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Double Wedding Ring: a Window Quilt

January 21, 2013 in Antiques | 6 comments

Last fall my mother-in-law and I went to Everlasting Bloom’s Vintage Flea Market. We were there mostly to shop for ourselves, but as I had recently drawn my sister’s name for our family Secret Santa, I was also on the lookout for the perfect gift for her.

I had “previewed” the sale the day before because I was too excited to wait for Marian’s day off. Even though I had two very curious little girls in tow, I managed to spot this delightful piece hanging overhead. All of a sudden sparkly stars filled my eyes and I heard the Hallelujah chorus.

This. Was. It.

Melissa’s Christmas present.

But even though I KNEW that had to get one of these beautiful “quilts in a window” for her (there were four, I believe) I still waited until Marian could confirm the decision the next day. It was agony to wait until the next day, worrying that they would all sell. But I had to trust God with this one. If it was meant to be, there would be one left waiting for me the next day.

And there was.

Phew.

This cute pumpkin was still there, too, so I also got to take him home. For me. I love it.

Marian deemed it a wise purchase and I was able to barter with the seller, as the original price was out of my Secret Santa spending limit. We picked the sharpest one of the bunch. It had one pane missing which we thought added interest. I didn’t feel bad bartering for this because it was extremely dirty. Both the window and the quilt had to be majorly cleaned. So really, I was taking a risk with the purchase. If that quilt got ruined in the washing I was going to be out some mad cash.

I carefully removed the staples holding the quilt in place and took it to my sewing machine to put a running stitch around the edge. The piece was cut from a larger quilt and therefore did not have any binding around the edges. Then I did my “oxy-clean-in-the-bathtub” treatment on it. That old girl washed up real nice.

My four-year-old was quite exited to help me clean the window next. I let her spray the windex while I scrubbed. Normally I would have to remind her a bazillion times not to spray so much but in this case we needed all the spray we could get! Once the panes were shined I wondered about painting the frame of the window. It was decided that this would take away from the antiquity of the whole thing. I put the quilt back on and she was ready to go!

There was one small hitch, though. I wasn’t sure how to transport it to my parents’ house 2 1/2 hours away. I was only able to bring it home in the first place because I only had one child with me when I bought it and could then cram it into the car with us. However, the car would be full of passengers, a dog, and luggage when we left for my parents’. But at the last minute, and I mean the last minute before we left for Mayville, we ended up replacing my husband’s Volkswagon Beetle with a Chevy Equinox. Phew. Crisis averted. Melissa got her gift afterall!

I was already having a bad day when I set out to photographic this quilt. (It seems I’m having more bad days than good these days. Something’s gotta give!) On the day in mention we actually had snow on the ground. The first and last time since winter started. I snapped one photo of the framed piece before it did a faceplant in the snow. Reva was inside, tapping insistently on the window, trying to get my attention for NO REASON and then the whole frame falls into the snow like that. Ugh. One does not survive the life I’m living these days without saying, “I am not giving up.” So I photographed it covered in snow. And it worked out.

…Randomness

August 6, 2012 in Antiques, Life, Random | 6 comments

I have been inspired by my blog friend Stephanie, who was inspired by her friend Cindy to do a completely random blog post. I had told Stephanie that I loved her random post and how you can learn so much about a person from them. She agreed. So here is a little peek into my world.

I have been working on my book. I had to take several months off when my computer was down. I have two nice lengthy ones, but they’re lacking the general pizzazz that a story should have. Working on that. Here is a random snippet from another one I’ve started:

Reading all those Nancy Drew detective stories finally came to good use. In the falling darkness I could make out a 3-foot-high cinderblock foundation laid out in the general area of the missing house. A plank fashioned out of an old 2×6 stretched out across the cinderblocks (and what seemed like a dark cavernous hole in the dusk light) and ended precariously on what was left of the backporch: a small rickety wood landing with steps leading down into the ground surrounded by the cinderblocks. My father had kindly left part of the banister on, kind of as a reward for successfully “walking the plank” to the front door. Just when you might flip off the whole thing and dash your brains out on a random rock in the ground, there was the banister, ready for you to grasp it with your white knuckles.

