere.

Vintage Thursday Thingie: More Quilt Blocks

This week I'm sharing quilt blocks and bits and pieces from my "study collection" that are mostly from the 1930s.





First, this is a piece of a what was once a wonderful Grandmother's Flower Garden quilt. No, I didn't cut it up, I bought a "mystery bag" at a quilt show and this was in it. The bag also contained alot of the smaller flowers already cut out of the quilt and some of the larger. (I think the original cutter must have had a plan for them...I've been trying to think of what to do with them too).





Wasn't this a wonderful setting? I've never seen a Grandmother's Flower Garden quite like this one-the mixture of the larger and smaller flowers is just charming! And the quilting is wonderful...each hexagon is outline quilted. This is the best part of the quilt: close to the way it must have looked new.

But I'm not surprised it ended up a cutter...there is alot of damage to the fabrics and also some large stains.

This is a piece of an interesting flying geese quilt top - with the geese flying both north and south! Some interesting fabrics here so don't forget to click on it to enlarge.

Here you can see some more "frugal" sewing...but this isn't as nicely matched as last week's.

Here's a 9-patch set in an interesting way...creating 4-patches between the 9-patches. You can tell that this was hand pieced, a machine sewer would have to love set-in seams to do it this way! I love the background fabric.

This next group of 6 blocks reminds me that just because something is old, doesn't mean its beautiful! I think these are the latest blocks, probably the 50s and maybe even the later-funky, huh?

And now two of my favorites:

Check out the pin holding the pattern pieces on the sewn example! The pattern was traced in pencil on the type of tissue paper used for dress patterns. Isn't it beautifully basted! I feel like I know the woman who made this test block...hope she enjoyed the finished quilt. (The block is sitting on the back of Grandmother's Flower Garden...doesn't that quilting look great!)

Last: a simple sailboat block. I have wanted to make a sailboat quilt since I started quilting. I'm the closest I've ever been...I've put fabrics aside in my closet! :)

Hope you enjoyed this peak into my this and that quilting "study collection". For more wonderful vintage treasures, go right over to Coloradolady.

Vintage Thursday Thingie: quilt blocks

I thought I would share what I call my "study collection" of vintage blocks and bits of quilts. Today I'm sharing the older part of my collection from around the turn of the last century, c.1900. All of these were purchased or given to me by Rose Gallo (antiques and quilts) in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.




You can learn a surprising amount of information from how quilts were constructed to patterns of wear on quilts and fabrics when you have bits and pieces like these.




This first photo is of a piece of a quilt, one side includes the binding (top side here). I love how the quilter used half blocks to get the quilt to be the size she wanted! Here's a close-up of the damaged spot. You can see how the batting bunched. (No, I didn't open this, it came this way: with a window to the insides-all secrets revealed!) This photo also shows best the true colors.

Here you can see the how the binding has been created by folding over the backing fabric. Though this binding method is not used alot today, I have seen it on many older quilts .

You can also see in this closeup the quilting pattern: outline quilting around the trianges.This probably helped contribute to the clumbing of the batting as there was no quilting to hold the batting in place-which is why today most cotton batts are needlepunched. (Batts in 1900 required either 1/4"-1/2" quilting or the furthest apart, 2")

These are a collection of loose blocks.

Frugal...do you think you are frugal when quilting? Check out this lady! Here she pieced a bit on the brown fabric to make her piece big enough-hence the double line next to the seam.

Here she pieced a little triangle of fabric to the brown...look how beautifully she matched the pattern.

I've always wondered if I have these blocks because when setting the quilt she found she had enough blocks and didn't use these because of the extra piecing.

Here you can see some of the damage that these blocks have sustained over the years. This and the others had been sewn to other blocks but I see no signs of quilting...was this in an unquilted summer spread?

Hope you enjoyed seeing my "study collection". Personally, I love looking at these fabrics-that brown is just too wonderful! Next week, I'll show my 1930s bits and pieces.

To see more vintage treasures, and to join us hop right on over to Coloradolady.