I thought I'd keep it simple for my brain today and show you this charming quilt top I picked up at an antique store in Bird in Hand. It was a steal I couldn't pass up!!
A simple 4 patch. The fabric is in really good condition. The majority of the quilt is sewn by machine but one seam in almost every 4 patch is done by hand. It is put together like a strippy with that wonderful bright double pink.
Oops, that strip was too long.... I love how the maker cut it right off!
I would say most of the quilt top is from 1880's-1900's.
I do believe the turkey red is older than that. The dyes they used then tended to disintegrate, but this is in fine condition. My plan at this point is to remove the border and give the top a bit of a soak. Despite the wrinkles and folds it is pieced pretty well.
The girls thought it was funny that I collected acorns to bring home. I live in the high desert and there are no acorns near me! I thought they were so cute!! Does anyone know if they will dry out? Or will they just rot? I'd like to keep them if it is possible.I'm glad to be home. I'm sure it will take me all week to get caught up, so bear with me.
Neat quilt top. Glad your home safe. Sometimes I think the best part of a trip is getting home.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like you had a great trip! What an interesting find - it will be fun to see this project progress! I like your acorns too - we don't get them up here either so I have no idea what happens to them - I hope they'll keep for you. They're perfect for fall decorating.
ReplyDeleteLori, I live only 45 minutes from Philadelphia. We are fortunate to have so many wonderful historic places to visit. I went to the show on Thursday and had a great time. By the way, I have a yard full of acorns.
ReplyDeleteglad you're home safe and sound - it was so great to meet up with you at the show.
ReplyDeleteI love your top - that double pink with the red it a hoot and a half.
great four patches
In Hawaii, the way they 'dry' the kukui nuts is to drill a hole in them and then put them where ants can get into them and clean them out. It takes a while, but if you are patient...
ReplyDeleteI saw Barb's post that you had meet up. Wow that was a whirlwind tour. That quilt top is very nice, Will you quilt it or keep it just as it is?
ReplyDeleteDH and I did the trip to Lancaster county and Gettysburg 8 years ago. Nice fond memories I have of that trip.
What a find this top was! Hope it will wash fine too.
ReplyDeleteI am not sure about the acorns, I think it depend on how humid it is in your area. I remember having a box full of chestnuts in my bedroom and after a few months the maggots crawled out of it... But we have other things from the woods that stayed fine for ages, like huge cones. Maybe some drying in the oven might help?
Great find! I live in a low desert and love to have things like acorns and seashells around!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a wonderful trip. I really enjoyed Gettysburg, too. Congrats on your new find!
ReplyDeleteI would suggest that you put those acorns in a ziploc bag in the freezer for several days to kill all the nasty little bugs that live inside. Otherwise, they'll emerge when you least expect it and it's kinda gross! Sounds like you had a great trip!
ReplyDeleteYour new quilt top is fabulous! I love that particular red print on the border - it features in an old quilt that was my very first antique quilt purchase. The "just make it fit" attitude is fun to see!! Not many of us are game enough to do that now.
ReplyDeleteGayle is right - don't leave the acorns laying around the house or you will have a not fun surprise. I didn't know freezing would take care of the worms inside, but it makes sense.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great trip you've had and what a find with the quilt top. The fabrics look very pristine and who would have thought to put pink and orange together.
ReplyDeleteHave you seen the wee pincushions made out of the acorn tops with a felted ball in them?
I meant red, not orange sorry.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun trip! I have a couple of big oak trees and I collect the acorns to fill a bowl for fall decor. They seem to hold up well for several years but eventually the little hat part falls off the seed as it dry out. Don't store them in a plastic bag, they will mildew. Just keep them in a paper bag. I'd be happy to send you a fresh supply next year!! Those little buggers sprout everywhere the dang squirrels bury them at my place.
ReplyDeleteAround here, even freezing wouldn't keep the worms from showing up from the acorns. Sorry. I've never heard of a way to keep them without ick.
ReplyDeleteL~
Welcome home! Diggin' the fabrics in that quilt. Placement of strips is interesting to me. Fun how the quiltmaker just said "hey, I'll slice it." We could all learn a thing or two from that approach I reckon. I'm still in the 101 class. Hope you had some good rest and I my eyes are tired (stupid story) so I'm reading fast (stupid again) and read "saw a little of the suburbs." as "saw a little of the shrubburbs" which made me giggle.
ReplyDeleteLove that top. I think the sides chopped off give it so much character. I wish I could be so free and easy with my projects!