And no, I don’t expect anyone except my immediate family to have any clue what I’m talking about. ha.

My friend has commissioned me to make her some pillows for her living room. Squirrels are the bane of my exhistence but my friend and I both love this Tula Pink print.

My mother-in-law fell in love with this nail polish that my sister Annie was wearing. My sister told her the brand so my MIL ran out and got some. It was sold out at my local store so MIL ended up getting me one, too. Quite the popular shade! Even baby Izzy got her toes painted and we thought it was the coolest.

Reva and I

When I told my sister of our great fortune at finding the nail polish she sheepishly grinned–she realized she had told us the wrong brand she was wearing. So my MIL had gone out and inadvertently stumbled upon another new cool polish! haha.

I volunteered for Vacation Bible School this week. I believe we had close to 400 kids and over 100 volunteers. My church puts on a fantastically exhausting program. In fact, I am so tired from the ordeal that I am not editing any of these photos I’m posting.

I went antiquing with my mother-in-law last weekend. There we both fawned over this beauty. I already have a green and white Triple Irish Chain quilt (with pink!) but Mom-in-Law is waiting to see if it’s still there at the next Allegan Antiques show we attend. In that case, she may consider it meant to be.

This poster caught my eye. We already have one original WWI poster and I thought this would be a cute mate for it. I didn’t buy it and it turns out that JB isn’t madly in love with it. My grandpa was in the Navy though and I’ve always liked all things nautical–even though I can’t really swim!

In addition to fantastic finds at the Allegan Antiques fair, there is also a fair share of weirdness. Like this framed art.

Uh, how would this not depress you as you walked past it in your living room or hallway each morning? And isn’t that missing the purpose of art?

A more appropriate bunny picture would be the one in Noodlehead’s blog post. I made the mistake of showing Olivia the ridiculously cute bunny and now she NEEDS a bunny like she needs air. But ever since my pet bunnies died horrifically at the hands of raccoons when I was little I have been leery of having any new such pets.

Olivia also thinks that she needs a chicken, too. Her friends have chickens and this morning she brightly exclaimed to me, “I KNOW! I’ll ask for a chicken for my birthday!” Then she ran through the list off all the things she would need to care for her chicken: pen, food, leash (for taking it out to go to the bathroom), etc. When asked how we could keep the chicken warm in winter she smiled, “She can get a jacket for Christmas!”

And that, friends–picturing a Rhode Island Red strutting around in my backyard in a thick winter jacket–made me laugh really hard.

I hope you did, too.

Friendship Album vintage quilt top

April 9, 2012 in Antiques | 3 comments

Last Christmas my mother-in-law gave me this beautiful antique quilt top.

Isn’t it lovely? I couldn’t really act so surprised when I opened the gift because I had been with her when she bought it last summer at the Allegan Antiques Fair. In fact, I was the one who first noticed the topper draped over an old wire hanger in someone’s small booth. Marian had gone back to review it and somehow snagged a great deal on it. I think she paid like $25 for it. She’s got skillz.

I hadn’t recognized the design so I perused my Quilter’s Album of Patchwork Patterns for the pattern. It’s called Friendship Album.

A closer look at the topper, after washing and drying it, revealed more mismatched seams than I originally noticed.

Yeah, I'm confused as to how you can smash seams this badly, too.

The artisan also failed to properly piece each block as they don’t lie flat and straight. So quilting it will be a trial, but I’m willing to give it a shot. It has such beautiful colors and is such a nice size. I’m actually fine with it not being pieced perfectly. If it were I’d be afraid to use it after quilting it because it would be Antique Art. But now it’s just Vintagey Art. And I’ll enjoy it for years to come.

Some girls dream of diamonds or Lexuses at Christmas.

Me, I’m quite content with some old fabric that’s been sitting in someone’s basement for a few decades.

