Thursday, November 6, 2014

A lovely cutter quilt: The Pontiac Star

Good morning friends!

I think that I mentioned a while back that I started collecting cutter quilt pieces. If you don't know what these are, they are old quilts that can no longer be used for their intended purpose, as they may have tears in them, be badly stained in some areas, have sections that are shattered due to the deterioration of the fabrics that were used, and so forth. Some of them are quite beautiful and crafters have been using them for a while for all sorts of things, from making stuffed toys to holiday decorations to pin cushions, and more. Folding them up and displaying them in baskets has also become another use for them.

If you read this blog you know that I love to decorate with neutrals along with a punch of black (who puts black ornaments on their Christmas tree, anyway?!), so imagine my excitement when I found a beautiful cutter quilt on eBay recently, one using only two colors, namely cream and black calico. The calico has a tiny print, and this was the only fabric used besides the solid cream. And there was only one other bidder (my heartfelt apologies to the other bidder). I'll let the pictures do the talking!

I gently washed it in my washing machine,
using plenty of Ultra Downy Infusions 
fabric softener,
the lavender serenity scent.
What beautiful piecing and hand-stitching
on this lovely old quilt...


I want to cry every time I 
envision it on a bed. 
But that is not meant to be. 

Even the borders are beautiful...


The defect on this one:
It seemed to have met a sad fate.
When folded in quarters
a torn out section is right through
all four sections.
Doesn't this look like a heart? 
This makes it all the more special,
as MY heart skipped a beat when
I first saw it...


Below you see it folded into quarters, 
with the hole completely through...


Here it is laid out on the bed in my studio,
folded in half...


There were no stains at all on this quilt.
Below you see the only other torn area, 
which is actually very small...


I bought this quilt for a very special purpose,
which I will reveal in the near future.
I want it to become a keepsake that
will honor the lady who put so much time
into this beautiful creation.
I cut off the pieces that I needed,
and below is the long and perfect piece 
that is left.
I also have a plan for this...


What would you do with this old beauty?
Can you guess what I will do with it?
You might find a small clue in one of the photos
above!
More to come in a future post.

What creations are you working on lately?


Wednesday, November 5, 2014

A little family of mice...

Happy Wednesday evening!

I couldn't resist sharing these few Halloween photos of my son and his family as they went trick-or-treating on Halloween (they live down in Florida, as you may remember). My grandson, Jason, was Mickey Mouse, and his little sister, Avery, was Minnie. Aren't they just the cutest little mice you've ever seen? Sorry, but this grandmother is a little partial!






My son said that he tried to get some ears for 
himself, but the adult sizes were all sold out.
Fancy that!