Creative Quilters

This past Saturday I

found creativity galore at the

West Virginia Quilt Festival 2012

held at the Summersville Arena & Conference Center

in gorgeous Nicholas County.

One highlight of the Festival was meeting retired dentist,

 Dr. Don Locke, from Texas.

Look at his 51,816 piece quilt depicting da Vinci's

"The Last Supper."

Much of the fabric was hand dyed.

 Each square is half an inch.

I think Leonardo would have been impressed!

Many great vendors were at the Festival, too.

Neff''s Country Loft

was one of my favorites!

They're two shops in one --

 a country store and a quilt shop.

You can email them at neffscountryloft@sbcglobal.net

The quilters who participated in the show

were outstanding.

This art quilt was stunning!

This bluejay wallhanging with swirling leaves was just lovely.

Look below to see how the quilter quilted into the white background

the image of one of the batik leaves.

Can you see it?

Some great embroidery.

I thought I'd end with this little bluebird,

 part of a Baltimore Album Quilt.

If you give it a glance, you'll think "how sweet."

Look closer. 

 The quilter specifically chose and angled

 the fabric for the back wing.

The spiral of the fabric pattern is just right

 for the fanciful wing.  She also added

her own pen to the bird's underside

 and back feathers.

See her shading on the front wing feathers.

  It looks like she used a black micro-pen.

How inspiring!

I feel like sewing.

Amy

Free Printable Embroidery Pattern

I recently came across a vintage

piece of embroidery.

I bought a large lot from the seller.

Two pieces were marked "Really Old."

(The idea of distinguishing
"really old" from "young old"

somewhat tickled me,
but that's another post.)

This pillowcase was one such "Really Old" piece.

The simple embroidery of the mirror image squirrels

is done in a single thread of red embroidery floss.

The stitch isn't really a stem stitch. 

The sewer chose more of a rough straight
stitch or back stitch done in red.

I call them my "Dancing Squirrels."

The closest I can come to dating the age
of the design was to find
some 1920 embroidery transfers that
had similar animal characteristics to the above.

The animal transfers of the 40's - 60's
are much more cartoon-like
 with smiling faces and bigger eyes.

Enjoy your
Free Color Embroidery Pattern

Black and White Pattern Option

Amy

Friday's Find

This Friday's Find is a little different.

Most of the time I own my Friday's Find.

Today, I'm sharing a find.

Last weekend, I attended the

West Virginia's Writers' Conference

at

Cedar Lakes Conference Center

 

While I was eating in the dining facility,

I noticed a large rug displayed on the wall.

 

It looked somewhat odd as a display piece

in a rather informal cafeteria.

After eating,

 I went over to read the plaques displayed beside the rug.

Imagine my surprise to see Pearl K. McGown's name!

If you didn't catch my post about Pearl K. McGown and her

great influence on the rug hooking craft,

click here.

The Conference Center features unique handcraft workshops like basket making, pottery design, stained glass how-to's.  The fact that rug-hooking at one point made its way to the Center as a workshop made sense after I thought about it.  I wonder if Jane McGown Flynn was involved with that workshop.  Jane is Pearl K. McGown's daughter.

One side of the dining facility is in honor of both Pearl and Jane.

This photograph gives a better perspective of the handhooked rug's size.

From what I could discover,

 the Southern Teacher's Workshop

was still meeting in the area as recent as 2010.

Really interesting.

I've finished some more teacup

pincushions.

The cashmere aqua rose is in a small

1965 souvenier World's Fair teacup.

What projects have you finished recently?

Amy

Peony Magic

To be overcome

by the fragrance of flowers

is a delectable form of defeat.

Beverley Nichols

(British Author)

I'm just now finally taking the time to share

the pictures of my peonies.

One of spring's last blessings

and summer's first offerings.

They amaze me with their capacity to give

 so much  bloom while requiring so little.

 They only ask for gentle support when their heads hang low.

Amy

Do you grow peonies?

What color?

Lord Nelson Chintz

Every Friday I love to share

a vintage treasure.

The vintage item might be something I've
 found on the shelf at a thrift store,

or in the basement of an estate sale.

Sometimes, a lovely friend knowing
 just what I enjoy

brings me a treasure they've found along
one of their own journeys.

At other times, I may share a vintage treasure that was

passed on to me by family.

Such is the case for today's vintage find.

This is a Lord Nelson Salt and Pepper set

 in the Chintz Briar Rose pattern.

How darling!

While I love the Briar Rose pattern, Black Beauty
is Lord Nelson Ware's most coveted
pattern.

Delightful!

Except for the Royal Winton line, most Chintz makers

stopped production in the 60's.

The Briar Rose bowl pictured above

 would be a wonderful addition

to my tea service collection. . .

Sadly for this thrifty shopper,

 chintz patterns aren't the most affordable beauties to collect.

Their value makes this little set all the more precious.

It belonged to my husband's grandmother.

As far as we know,

 it was the only chintz piece she owned.

Every time I see it or touch it, I think of her.

Isn't that the real find?

Amy

 

 

The Old Clock

This clock needed a new look.

The shape of the clock has always appealed to me,

 but I have had it for several years.

It's time for a new look.

I made a ruffled ribbon rose for the top.

Since I can never have enough time to read,

I'm going to decorate this clock

with a few of my favorite

writers in mind.

See if you can spot them!

I placed pearls on the clock face.

The shelves were backed with some of my favorite K&Company Papers.

I then went to my favorite thrift store to find some mini treasures --

the itty-bitty aqua bead box and the mini antique red pin cushion.

I had to add some of my linens --

My great grandmother's hankie and a vintage bookmark.

I also made some tag art.

What do you think?

Did you spot all four authors?

One is difficult to see, I admit.

Can you list them for me?

Amy

Vintage Butterick for Friday

It's time for Friday's Find!

Can you ever have enough patterns?

I like these vintage Butterick patterns

because they're for a small child, size 2.

This sweet puppy makes the jumper

 pattern illustrations complete.

The second pattern is also for a small child, size 2. 

 It's a slip pattern.

Look at the price.  What a bargain!

I'm having difficulty dating these patterns.

Butterick didn't print on the tissue paper pattern until the late 40's.

Both have printed patterns.

They have no copyright or date marked.

Do the outfits and hairstyles strike you as 50's or 60's?

Amy