I think poor Lucy was missing her modeling days so I had her sit for me again.

Sexy Hexi

October 26, 2011 in Antiques | 8 comments

I finally completely washed Hexi, my Grandmother’s Flower Garden quilt. And, surprise–she’s white, not off-white! Huh. I tried to get a good before-and-after comparison but it’s not that striking. I’ll show what I have anyway.

And of course, Hexi got a photo shoot to show off her clean, good-smelling look.

I have a thing for black and whites. And since this is an antique I thought it would go. But now I realize I should have shot in SEPIA tone. Oh well!

Okay, I couldn't resist. Pretend you're looking at a photo from the 1930's, friends.

Aunt Helen, a long time ago you said I should make cards with photos of my quilts on them. I haven't forgotten that. And I keep trying to take quilt photos worthy of a card. Thank you for the encouragement.

The Lego mansion and the uncovered pillows don't really add to the photo, but I wanted to show you Hexi in her new home, on our guest bed. It makes me happy every time I see her.

How to Wash an Antique Quilt

September 7, 2011 in Antiques, Procedures | 7 comments

As much as I love antiques and quilts, this Grandmother’s Flower Garden is my first antique quilt. I have a vintage topper that I bought a few years ago, but no completed quilts.

Hexi, my new quilt, was quite dirty. in the past I’ve read about washing antique quilts. They say to lay them out flat in a massive tub and to handwash. Yeah right–I totally have a huge 6×6′ vat just lying around at my disposal!

But at the Antiques fair I learned an easier way from the woman who sold me Hexi. Which so far, appears to have worked.

Thank God, too, because Hexi was NASTY. Ugh. Gross. I thought I bought an off-white quilt. Turns out, she’s white.

So I thought I’d share with you my procedure for cleaning an antique quilt. I am sure there are other good methods out there, too. Do you know of any? This is what worked for me, so here we go!

First, get a bathtub. (Ha. I know that showing a photo of your bathtub is dangerous, as really, you could see grime. But I wanted to show off my husband's tile job from a few years ago. He's so handy!)

And some of this.

Run just enough cold water into the empty tub to cover the quilt, and dillute 3-4 scoops of Oxy Clean. (Note: this was taken with Toddler Cam. Aka, Olivia with Daddy's camera. Didn't she do good?)

Drop your quilt into the tub and soak her down. Agitate/wash with your hands. Be gentle. But thorough. (Photo courtesy: Toddler Cam.)

If you did it right, and your quilt was in any condition like mine, your water will look like this. After just minimal agitation. This is just the first washing. GROSS.

Let out the water, wring out the quilt carefully, and repeat the above steps seven more times. Yes. Seven. Actually, do it more. After seven washings my quilt is still dirty on the front. The back feels and smells clean. So I’m going to wash her again, this time turned over with the top (colorful) on the bottom.

While washing quilt and caring for baby, give Toddler run of the house with the Toddler Cam:

Isabel was the focus of many a shot.

This is the antique poster I got for JB at the Antiques Fair last year. How did she know I'd want to show that to you?

JB's Dad, along with a good family friend, were siding the back of our house that day. O was desperate to go outside and play with them. She would give them reports out the window of things she was doing throughout the day, whether they could hear her or not.

This is her artistic piece. It's titled "Bedroom Table."

Convince toddler relinquish camera and give quilt a final rinse. I draped the quilt over a free-standing towel rack.

Wring out quilt best you can (afterward you'll wonder if you've given yourself carpal tunnel) and hang on line to dry.

A Great Day for Antiquing

August 28, 2011 in Antiques | 9 comments

I went antiquing today!

I looove antiquing, especially at the Allegan Antiques fair, held monthly through the warm months in Michigan. There are over 400 vendors and they aren’t afraid to wheel and deal.

My mom-in-law and I always go together, and this time my friend Jessica came, too. (I have lots of friends named Jessica–if you were to ask me America’s most popular girl name from 1975-1985 I’d say it’s Jessica). She loves antiquing, too. She gets the shopper of the day award because she found the most treasures.

