Spending My Sunday in Stitches

Ok so no wall papering took place in this house today. I woke up to a rainy drizzly day and it just did not feel like a day for DIY. I tried to talk myself into it but I could not do it. It felt like a day to do quiet things, restful things, things that involved sitting in my favourite chair, watching tv and working away at some sort of hand work. Next question, after breakfast and coffee on the veranda, was what sort of hand work to do? I have some choices in that area. My scarf project? Puppets? Dish clothes? Finish the latest quilt top? What to do????

I had finished the mending on a couple of princess dress up dresses for J's little granddaughter last night. Princessing can be a nasty hard business on the royal gowns.Quilts seem to fit the mood of the day and so I turned my attention to quilt mending. In 1985 I made an Ohio Star scrap quilt for a beloved Aunt. My dear Mother's only sister who was the sweetest person I have ever known. I adored her. Sadly she is not with us any more. Her great granddaughter has possession of the quilt and she is rumoured to be very fond of it Sadly the quilt is showing its age. It had been used people, and after nearly 30 years the use is starting to show. My cousin mentioned to me that her niece was sad the quilt was getting worn. The wondered is I could maybe fix it.  I agreed to look at it and see if I could do some fixing. Today was the perfect day to haul it out and tackle the job. Just the right project for a rainy day.

Its a little hard to see in this picture because I have FABULOUS photography skills but seams have let go, there are places where the material has just worn straight through. The little green triangle at the center top of the picture is nearly gone and the middle of the purplish print is gone as well. What looks like a milky white stain is batting showing through.  This is only a few of the places, there were many more all over the quilt but mostly down the middle.  Several episodes of "Cash and Cari", one episode of "Call the Midwife" and the quilt looks like this.

I put in some new patches and then stitched up the seams. I hope the current owner is pleased with the mend job. I have to say I am tickled that the quilt is still in use and hopefully I have given it a bit of a longer life.

When I had to add a new patch I tried to stay as true to the original colour as I could. I just have to let my cousin know that its done and arrange to have her deliver it to her niece.

I was still in the mood to sew. Luckily I still had quilts that needed attention. This quilt is not my work but The Hostess' Lovely Man had three quilts kicking around his place. He said they were made by a relative, one completed and two were just the tops. He was looking to sell them at her garage sale. They did not go and this one needed some repair.  Seams had given way, as can happen over time. I had offered to mend it and I was more that happy to do the honours today. Isn't it lovely?

The star and boarders are all pieced by hand. All those tiny triangles stitched together by hand, All 12 of them EEK!! The blocks and boarders are sewn together by machine. Its lovely. My little fingers just itch to quilt it. So much work went into it, it would be a shame not to finish it into the quilt it was meant to be. Hmm maybe I should offer my services for the job.

The other quilt top is mine!! I could not resist snapping it up as it just made me drool when I first saw it. When it did not sell at the garage sale I knew I had to have it.  Its made from flour sacks and old prints. All hand applique and blanket stitched. I cannot wait to get it quilted. I have a thing for butterflies so this little baby is just right up my alley.

Hopefully this winter I will get at quilting this little darling. I have a few other quilts to complete before I can tackle this one but I should have those done in the fall. 

Quilts all mended, laundry done, a couple of dishcloths were knit as well. Rather productive for a lazy day would you not say? The rain finally stopped and tomorrow is soon enough for any wallpapering. So far I have had three really good days out of my four that I have off. Makes a gal feel ever so grateful.

I hope your weekends are equally as delightful!!

Toodles,

Linda