Reading 1820 Blogs Daily!


  • vintage linens
  • Page 1 of 1 ( posts )
September 26, 2022
Friday check in: welcome autumn! vintage finds, OMG all set, and something new from With Strings Attached

 It's gotten so that if I don't take a good walk at least every other day I really feel it! This week we went to Sedge Meadow/Des Plaines River Trail and Illinois Beach / Camp Logan.  

Top: compass flower, snakeroot, false Solomon's Seal (b.erries). Center: goldenrod, fungi, riverbank grapes. Bottom: white heath aster and skyblue aster, New England aster, butterfly weed (can you see how the spent stems make a whorl?).

# # # # # 


Isn't this the coolest souvenir tablecloth ever??? I got it for $3 at a church rummage sale.  The midcentury graphics are terrific! 











It has ...

read more
September 16, 2022
Revisiting the Unknown Family from The Snarky Quilter

About a year ago I began a project that involved unlabeled family photos. I envisioned a three part series featuring groups of people, women, and children; all with no identifying names. After finishing one with groups of people I stopped working on the series as I hit a mental block. I just couldn’t make them into art quilts, and the colors were very muted. That was understandable as I was working with old linens. However, I wasn’t ready to take on a huge amount of embroidery to add color, and I wanted to keep the vintage theme.

All ...

read more
April 14, 2020
Apron Challenge from Collector with a Needle

Four of the aprons - Chicken Scratch Embroidery
Hmmm....It wasn't a hard decision, I immediately said YES!

Last month I was invited to join extraordinary quilters Allison Aller and Rhonda Cox Dort making quilts from aprons.  I added a caveat I would also make some sewing smalls.

The aprons are from Deborah Turner Ursell's fantastic selection.





Aprons embroidered with rick rack

The first step was to checkout the aprons and start developing some inspirational thoughts.

The colors, rick rack the soft feel of the woven gingham made me think of a stash of men's shirts I had ...

read more
March 19, 2020
Delightful Doilies and Linens from the Mid Atlantic Quilt Show from Telling Stories Through the Needle's Eye

A couple of weeks ago, Teri and I (Kara) were able to attend the Mid-Atlantic Quilt Show. We go there yearly, as it falls right before The Academy of Appliqué. It is a small show, but it usually has a great variety of quilts, and this year was no different. One exhibit in particular became our favorite, as it gave us lots of great ideas for our very large doily collection. This exhibit was created by Nancy S. Breland and was called Exploring Vintage Linens. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

Color Progression

Birthday Party

Detail ...

read more
February 1, 2020
OMG: a baker's dozen from With Strings Attached

This is the last day to post about my January One Monthly Goal.  The account of my trip to Philadelphia for the ALA Midwinter Meeting will have to wait.


I've finished thirteen out of sixteen tote bags for TexFest Dos, the Magpies' meetup in February. ("Dos" because  our 2016 meetup was also in Texas.) I thought I needed fourteen bags but the guest list grew.  

The pattern is by Vicki Genz and was published in American Quilter in March, 2014.  I used vintage tablecloths from my collection and quilt fabric.  It was a good exercise to find quilt prints ...

read more
October 27, 2019
Quilts on the trip from With Strings Attached

 Of course I spot textiles wherever I go!


At the Decorative Arts Center of Ohio:  campaign quilts and bandannas.

 A dress made from fabric printed with James Garfield's portrait.   And the wearer couldn't cast a vote in that 1880 election.

 Autographed blocks from Garfield's era.

 Early sewing machines and a haberdashery at Harpers Ferry.
A contemporary quilt at the Applachian Trail Conservancy, Bolivar, WV, with ATC patches.
























A quilt and a pillow at the museum on Smith Island.
Closeup of the pillow label.













This elegant quilt was on the bed at the Teackle Mansion in Princess Anne ...

read more
  • vintage linens
  • Page 1 of 1 ( 6 posts )