As usual, I passed up a lot of really neat items. Mostly because of the cost. Would I like this sweet spool case?

Yes! For $1,000? .... No.

Or this other neat trinket holder:

I didn't even look at the price of this one.

JB wanted me to look for WWI and WWII propaganda posters.

This one was cool-the menacing shadow is in the shape of a swastika. But it's an original and thus $200.

Isn't she a beauty? A $200 beauty. Worth it. For someone with a bigger pocketbook.

Others, for practical purposes:

I loved these children's book images (so did Jessica). But I already have several things awaiting a professional frame job.

These pink chairs were pretty sweet, but I don't have a place for them. I would if I had my own sewing room/office... so I've placed these guys in my "April's own room" daydreams. They look good there.

And others because I simply forgot to go back for them:

Such a pretty tablecloth!! Doh!

And then there were other items that didn’t go with my “look.” Like the mannequins. We saw lots of mannequins today. Or random mannequin parts. So much so that Jessica and I kind of had a mannequin scavenger hunt going on. We’d point out the different appendages we saw lying about for sale.

There were the normal busts, some with heads, some without. A crate of assorted arms and legs, sticking out in several directions, which I was certain were just waiting to reach out and grab the right innocent passer’s-by leg. A mannequin sans legs, arms, or torso. It was like just the butt piece. A whole mannequin wearing a wig and dress that I mistook for a real person. Yeah, that startled me.

And then there was this guy:

I don't know where the rest of him went. But I get the feeling that that dog may have had something to do with it...

Or perhaps his wife is to blame (from the looks of this nearby sign)...

But lo and behold, I did buy some things! I had brought my sidekick, in hopes that I would garner some Cuteness Discounts. But she ended up hanging in her carseat the whole time so she mainly entertained other shoppers. Who all loved her leggings and infectious smile.

Thankfully, I still got discounts.

Like THIS tablecloth that I didn’t forget to buy.

Jessica also nabbed two really cool linens from this vendor. One for her table and one to frame (a cool Michigan map linen from the 50's with the major towns on it and little images of popular activities, attractions, and things made in Michigan). I really, really also wanted this gray, pink and white tablecloth that the vendor had with apples on it. But I can't have it all. Sigh...

Or how about this little bit of cute stitchery?

Here is where I put it in my kitchen. The yellow cupboard Marian snagged at Allegan Antiques LAST year and gave it as a Christmas gift. And the cool hanging lamp was also a Christmas gift from the grandparent Hunts one year. They know how to outfit a house!

But here is my PRIZE.

I saw it the moment we walked into the fairgrounds. It was hanging on the door of a tall cupboard. It was BEAUTIFUL. But also pricey. So I kept shopping, thinking I might find another treasure. Alas, there were other quilts, but none were like my first love. So I returned and asked her best price. Which was more reasonable. Then I left again and shopped more. But I couldn’t stay away. We belonged together. Hexi and I. She needs a good cleaning, which I am excited to do tomorrow. And then into my arms she’ll go. My new ~~best~~ friend.

Love the blue pieces in this!

So pretty!!!

What’s the coolest thing you’ve gotten antiquing?

Another Isabel quilt idea: Postage Stamp

March 4, 2011 in Antiques, Ideas | 3 comments

Isn't she a beauty? I nabbed this circa 1950 (my guess) beauty for $40 at the Allegan Antiques fair. One day I will quilt it. And put it on my bed. And admire forever.

There’s one quilt pattern that I’ve always admired and wanted to do myself. I never allowed myself to do it because I already have an antique quilt in this pattern and I thought I should branch out and try new things.

Think of all the time it took to plan the exact placement of all these fabrics. A skillful eye did this one, indeed.

But yesterday when I daydreamed about the right quilt pattern for Isabel’s quilt (see previous posts), I kept coming back to this one pattern: Trip Around the World, or Postage Stamp. Then last night as I was flipping through my favorite quilt block book my husband glanced over and saw the design as I was turning a page and said, “I like that one.”

