eBay Box

I'll post pictures later when I get it all sorted out ...

But I pulled a "Vicky" and bought a gigantic box of miscellaneous blocks and scraps on eBay. These kinds of treasures are just so appealing to me.

There are over 150 blocks and partial blocks, and lots of scraps. They look to be from the '30s and '40s era.

This quilter had labeled everything so carefully. There were little scraps of paper pinned to some of the sets of blocks that said things like, "Need 3 more pink blocks," or "First row, top right."

I have purchased other lots like this before, and I love and treasure all of them. I will carefully iron out all the scrap pieces. There is a plastic bag in there with all the fabric scraps from one of the block projects that was in the box. I had to chuckle because the printing on the bag says, "100% Virgin Acrylic, Hand Loomed."

There are pieces hand basted to newspaper. I haven't looked at all of them, but I found an advertisement on one from Sulphur Springs, Texas.

Some of them are hand pieced with a very heavy thread - almost like floss. There are some blocks with machine piecing, but very few. I prefer to think she was a purist; she liked the process of hand piecing.

There are two sugar bags in there. The faint printing on one -- and I'll have to go back and look at it again -- says the Hershey Company in Cuba. My brother might be able to fill me in on some of that history.

Also, a couple of cardboard templates, hexies, with handwriting on them of how many she needed in certain colors. There are also paper templates that had obviously been used because there were pin marks in them.

I don't know. It's kind of sad, isn't it? I think she planned on finishing these projects but couldn't for one reason or another. She surely wouldn't have willingly abandoned projects that she had so carefully labeled.

Will our UFOs end up like this?

Will someone, years from now, lovingly buy them and take care of them, maybe try to finish some of the projects? Or are our quilting patterns now so mass produced that no one will care?

I'll add these to the others that I have collected, and make a promise to myself that when I retire I'm going to try to get a few completed.

I think she would smile down at that point knowing that maybe her work hadn't gone to waste. That some quilter cares.

Civil War Tribute BOM #4

The first six months are done! Yippee! Unfortunately, Month 7 just arrived ...

I like this month's blocks. Of course, there was only one of each size, but it went together very easily.

I'm debating whether to hop right into Month 7, which has a lot of fabric so there must be multiple blocks - or just take a breather and sew on other things for a couple of weeks.

Did you see the new Civil War Chronicles BOM that starts in January? Oh, yeah! I signed up for it because I read on the designer's blog that this one would be more quilter-friendly. And, of course, Kimberly will test and bless each block before they go out to her customers. I can't wait. It's a gorgeous quilt!

Gotta go! Penny says it's time to play!!

Civil War Tribute BOM #3

To say this BOM has been challenging for me is an understatement. I consider myself a very good piecer, but this quilt has, frankly, kicked my butt!

I almost had the blocks pieced when I realized I didn't have squares needed for the corners. What? I had cut out everything at once! Yep, I did. But I also miscut those blocks -- I proceeded to saw them in half thinking they were for more HSTs. The Fat Quarter Shop is very generous with their fabrics on BOMs, and I was able to get eight more 5" squares for the big blocks. But try as I might, I couldn't get the eight 3.5" blocks I needed for the small blocks out of the leftover fabric.



I had to order another small piece. Okay, so I forgot to put that on my stash report. Sue me!! :)

Anyway, I finally sat down this morning after cutting those squares and got these blocks together.



I lost points all over the place. I guess you won't be able to tell that when this busy quilt is put together. But I'm starting to rethink my piecing abilities after doing these blocks!

Penny took one look at them and said, "Uh uh, I ain't even going to go lay on THOSE blocks!"

Stash Report 2010 - Week 29

I have conquered!! I went to the Long Beach quilt show yesterday, and I came home with one bag and leftover money! Whodathunkit?

Picked up these patterns - all of them were way too cute!





I did get a kit, but I can't show it here now. It's for my expected great niece or nephew (don't know which yet), so it's gender neutral but real cute. I read through the cutting directions last night and was a little puzzled about "why" on a couple of parts of it. But I always follow the directions exactly, so we'll see when we get to those parts! Anyway, it was six yards, and I get to stash dive for the backing.

The show was nice but not spectacular like it was the first year. It was pleasant to walk around because it wasn't really crowded. Well, I guess that's pleasant for me but maybe not so much for the vendors. Jane and I both saw folks we knew. Ginger's booth looked to be very busy. They had Christmas and Halloween fabrics only in there and the booth looked great!

I got to meet Sandy Klop of American Jane. What a delightful lady! Love her Moda fabrics! Her sweet husband gave me an American Jane tote bag, which several folks asked me about while I was walking around the show. I was happy to direct them to her booth! I fell in love with the Dove in the Window quilt but just picked up the pattern. I'm already regretting not getting the kit. (sigh)

I also got to hug on Julie from Jaybird Quilts. She was working up a storm giving tutorials in the Beyond the Reef booth, but we were able to chat for a couple of minutes. She swore she hadn't shopped much -- we'll see when she posts her stash report! And, yes, Julie, you are doing stash reports again next year!

I looked for Jere'e but she wasn't in the booth when I was there. Darn it! Penny gave me a special hug to pass along for Miss Gidget! Penny and I will have to plan it better next time!

After we kidnapped Jane's sweet DH to take us to dinner, I drove home and crashed. I'm not used to doing that much walking! The weather was so wonderful in Long Beach. Note to self: Must move closer to water!

Busted: 232.625 yards
Purchased: 313.955 yards
Net YTD: (81.33) yards busted :(

I hope I never have to go a week without a computer again!

Broken Modem

Seems my internet modem is broken, and I can't get them out when I'm home to fix/replace it.

Guess I'll be back when I'm back.

Stash Report 2010 - Week 29

Lately I'm kind of like the line from that old Henry VIII song by Herman's Hermits - "Second verse same as the first."

Nothing in; nothing out.

No sewing projects planned, but I am slowly working on those Civil War Tribute blocks when I just need to sit at the sewing machine for a few minutes. It takes me two or three weeks to make a month of blocks, but that's okay. Slow forward motion is better than none at all, I guess.

My work person is not doing well at all. This sadness has zapped all my energy. I'm hoping that walking the Long Beach quilt show next weekend will restore some of the joy I seem to have lost this year. Also, I must get more applique prepped to keep my hands and mind busy. I hate cancer.

On a more cheery note - Penny is still doing what she does best .......



ROFLOL. Well, I guess that's not really very cheery after all!

Busted: 232.625 yards
Purchased: 307.955 yards
Net YTD: (75.53) yards busted :(

Pennsylvania Dutch BOM #9 Winner

This month's winner of the drawing for the $25 gift certificate so generously donated by the Fat Quarter Shop is:

Suzanne!

Your new blog looks great, your block looks great! Congrats, Suzanne! I'll email you in a few minutes!

Three more blocks to go! There *might* be a special prize the last month! :)

Kimberly, THANK YOU for these monthly prizes! You are truly totally awesome!