Monday morning memories

A couch throw finished by my mother for my Aunt J,

who can't remember making it anymore.

You can see my mother peeking out at the top left.

It was about one-third done when she moved to a care home

and my mother offered to finish it.

She just has to complete the fringed edges.

I encouraged her to put on a label

saying "begun by J. S., finished by M.S.)

so others will remember who made it.

It's Swedish (?) embroidery with a variegated yarn.

It looks lovely and muted in real

and my iPhone pix don't really do it justice

because the lightest part of the yarn doesn't show.

An embroidered life

Isn't this a great piece of fabric?

I love the colours, and the diagonal stripe.

Except it's not fabric, it's embroidery --

hand embroidery with a story.

My friend Y, who is a great scrap quilter, using reclaimed fabrics

from clothing and thrift shops,

rescued these from the nursing home where she used to work as a social worker.

One of the residents, named Helen, had passed away,

and the person who was clearing out her stuff

was going to turf it all, so Y. rescued it.

Helen was a quirky sort but she loved to embroider.

She embroidered all her clothes. These are just a few that Y. would part with.

(stupidly, I forgot my camera, but another time.)

She kept the ones with all over circles, ovals, and dots, in wonderful colours.

I love the tan sleeve with all those lovely flowers.

Obviously she ran out of time with that one.

I'm passing these on to Joyce to use up the lovely bits in a bag, except for the diagonal one

which I'm keeping for a bag or a pillow top.

So the spirit of Helen and her love of all things embellished and bright

lives on in another way.

Y. also shared this patchwork top, made from vintage fabrics.

It measures about 30 by 40, and Y. had no real plan for it.

I love that pink and black piece in the middle.

And those pink and blue cats above.

Y and I are doing a round-robin with this.

I'm having a first go by putting on borders

and then it is back to Y. for her to work her magic.

And the giveaway winner, chosen by Mr. Random Number New University Student

(aka DS 1) is Kathleen C, who has no  blog of her own,

but contributes to several group blogs.

congrats!

A vintage summer bedspread

This summer bedspread came into my possession via my mother, who found it in a thrift shop. It measures 72 by 96, is hand appliqued and machined pieced. The top has a narrow hem, except on one side where the maker left the selvage edge. It has 15 basket blocks set on point alternating with orange/peach squares. The white background fabric is flour-sacking, appliqued with various prints. How old do those prints look to you? Some of the prints look fairly modern, like that striped flower in the middle block. The top has some stains on it, and is has been used by the looks of the fraying seam allowances in the back. I'm thinking of taking out the basket blocks from the orange (which is overpowering) and setting them together into a smaller quilt. Or not. Or maybe I'll regift it.

Home for lost and lonely needlework

Another lost and lonely piece of needlework followed me home this weekend. For 25 cents, I found this framed cross stitch piece at a yard sale. The mat has water damage, and when I pulled it off, I can see stains on the Aida cloth itself. I'll have to pull it out of the frame to wash it. Any suggestions on the best technique?
I'm a sucker for these because of all the work involved. Usually, I buy vintage embroidery or crocheted doilies, but I thought this was worth a quarter. Unless, of course, it is a big deal to clean it.
This little pocket on a string went to Taiwan yesterday along with a friend, who is visiting a mutual friend there. I string-pieced blacks and whites, and lined it. It even has a small interior pocket.

Shopping in Saskatchewan

Here's some eye candy from a recent shopping expedition in four shops in rural and urban Saskatchewan. I found some $5/metre lipstick fabric for a cool pillowcase, and some more word and letter fabric for my word quilt. Here are my real finds from a thrift store, all for less than $5 total -- four embroidered blocks, a purse closure for 20 cents, a vintage quilt pattern book, and a tote crocheted from wool yarns, perfect for carrying small projects, and trendy in a retro sort of way.
These blocks are cross-stitched, and each are slightly different.
I stopped at Shirley's Sewing Room in Moosomin on the way home and found some 1930s prints to coordinate with the blocks. Maybe I'll make a small tablecloth. Anyone have some other ideas?