ReplyDeletegreat quilt...wow love the red border with the double pink ok that quiltmaker had a sense of humor!
ReplyDeleteso sorry I missed you on Saturday, next time for sure!
what a great tour you had of Pa...
a little bit of all it has to offer sounds like
Kathie
That's funny, I keep acorns all the time and have never had worms. However in case, I agree with the oven theory. I would put them in a hot oven for a bit to kill anything inside and them keep them in a pretty bowl. I wouldn't bother with the freezer. I live in Michigan and it gets awful cold here and if there are worms, they are well hidden until spring. I doubt that a freezer would work. I love the quilt.
ReplyDeleteI love how the Penn turn of the century quilts combine pinks, reds, yellows, blacks and blues with such abandon! (You may want to test a corner of that red border fabric before washing...I had a similar one and the black/gray dots almost completely washed out...)
ReplyDeleteSounds like such a fun trip. I love your quilt top. It's so interesting to study an older piece and speculate about the maker's design choices.
ReplyDeleteThe acorns remind me of the time when my dad found some giant ones. He snipped off some of my hair and put it on an acorn and painted a face on it. (It didn't take much to entertain me at that age!)
I don't know the answer to your acorn question but I can understand you bringing them home. Sounds like you had a wonderful trip.
ReplyDeleteOh, MY! I am literally 10 minutes from the Oaks venue!!!!! (Oaks is part of our school district) Too bad, my friends and I could have met up with you. We also go to the shops in Lancaster Co that you went to. It's almost a biweekly trip for us...we are so close.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure I read this somewhere...but Portland, MAINE?? Our son lives in Western Maine. The other in VT.
THe wonderful world of quilting and blogging sure makes this a small world. We sure had a beautiful weekend for you, didn't we? haha
To avoid anything living making its way out of your lovely stash of acorns, paint them with clear nail polish or maybe polyurethane spray would work too. Good luck and thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI like the title of your post :) Glad you had a good trip.
ReplyDeleteLove that antique quilt. Simple and oh so effective!
I know how you feel, I got back from 2 trips and I'm exhausted. Love the little quilt.
ReplyDeleteGreat quilt top! At Sentimental Stitches website, Gay is covering her acorns with fabric. Go over and take a look! Glad you had a nice trip. Joyce
ReplyDeleteI love the "home again, home again.." saying--my mom always used to say that. And I LOVE acorns. I think they'll keep for a pretty long time.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great trip. I wish I could have gone to the show and met up with you. What fun!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun trip! It is nice to be home though I'm sure.
ReplyDeleteVery sweet little quilt top that you found.
Lori - your trip sounded incredible
ReplyDelete- you really know how to squeeze in every little bit of fun! I use the oven method for preserving woodland finds like acorns. Cover a cookie sheet with alum. foil, bakein a slow (200) oven for at least 1hr. This will kill any critters and dry out any moisture so you won't have any mildew problems. Caps may fall off as you dry but you can just glue them back on. I've used this method for over 20yrs and never had a problem! Enjoy!
I collect acorns too wherever I go. They will dry out .. but some of my nuts shrunk ... I think it depends on which kind. Often the cap and nut will separate but I just glue them back together and they look like new :) Enjoy!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun trip! Interesting stops for both of you.
ReplyDeleteI love the quilt top you bought. Isn't it funny how the maker just lopped off the end?
I have acorns by the tons here. Last year I decided to gather some to put out for the squirrels later in the year. My neighbor told me to freeze them or they'd get wormy. I did..they didn't. Baking sounds like a good idea too? :)
I really like the red and pink in the quilt too. What freedom the maker had to just trim it down!
ReplyDeleteAcorns? I don't know but I think I'd try the oven method just in case. Sure wouldn't want to find bugs or worms later.
Bellissima la trapunta che hai trovato!
ReplyDeleteUn saluto dall'Italia
Ciao Domenica
How fun that you packed so much into one trip. Just love the quilt that you rescued. Glad it found you! I'm mailing your seeds tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteLori, I made that trip last fall and loved it! I recognized the cornfield by Sauders immediately! Save those acorns. Dry them to make sure there are no worms. I saw a pack like that at Pottery Barn for about $12--no lie!
ReplyDeleteWhat a lucky find! I love the old prints in that top -- especially the double pink which I guess is my favorite antique fabric. I can't believe she cut off the ends of those blocks -- if you would like some replacement antique fabric for those patches, please let me know and I'll put some scraps in the mail.
ReplyDelete