Quilting Treasures and more

Last week I had the pleasure of giving a program and workshop to the Colorado Valley Quilt Guild in La Grange, Texas, home of the Texas Quilt Museum.

Just look at the quilt mural on the outside of the building! A beautiful old building dating from the 1890's has been restored to serve as a fabulous venue for quilt exhibits.

La Grange is about half way between Houston and Austin and well worth the trip should you be in either city. Exhibits change quarterly I think, so check their website...google Texas Quilt Museum and take a peek. The current exhibit is America the Beautiful and in October will change to Stars.

 

I got away, also this month, for a 5 day retreat with my 19th Century Patchwork Divas.

 First time I had really sewed in months.

Most of the time I'm over at my parents house cleaning and sorting through 72 years of married life, and collecting all sorts of stuff from dishes to toys to matchbooks, tools and cookbooks.  What a job!

 

Here a few of the quilts from my parent's house...

 

This little 9 patch quilt is proof mom did quilt, not well, but did quilt. She hated quilting, but this was made with her mother, a doll quilt, so it was cherished. Mom was born in 1920 so the fabrics would date from mid to late '20s. The unbleached 'domestic' on the back and binding is super thin and loosely woven. 'Domestic' is what we call muslin today.

 

The Improved Nine Patch quilt may have been made by mom's mother or by a friend of hers that sold quilts in the 1930's for a few dollars each.  I horrified my mom by dying a white chenille bedspread yellow when I was a teenager. This quilt then went at the foot of my bed...loved it growing up. The picture is upside down and sideways, hmmm thought I fixed it.

 

The quilt below  belonged to my dad's paternal grandmother. Dad's mother NEVER quilted, but she did help teach me to sew. Grandmother Reed had a bunch of children, 3 who never married and lived with her on the farm. Either Aunt Hettie or Aunt Ella was blind, I can't remember which, but sewed and quilted anyway. I was too little to remember dad's grandmother, but I do remember his great aunts, dressed in long sleeved black dresses on the porch of their simple and pristine, but un air conditioned white farmhouse, surrounded by fields of cotton.  Hotter than you know what! Anyway, Grandmother Reed and two of her daughters made this quilt. Fabrics dates from the 30's.

 

Look at the mistake.  I have trouble with the notion that mistakes were on purpose. In this quilt I'd like to believe my blind great great aunt pieced the green block and my great great grandmother chose to leave it as it was.

 

Mom's mother did make this very scrappy hexagon quilt from all the dresses, shirts, aprons etc. she made from her family.  It is HUGE quilt. Mom did tell me that matching the fabric pieces and handing them to my grandmother was something she enjoyed. Thank goodness she enjoyed something related to fabric! Fabrics date throughout the 30's and early 40's, including some feed and sugar sacks.

 

Mother wasn't ever interested in her quilts like I was. For her they symbolized hard times. They made her sad, keeping most of them in a closet. Wish she could have seen the beauty in the quilts, the resilience of the makers to create something beautiful, as well as practical, during those hadr years of the Great Depression.

 

Had to include two photos of  some of mom's things that she loved. The china dolls were my grandmother's and her sister's when they were little girls in the 1890's. The burnt wood boxes are but a sew of mom's huge collection, dating from early 1900's to mid 1910's. The bulldog is a candy bank from when mom was a little girl.

 

Three more dolls and  other toys mom kept from her childhood. Don't you love her doll sized kitchen cabinet?

 

When mom was staying with me, she asked me one day to bring over her toys.  Her things always made her happy.  And now they make me happy too.

Miss you mom!

 

Going to eat a bite of lunch then head over to sort more stuff.

Hope everyone's summer is going well.  It is a hot summer here as usual, temps in the 100's this week....Summertime in Texas.

 

Until next time~

Betsy

My MOM

I have spent several days composing this post, reflecting and crying....

My Mom passed peacefully early Friday morning,  May 31, ascending into Daddy's waiting arms. While a huge hole is left in my heart, I'm comforted in knowing she is with Daddy, her beloved parents, brother and sister, who was her very best friend.

Mom was a petite cutie. She was shy, smart and stubborn, a fabulous cook, devoted to family, and loving wife, mother, daughter, sister and aunt and grandmother. She was a true homemaker in every sense of the word.

