Making Quilt Binding

It's fun to make scrap binding for a quilt. I'm good at it, probably because I enjoy the process. It's very easy; 2 1/2 inch scrap steps joined, folded and pressed.  No worries or effort to match up fabrics.

I'm working on making a nice big, colorful roll to bind this Hexie quilt.  It's taken a long time to piece and quilt  this all by hand.  I'm excited to finally, after several years of working with this project, to be so near the final step of putting the binding On!

That's why I like making and attaching the binding, it's the finale!

Old Dolls

Yes, I can fix this

This gifted quilt; a rummage sale find by my mother in law.  She paid $7 and was very disappointed to unfold it at home to find this hole in the middle.   She feels that it was a bad purchase.  The sculpted binding interested her and she wanted me to see it and to have the quilt.   "Oh well, you can look at the edging anyway " she said.

" I can fix that!" I told her,   " and I like it very much, thank you. It's king size and will go nicely on our king bed."

I love it. Not so much for the color or pattern, but it is all cotton and old and worn so nice and soft.

Just a bit of stitching around the hole edges and it can be washed. Once cleaned, I can do some creative patching of the holes.

Vintage Crewel

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Old Craft Books

Singer 185J: A Green Machine

This machine is a nice, little 3/4 , it needs a spool pin,I need the room so I put it in this cabinet and listed iron Craigslist.

I Saw The Signs: Messages From The Universe

Dolls and Quilt: Watercolor

Original watercolor, framed and matted

Signed Dianne Murphy Eagle 1990

Canandaigua, NY artist

Dolls a and a quilt, vintage style

Old Quilt Going via Ebay

This old beauty sold on EBAY today for just  few $.  It's a machine stitched vintage cotton  top with a full back that is partially pinned and partially tied with no batting. Bright blue and yellow half square triangles have a lively effect where they match up for pinwheels. It's okay that all seems don't meet perfectly. 

 I don't go looking for specific items like quilt tops, but I like when I find them.  They just seem to be there waiting for someone to take them and place them in a new home. 

Some tops I keep, like the very first one that came home with me. It wasn't my intention to sell but with a few piling up and knowing I can't use them all myself, I started offering them out on EBAY and ETSY  at bargain prices.  

I like that a collector or quilter might get a unique material for their own crafting.

Vintage Bucilla Quilt Kit: Colonial Acorn

Spending time this morning researching this started vintage quilt kit.

I can identify it as vintage by obvious signs: the look of the paper pattern, the fabric print, the label for the percale backing.

The top panels are printed and numbered for the appliqué pieces. The pieces are all cut.

There are spools of coordinating threads.  The wooden hoop still attached with a needle rusted into the fabric.  I have found  info on vintage Bucilla quilt kits at NovaScotiaQuilts. Still nothing though on this particular pattern.   

   I really like it . I will iron or and inventory all the small acorn and leaf pieces.  I don't have to decide right now whether or not to keep it and finish it or sell it .  It will just be nice to look at it for a while and stitch at least a few acorns.

Batik Fish

My first batik on an old cotton t shirt.  My favorite to wear gardening on hot days.  I noticed some of the wax still in it and the white getting dingy. It got a soak in hot water with brightener. Some of the wax melted out, some spots are a little burned into it.  We used my cousin friend Barb's original Indian batik design tool to apply the wax.  We used beeswax which seems heavier and maybe hotter than paraffin.   I think the tool is called a tjap.

We are going to dye again this summer, I'm looking forward to fun with colors and learning more. I hope Barb lets me use this fish design on muslin to make some blocks for a quilt!

A Cutter Quilt

My decision for this old quilt, after putting 2 new patches in, is to offer it up one at as a cutter quilt.
Perhaps someone will wish to involve themselves in a labor of love to restore the sweet, softened cloth.
Or cut it into smaller quilted projects.  I love it enough to re home home it, to send it out to another to love.

Raggedy

Cutting out the ragged, patches and matted batting.

 Raggedy Ann  made by my sister nearly 30  years ago.   Really, she is not raggedy at all but still in very good condition and part of our doll collection.  The book of Ann and Andy from 1960 are a bit older and more worn.

Mending Gifts: A Very Old Quilt

fix it, cut it, keep it?
This sweet,  soft quilt:
Hand stitched, very old and tattered in spots, not beyond repair
Maybe a mending  project in a sort of kantha quilt / boro mix style
Maybe smaller pieces into art quilts

Lessons In Cloth: The Universe Gives Limes

old, broken, not so good things or situations
can be made into something good
Like lemons into lemonade
Fabric scraps into quilts

I'm learning textiles and stitching
Through Junk fabric finds
an old quilt or a quilt top for mending or finishing
Or sending to someone who will
 boxes and bags
Of discarded quilting scraps and clothing
Unlimited color palettes
And piecing possibilities

What of These gifts of Lime?
The makings of things
bright, good and fun