this weeks quilt

This quilt needed a fix, the borders were very tattered and a few squares were disintegrating. I set about this task but my heart was not in it...quite frankly, the quilt did not do it for me. I chopped off about 4" from one end...big mistake!

underneath was a much more exciting quilt.....very, very worn, but exciting nevertheless. Lots of fabulous fabrics, including a rusty red (not turkey red)

fabulous homespun or Alamance cloth back, nice baptist fans quilting. Back or front will make lovely primitive toys.

Then I began to look at the tied top quilt again, it must have been vibrant at one point. Lots of vivid greens, not the dreary thing I thought it was....see how much it had faded.

and I found just one damaged square of this very old Lancaster blue cotton.

I'm not sure quite what I am going to do with this piece and I didn't have another quilt to work on so I made red currant jelly from the fruit in our garden. The jamming equipment is kept at the cabin and I will make another batch next week.

a wonderful surprise

Linda, a blogging buddy from Australia, sent me a parcel of vintage cottons.

My granddaughter, who is visiting for the summer is enamored with the lime green floral print and I have promised to make her some shorts and a top.....its a long time since I have done any dressmaking, so I will have to resharpen my skills.

Isn't that Australian novelty print a hoot?

Every one knows a have a soft spot for shirting, so Linda sent some along with a lovely floral print that has 1930s 40s written all over it,

Linda's blog is just the sort I like, she writes about her farm life and her needlework, and is the only person I 'know' who has done shadow work...I am impressed

I love blogs that give me a sense of time and place.

My, you have grown.

The grandchildren chose to arrive for the summer on the hottest day ever!!

It was 13 and raining when they left England and 40 (50 with the humidx) when they arrived in Canada.

note the leggings, jeans and sweater. They are terrific, enthusiastic kids, but boy oh boy, the house is a tip.

They were thrilled (at least, the girls) to meet their new cousin, now 6 months old.

I promise to get back to vintage textiles next week.

its too darn hot....

Like a lot of bloggers today I am complaining about the heat. 38 degrees today with a humid X of 49...I think that must be near 120.

I got up at 5am to pick my daily supply of raspberries...yum yum.

The heat is driving me indoors, at least I am listing a load of items on to my etsy shop.

I am trying a new line of antique, somewhat primitive pieces of fabric, mostly rescued from quilts. I have not sold anything so far, but quite a few views.

This Alamance? cloth from inside a 1900s quilt

The Stifel cotton I blogged about here.....

and about 80+ indigo resist squares from a quilt I unpicked a few weeks ago.

last weekend at the cabin

In my usual fashion I show this weekends mending, the quilts I did not get around to last week.

A quite delightful 19th century flying geese, all sorts of faded double pink calicos and a tiny scale. I had to remove the top and bottom borders, but did not feel so guilty as they had obviously been cut down at an earlier date. I folded the white backing to the front to bind. It is still a little fragile and shattered in parts but I think it works well.

Not quite as successful was the rebind of this very faded 1930s star quilt. I used a traditional English chintz... it was what I had to hand. It does draw attention to the quilting though.

The spare bed needed a much lighter cover (previously used a 70s Laura Ashley duvet set). This 40s woven coverlet, a bit damaged, is not quite right for a simple Canadian cabin, but the weight is right and it will have to do until something else turns up. Fascinating weave....

Lastly, although I am not a landscape photographer I could not resist this Friday night moon rising above the lake.

Goodbye and Hello

R made off with the camera cord thingy this week...he took it fishing, so no blog.

Last Sunday I set up at St Lawrence Market.

It was an OK day, no quilts sold, but several 1950s beaded cardis among other things.

When I came home I found that this spectacular 'wheel of fortune' depression era quilt had sold on etsy. It was a real show stopper one of my favorites and I will miss it.

During the week I unpicked a quilt that was in desperate shape and was delighted to find this stamp on the back of the resist dyed indigo cotton.

It says Stifel, which is German for boot. The logo was patented in 1904. I thought that was pretty neat.

Love to have a day when I learn something new.....which is nearly everyday, I just don't remember what I learn.

mending this week

This is the pile of mending I took to the cabin this week...needless to say I did not get very far and only neatened up the two embroidered bedspreads.

I must say, the 20s spread came up a treat in the strong Ontario sunshine

Somewhere in the depths of the cabin I came across this 19th century quilt......even I would not have bought anything in this condition, looks like a load of squirrels got at it. . The 9 patch blocks are 31/2" square!. I set to work unpicking it, not, necessarily, in the hope of rescuing some of the tiny blocks, but more for the experience of handling the fabric, grain sack back, odd pieces of material and a hand woven blanket inside, looking at the colors, dyes and even the threads. A well spent afternoon.

For this summer I have chosen a 30s reversible quilt for my bed at the cabin. I am enjoying the prints, many printed feedsacks, hope I don't spill my coffee all over it.

I will get to the other quilts next week....rebinding is in order.

Back to back markets

An exhausting week end. The least said the better about the Brickworks Farmer's market, which used to be so terrific.

So I thought I would try the new Rosedale Valley Antique Market on Sunday, in the same location. They are a new market renting the Brickworks space from Evergreen. The crowd and the dealers were sparse, but I think it has enormous potential, very friendly and helpful management.

I have not got to know the other vendors yet. Monica, next to me laid this blue and white table, very elegant.

Rescue work

Three rescued quilts airing on the grass after the mini flood in my garage/warehouse.

Top right is a 60s farmhouse number with some polyester, but it is still quite handsome. Left a pretty 70s biscuit qtuil, not much wrong with this at all and it is already up on etsy.

and a super 19th century wool 'fans' a little damage but it shows well.

Three large chintz panels curtain hanging on the line....they are fine.

and a box of European linens, I had to re-wash them. I certainly have been working hard this week!

Currently I'm sorting a big basket of trim, ribbon and braid....Grrrr. I think I am coming to the end......