I am taking that as a sign. As long as I can plan the fabric layout properly. This pattern can either be stunning or a disaster, depending on your fabric selection skill.

This framed antique topper and is one of my favorite things to see at my in-laws' house. Which is saying a lot since my mother-in-law has a LOT of cool things at her place. (Aunt Rhonda, recognize the quilt on the right-hand wall?)

I would have never put these fabrics all together but as you can see in the finished product, it works.

Isabel’s Snowball Quilt

March 2, 2011 in Antiques, Fabric, Random | 2 comments

Mine won't look exactly like this. The center will. Then there will be some triple border action. Source: BH&G Creative American Quilting, 1989.

I have finally decided on a pattern for my new daughter’s twin bed quilt. It’s based on the Snowball quilt pictured right.

My sister Melissa snagged two quilting books for me at a garage sale and in one of them I found my idea. I had already pored over my mother-in-law’s library and scads of quilts online and hadn’t found it.

I am going to use 1930′s reproduction fabrics and wanted to make a quilt that reflected that time period. Many of the quilts from the 30′s involved applique, a piecing technique that I haven’t learned yet. And it’s also time consuming. Patterns such as double wedding ring, grandma’s flower garden, grandmother’s fan, etc.

But this pattern gives the illusion of curves and applique when it really is just machine piecing straight lines. Albeit sort of tricky piecing. But who cares? And who cares that each block measures only 6″, the smallest I’ve ever made? Or that on my first trial block I didn’t quite make the proper seam allowance?

Why don’t I care? Because I can finally use all of my 1930′s reproduction fabrics!

The woman in the photo on the left is my Great Grandmother Olive on the farm in Midland, MI, c. 1918. She is one of Olivia's namesakes.

Sarah’s baby quilt. It’s precious!

November 24, 2010 in Antiques, Things I've Made | 6 comments

Sometimes it’s really hard for me to be a sewing blogger because most of the things I make are gifts, and I don’t want to give away the surprise by writing about it!

So even though I was absent for a long while, I was doing things. Albeit slowly. (I am still pregnant, afterall.) And considering my pregnant status, I am quite surprised that I got anything done, let alone and entire baby quilt!

Okay, so I didn’t do it alone.

My mother-in-law had asked me to help make a quilt for her niece Sarah who is having her first baby in December. We scurried and hurried to finish it by Sarah’s October baby shower in Nashville but we fell a little short.

We loved the pattern that we had picked, but I don’t know if I ever want to piece 1.5″ x 2″ triangles again any time soon. Sooo tedious! Seriously, we spent a marathon day of each person working 7.5 hours (so 15 hours) piecing just the triangles, and we didn’t even get them all done in that sitting. And to think, this was based on an antique quilt. One that would have been hand pieced. No zippy sewing machine for them.

Fortunately for us we really like Sarah so we were happy to sew each tiny triangle to the next. And again. And again. It’s quite motivating when the pieced triangles look really cool as you finish them.

We still showed her what we had at the shower…

…and promised to finish it before the baby came. (Since she ended up liking it. haha.)

Man, I can’t tell you how cool it is to put the binding on a quilt. It just totally finishes the piece! Marian did the binding on this and it was really exciting for me to see the quilt magically go from a rough-around-the-edges-blankety-thing to an actual quilt.

My mother-in-law also came up with the idea to have signature fabrics in our work. She will always include a type of teacup fabric in her projects and I will use a bird fabric. This is what did in baby O’s quilt:

And of course, we had to sign it! (My artsy husband drew the circle border. I wish I had his knack.)

Baby O's name is a secret so we' left a space to add it after he's born.

