Sometime It Happens

 We've all heard of quilt rescue stories.

When someone saw a quilt being used

as moving padding,

as a seat cover in an old pick up,

or as sleeping bags in a camp ground.

We shake our heads and wonder

how that quilt got there and

why wasn't it a family treasure.

I've had some of my older quilts

stuck in a couple of old trunk.

They were put there because

 they really aren't treasures anymore.

They were made with love as I 

 began my quilting journey,

but the fabrics have not stood the test of time.

Many of the fabrics have faded to 

 a non-recognizable color.

Of course, it's not the same

 over the entire surface of the quilt.

These were made when 

 Calico was queen.

And those busy little prints were

 the fabrics of choice.

(Mostly because that was the choice.)

Fortunately, styles come and go.

But these quilts

 will be always be labeled as those 

"early 80's quilts".

They're all hand quilted,

which makes me feel sad,

  but that's how quilts got done.

I liked putting muslin on the back

so that the quilting would show up even more.

 I hadn't learned how to make

 

bias binding so the edges are a bit wobbly with

the muslin pulling around to the top.

***

So I hang my head in shame.

These quilts will probably get passed on to

another calling.
Sometimes it just happens.

Until Next Time-

Anniversary Giveaway

It was so wonderful to have so 

many of my blogger friends

help me celebrate my blogging

anniversary.

I've learned that so many of us

write blogs and read blogs for the same reasons.

Many of us want to be connected to 

a quilting community

even if there are oceans that separate us.

We enjoy sharing ideas.

It's a great way to

 document your quilting history.

We are motivated to 

try new things.

And we enjoy the beautiful quilts that

bloggers share. 

 There are just so many ideas, 

no one will ever be able to make them all.

Running Man 

is my random name selector today.

Although we are all winners,

here are the names selected for the 3 gifts.

 Cathy of Big Lake Quilter

Hilda of Every Stitch 

Sue SA of Quilts from the Heart

Thanks again, to all my friends for 

taking the time to share your thoughts.

It's been a wonderful year.

Until Next Time-

Clues/Picnic

 Last week

I shared my newest, old project.

This is the two sided

antique quilt that was gifted to me.

 Side One

Side Two

I suppose the quilter really looked at this quilt in

the reverse order from how I have,

with the crazy quilt as side one, the glamorous top,

and the pieced rectangles as the lowly backing, side two.

But it's side two that has 

stood the test of time.

The fabrics from side two

 are late 19th century prints

simply cut into 3 1/2 by 5 1/2 inch

rectangles and

sewn by hand into long strips and

then sewn together.

The crazy quilt has a date of 1893

embroidered on a brown velvet square.

I  have no expertise in

vintage fabrics and many of the fabrics

that were in the top

were silks, linens, wools and it also seemed like other

types of fabric that I didn't know how to identify.

Like the brown fabric under the horseshoe embroidery

is all loopy with twisted threads.  

That fabric just seemed weird.

So that made me wonder if the date was correct.

The batting was interesting too.

It was cotton, old and a bit musty.

And across the whole piece,

which was pretty much all intake,

were these large machine chained stitched,

stay stitching threads.

The rows were approximately 4 inches apart.

I didn't know if that was how batting generally was produced

at that time, or

was it someone's homemade batting?

Kind of weird.

But I did find one small

dating clue stitched in the crazy quilt side.

There was a small piece of ribbon partially stitched

into a couple of seams.

 It says:

Fifth 

Annual Picnic

of the 

OS Ass'n

held at

?

August 20, 21 '90

I've stared at that diagonal line 

of printing wishing it would

come into focus.

I wonder

 what picnic this quiltmaker went to

123 years ago yesterday?

 I'll probably never know.

***

So it makes me wonder

if in my next quilt,

should I add 

a few interesting clues to the top

to make a quilter in the future

wonder who I was?

***

Also don't forget to comment

on my last post for my

anniversary giveaways.

 Until Next Time-

Blogging Anniversary and a Few Surprises

It's my anniversary!

 Timeless Reflections, was 

created 3 years ago.

Wow,
where has the time gone.

It simply began as a writing challenge to me.

Just as a way of expressing my random thoughts and 

my quilting adventures.

I've made some wonderful blogging friends,

and it's been fun connecting with like minded

gals from all over the world.

So let's  CELEBRATE.

 

I've put together 3 different gifts that I'd like 

to share with 3 different blogger friends.

I've written about how much I love using the

Clover Domed Needle Case.

It's one of my favorite notions.

These are from

my recent trip to the Shelburne Museum 

Fun fabrics and charms.

And #3 is

 2 Singer trading cards

and 2 trading cards from Coats and Clark.

Just leave a comment

about why you blog or

why you like to read blogs

or simply say "HI",

 between now and

next Monday, August 26th, and 

the random number selector

(Running Man)

will draw 3 names

 for the 3

anniversary celebration giveaways

in that order.

Thanks as always for taking

the time to visit with me.

Until Next Time-

New Project

 I know what I really should be doing.

But there's more to life than packing boxes.

Right?

A dear friend of mine recently gave me this

vintage quilt.

She told me that I might actually do something with it

whereas she probably wouldn't

so I gratefully accepted her gift.

It's not a prize winner.

But someone had stitched it together

and created a interesting quilt.

 This is one side.

It has some wonder examples of

turn of the century prints,

 

shirting, double pinks, black mourning prints,

Cadette blues, and claret reds.

 Each rectangle is 3 inches by 5 inches finished and

they're hand sewn together.

The quilt is tied and it has

a knife edge finish.

The fabrics are in perfect condition.

I could have some fun with these fabric pieces.

Wondering what's on the other side?

A crazy quilt

dated 1893.

This side is in very sad shape.

Many of the pieces are shredding and 

have disintegrated,

 but someones initials are still there.

I'm really not a fan of crazy quilts,

 but they are an incredible amount of work,

 with delightful embroidery.

They were a wonderful way to show off a person's

hand work with

all those different stitches.

 The quilt was incredible heavy.

 I envisioned that there must be another

quilt stitched inside that had been used as the batting.

So with Jack the Ripper,

I started taking the stitching out along the edges.

No, I didn't find another quilt, 

but I did find something to help confirm

 the embroidered date.

  Until Next Time-

What Happened to Summer Vacation

 Back in the days when I was a kid,

school always started after Labor Day.

Now most of the districts at least in this area

begin in August.

I'm sure it's the same amount of days,

or maybe even less,

but it still seems weird to begin classes while

August is still considered summer.

We all know things change,

but learning the ABC's

 is still standard.

Back to School

always reminds me of one of my

favorite quilts.

ABC's

2001

41" x 41"

 This delightful pattern is designed by

Connie Huddleson

Her pattern company is called

Starry Pines Pattern Co.

 The pattern was done in wools,

but someone had gifted me a great assortment

of hand dyed flannels so

 that's what I used.

It made the quilt lighter and more useable for me.

The designs were fused on black flannel and then

buttonholed around each shape by hand using

perel cotton thread.

I love the chunky letters and

the pictures that represent each.

 Connie has a great imagination.

The border with the scallops and heart appliqued shapes

looks great around center design.

It's that time of the year to

enjoy any alphabet quilts you might have in your collection,

despite the fact,

that it's still August.

Until Next Time-