How To Segway From One Project To The Next..

When last I wrote, I was filled with eagerness and expectations.  I couldn't wait to visit my favorite fabric shop and spend a few minutes running my hand over vintage fabric and selecting the very best match for my antique quilt.
But, remember Robert Burn's poem TO A MOUSE where he said:
The best laid plans of mice and men
Gang aft a-gley (Often go awry).
That's what happened to me and my ambitious plan to restore the beautiful heirloom quilt that belonged to my son's great-grandmother, on his father's side. I arrived at the shop to find a lady who was very knowledgeable in all things quilts. She had recently selected quilts to hang in a local museum that dated back to, well I've forgotten how far those particular quilts dated back to, but let's just say they're old.
She lovingly fingered my quilt and lightly touched the worn and frayed places like old friends. To restore such a prize was simply unthinkable in her mind. "No, you must not."
And so, I didn't. Instead, the quilt will go to my son, as is. He has already devised a clever plan. Recently, my son (the picker) purchased antique windows from a sale. He plans to create a showdow box, if you will, using matching wood to give it some depth, for storing and displaying the 1930s quilt. I think this is a clever idea and can't wait to see the finished product.
So, instead of my jouney through time to restore a family heirloom, I'll embark on another journey. This one, however, won't be so much fun. This one will involve discipline and exercise-two of the things I dread most.
Stay tuned for what I like to call "Living With Type 2 Diabetes," or "How In The Heck Did I Miss The Warning Signs When Diabetes Runs In My Family And I've Probably Read Up On It More Than Any One Other Person Alive While Caring For My Mother?"
Film at eleven...

Vintage quilts are used for anything from bed covers to wall hangings. If you're lucky enough to own a 1930s Antique quilt, display it for others to enjoy.

Recently, I embarked on a journey. I didn't purchase airline tickets, I didn't fill my car with gas, I didn't even buy new rubber-soled shoes. This journey was back in time.

Shortly prior to her death, my son's grandmother gave him a vintage 1930s quilt that she and her mother hand-quilted. The pattern was different size squares, hand sewn to form a quilt top, then hand-quilted onto a back, with batting in between.

For centuries, quilts were made by the women of the house to keep their families warm during the cold nights.  Many a young lady's hope chest wasn't complete until her very own quilt lined it's bottom. The actual making of the quilts often provided entertainment for housewives and Mothers. The earliest quilts were made from linen, wool and silk and the fabric was often imported. In the 19th Century, cotton was used for the first time from  scraps of leftover material from other sewing projects.

I remember visiting the boys' grandmother's house and seeing the huge quilt frame set up on saw horses in the living room. This particular quilt frame was square and had pins all around the edge. The quilt was stretched onto the frame and secured using the pins. This  allowed the quilter (s) to move around the room to quilt each section.

Today, I'm headed to the fabric shop to pick out the fabric needed to restore the quilt. As I begin this journey, I'll share my progress and my setbacks (I'm sure there'll be many!). Hopefully, at the end of this journey, I'll be able to post a picture of the finished project.

By Jove...nah! I don't got it.

Six years ago, I purchased an embroidery machine. I finally opened the box last Saturday. It already had a bobbin and the video taught me how to set the thread, so soon I was choosing a pattern. I decided on the simplest project: a bookmark for my granddaughter. After a few attempts, voila! Perfection! How sweet it is! See picture:

But I bragged too soon. Last night, the bobbin needed to be changed to a different color. Nobody told me how to do that...so back to the video. That darn instructor has done this before. She zipped through the instructions, zip, zip, zap. Her hand flew through the hooks and turns as she sped around the maze. Her bobbin was threaded perfectly. Mine, not so much.

After several hours of my top thread winding round and round the bobbin, I finally decided I'd done something wrong. Ya think??? The poor material didn't stand a chance with my feeble attempts. It's going to the salvage bin.

Goodbye lofty project. Farewell nifty idea. No, wait! I won't give in. I won't admit defeat. It's only a few pieces of metal, bent and hooked, to accept my thread offerings. I am master, here. I choose what color and pattern. I won't be whipped into submission by something named 'Brother.'

Stay tuned.

August in TN

you gotta love family get-togethers. this occassion was my dad's 95th birthday. the location? A cabin on the river. it doesn't get much better'n this.

The Amazing Things You Learn When You Research Your Ancestry...

According to Mortality Schedules, 1850-85, our ancestors had life rough…

Many on Dad's side were consumed by “consumption,” which was another word for Tuberculosis.
Several of his kinfolks died due to Typhoid fever in the 1835-1860 era.
Gabrilla Pack died at age 36 in 1834 in childbirth.
Henry died at age 46 in 1834 due to suicide—wonder if that was related to Gabrilla dying and leaving him the new bairn to raise?
James died at age 40 in 1840 of “Dropsey of Chest.”
Another had a similar disease. “Dropsey of Lungs” took Mahala at age 36.
Then there was poor little Davie, 1 yr old in SC, who died of “Bill Fever.” I suffer from that, also…
Sarah, age 74 in 1880, died in NC from measles.
Poor little Emma, 4 yrs. old in 1860, died from “Hydrophobia” in KY—that’s rabies, folks…guess they didn’t have shots back then??
But that’s not as bad as poor little black Cyrus in SC. In 1860, he died from “teething” at age 1. He was listed as “slave.” Probably couldn’t afford teething rings…
But neither had it as bad as little L.F. He died at age 2 in Tennessee from “hopping” cough. I guess every time he coughed, he hopped. Wonder how far he hopped in his 2 years of life?
____
On Mom’s side, the people lived long lives; for the most part:
Sarah died in PA at age 90 from “old age.” Ya think???
Sanford died in VA at age 76 from same disease. Must get older quicker in VA…
Susan died in VA at age 75—same disease.
There were in total, 43 people listed as dying of “old age.” Hope I take after that side of the family…
In 1860, Joanah died from “suicide from hanging” in Massachusetts at age 70. I guess she couldn’t take another twenty years.
Then there was poor old Olive in Massachusetts who died of cancer of the anus. She was 62. She probably lived longer than she wanted to…
That was almost as bad as poor old Lewis. He was born in Germany, came to America and died at age 37 of “cold water.” Guess they don’t have cold water in Germany.
In 1863, poor James died at age 37 in NJ of a “violent death-busted up in mill machinery.” Ouch!
Then in 1880, Catherine died in TN from a “pistal.” It was termed as “sui-side.”
Thomas died in 1880 in TN—he was “murdered.” He was 19 years old. Same pistal?
A little black infant died in childbirth in TN in 1870. “Parents unknown.” Yeah, right… Where was the Mother during “childbirth”?