Quilt Stats

finished size: 34×42″
pattern: Strippy crib quilt, inspired by an antique. From Love of Quilting magazine.
fabric: assorted from Marian’s stash (including some that had belonged to Sarah’s mom–fun!)
quilting: in the ditch along the triangles and then a straight line down the center of each solid strip
time: 40+ hours (in case you wanted to make one yourself)

_____________________________

**When people learn that I am still looking for a job 2 years after being laid off, they often ask why I don’t sew for a living. And I wonder, “Yeah, why don’t I sew?” Then I start a project and remember why I don’t sew for money. The time it takes to create something by hand would make items astronomically expensive were I to list them on etsy. I’m just not as quick as the pros.

I still hold out hope that I’ll find something that I can make that would be profitable. So I’ve started a little sewing notebook and I record each hour I spend on a particular project, hoping to find my crafty niche.

The cost to make this project would be over $540. (Which means that Olivia’s twin quilt would probably cost more than $2,000!!)

Back to the drawing board…

Dies ist gut

August 8, 2010 in Antiques | 8 comments

“I was looking for my whip!”

said Granny as she pulled an imaginary one from the air.

This was my grandmother’s immediate response when I asked her what Augusta (Krause) Grove was like.

“She was an old German lady. She ruled everything!” Granny continued.

I LOVE the blue binding!

I asked her specifically about Augusta after my mother showed me a beautiful black and white 9-patch quilt that Augusta had made over 100 years ago. (Great) Grandma Minnie told my mom that she remembered as a little girl seeing her mother Augusta sewing it. I’m guessing it was made before Minnie turned 10 in 1903.

It’s been in my Mom’s attic for years: Grandma Minnie gave it to her sometime in the 80’s. After my mom showed it to me a few months ago I started to imagine what Augusta was like. But I never got a chance to ask Granny about “Monie” until now. I never knew her myself as she died over 20 years before I was born, but I did know Grandma Minnie, who was Augusta’s daughter and my great grandmother. So I sort of had an idea.

Like Granny's John Wayne toilet paper, Augusta "didn't take crap off no one!"

That she was a whip-cracker.

But I still fantasized about her being really funny. Or silly. Or creative. Afterall, my Mom and her family are all like that. But I guess they get that from Granny, and not Grandpa’s whip-cracking ancestors.

Not that being a whip-cracker is bad.

I respect strictness. One of my favorite teachers, Mrs. Bolinder, had the reputation of being so strict and scary that I cried when I first learned that I was assigned to her 3^rd grade class. But then I learned that she’s only mean if you deserve it. And I didn’t. We got along great.

So I probably would have gotten along with Augusta. Who, even if she wasn’t hilarious or silly, was creative. And a QUILTER! Quilters are automatic friends in my book. She also had good taste. Not only did she make a 9-patch, my favorite quilt block, but she named her daughters Clara, Minnie Emma, and Julia. All names that I dig. (I desperately want to name a little girl Minnie Emma, but “Minnie Hunt” could be a hard name to live with.)

Isn't it interesting how certain colors in fabric will wear away over time, while others won't? I wonder what color those dots were...

The quilt has a few rust colored circles on it. My mom said that old quilts were made to be used. They didn’t view them as art pieces or special. This was echoed by my Granny who said that she had tried to save more quilts made by Augusta but “the men” had used them in their garage for things and they got ruined.

I think that washing the quilt could take out the marks, but I’m certainly not going to try it. There are a few holes in the quilt, too. The bottom border of the quilt is actually an added one. If you look closely, you can see the original quilt behind it: I think wear and tear caused someone at some point to put the band along the bottom to cover up the hole.

Stats on the quilt:

Year made: between 1893-1903 (estimate)
Made by: Augusta Fredericka (Krause) Grove, aka Monie. (B. 1871 Magdeburg, Germany, d. 1955, Michigan)
Size: 76×76
Pattern: Nine-patch
Block size: will measure eventually.
Colors: blacks, greys, off-white, white, with blue floral binding
Hand Quilting: 6 spi (stitches per inch)

My mom likes to talk about what her 5 children will inherit when she dies (no, she’s not even old yet). Like her camper. Or 75 acres. Or new model GTO.

My dibs are on the quilt.

Which naturally have to be stored in the GTO.

In my garage.

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