I’ve been away from my blog for quite some time and I apologize. It seems I am not a good blogger. Life runs so fast at some times that it is hard to fit everything in.
In addition to my work with the needle side of Foxglove Cottage, which is quite a load this time of year, here is very brief summary of what you missed while I’ve been away…..
A visit out of town to see some of our grandkids in March was great fun and it was far too short. The photo above is of all of our grandchildren, taken just last Saturday. I was not there for the fun, but it is great to see all of our kids together and enjoying each other.
Next, for quite some time I have been on the lookout for a nice piece of furniture to fill a very large empty space on the wall behind our front door. I was looking for either a hutch to hold dishes, or a cabinet of some kind to store quilts. I have collections both and I don’t have enough nice storage for either of them.
Then, quite by accident, I found the perfect piece. It was in a local gift/antique store. Here it is alongside the antique oak table that originally belonged to my husband’s grandmother.
A previous owner had cleverly installed temporary shelves in the long side of this wardrobe and they are perfect for storing quilts. I lined the shelves with white cotton sheets and stacked my quilts on top.
The two bottom quilts on the left side were made by my mother for my husband and me. They don’t look like much, but I love them and I rarely use them because I do not want them to be used up, even though that is what she intended. The afghan on top of the quilts was made for me by one of my sisters. The blue tied polyester large gingham check quilt on the right side was given to us as a wedding gift from the Relief Society (church ladies group). It has been used constantly through our almost forty years of marriage. It is now threadbare and yet it still lives on…..
You will probably be surprised to see that the antique quilts I collect are 1930s era quilts. I love to live with these quilts because of the cheerful, light colors but I am not likely to be tempted to make a grandmothers flower garden or double wedding ring quilt anytime soon.
I do have a few antique appliqué quilts, but at the moment they are packaged in a suitcase for a trunk show I am presenting next week. I’ll tell you later, in another post, about why I don’t collect many nineteenth century quilts.
And last of all, I have neglected this Journal because I have had a flurry of new ideas for quilts and my spare time has been used in pulling these ideas together. I have learned that if I ignore new ideas they will fade and, in my mind, these new ideas are too good to let go.
The Christmas quilt pattern is getting closer. I have not abandoned it nor have I forgotten, just been too busy to do it all!
Also, I have been asked about a topic that you may be interested in, so check out the Sewing Room for a new post about how to plan an appliqué border that is appropriate for a pieced quilt. You may be surprised at what you learn there…