 

 My son, Matt said she led a princess life...she never learned to drive a car... I think because Daddy tried to teach her! Sissy, her sister, and Daddy took her, where she needed to go. She never paid bills...I can count the number of checks she wrote on one hand. She never worked outside the home and in the last few years she told me she was never made to do anything she didn't want to do.  Good thing she never told that to my brother or me when we were kids! She was unbelievably slow at everything, eating...meals took forever! Getting ready for a doctor visit had to begin at least 3 hours prior and even then we would be late.  Daddy's patience would be stretched beyond reason, and mine too, on occasion. the more we tried to hurry her up, the slower she became..She had two speeds, slow and slower.

When Daddy met Mom in elementary school, he claimed her as his, put her on a pedestal, where she stood the rest of her days.  They were married 72 years.

Mom taught me lots of things, but she didn't teach me to sew. She didn't like any part of sewing or quilting. I teased that she couldn't sew on a button, but she could, reluctantly though. She could not hem a skirt or a pair of pants, so I had to learn that myself. Mom liked to crochet and LOVED to cook. I cook like she did, because I was a good observer and remembered how her recipes smelled and tasted. One time I had to prepare a complete meal for Mother and Daddy for homemaking class, I thought she was going to have a coronary! Giving up contol of her domain nearly killed her. As a very young child I stirred the batters and licked the bowls, never getting sick from raw eggs. She handed me a butcher knife and showed me how to chop the pecans and that was my job from then on...I was probably 7 or 8. I could help her, but it was HER kitchen, her kingdom where she reigned supreme.

 

As her memory slipped away, her cooking skills disappeared. It was one of my great pleasures to make dinner, nearly every night, the last few years for my parents.  Mom would say every meal was the best, tasted so good, and the servings all went together so well, as she rotated the fork over the plate. I'd say every meal, well it's your recipe, I cook just like you did and this is how you served it.  Sadly, she couldn't remember.

Mom was salutatorian of her class and always had an incredible memory. When it left her, it took part of her along. One memory Mom didn't lose was that Rachel is expecting a baby and she talked everyday about rocking that baby.

I was priviledged to care for mom after Daddy passed. I had 3 fabulous caregivers and Matt and Steve by my side to help me day to day. Rachel gave mother something very special, HOPE, something to look forward to, a great grandchild.  I thought sure mom would still be here for the birth in November.  Matt's devotion to his grandmother, Miss Ma Ma, as he called her, was beautiful. Rachel and Matt had great role models in my parents and they miss them everyday.

 

Florence Marie Carter Reed

April 12, 1920 - May 31, 2013

A high school photo circa 1935

 

Matt's biggest fans...(next to Daddy)

Rachel, me and Mom after Matt pitched a no hitter to win City Championship

in the late 1990's, maybe 1996?

 

Mother, as a black widow spider and Matt as a cereal killer at Halloween 2012

 

Today, we had Mom's service.

My days are suddenly empty, but they will fill up quickly. I spent a year arranging, scheduling, worrying about her care. Caring for her was tiring, complicated, heart breaking and so, so rewarding.

I miss kissing her goodnight and getting a good morning hug as I rubbed her aching back.

Mama, I'll miss you everyday.

Goodnight, I love you.

 

Until next time, my best to you all.

~Betsy

 

Market Report

To Market, to Market....Schoolhouse presentation given,  new fabric introduced, reconnected with good, faraway friends...a really good trip! 

 

Introducing...Catherine's Courtyard, my newest line with Newcastle Fabrics. 

 

 

Yes, I've changed fabric companies. Isn't this chintz print beautiful? The photo I have of the coordinates isn't the best. We will have to wait for Newcastle Fabrics to get the line uploaded to their website.

Here is a group picture of the inspiration fabrics. Not all made it in the line. lol I wish! Like the Gone to Texas antique quilt, the log cabin has many great fabrics....perhaps a sequel?

Interesting log cabin, started by hand then with same fabrics, piecing is completed by machine. Makes me wonder if made by more than one person. and who owned the fabulous scrap bag? All prints in the courthouse steps quilt are 1830-60 at the latest, so did the maker have one of the very first machines? Lizzie got her first machine in 1861.

 

My Schoolhouse presentation went well.  I always forget something but,

15 minutes is not enough time!

A nice market recap appeared on Lori's Humble Quilts blog...thank you Lori!

Lizzie got lots of attention, the KC Star booth sold out of all the copies they had with them on Friday, first day of Market.

 

The American Quilt Retailer, a wonderful trade magazine, gave a very nice review of Lizzie's Legacy in the most recent issue. Here is the clipping. Wow. It made me cry! Thank you!

And I here there is also a very nice review in Primitive Quilts magazine. Thank you!!!

 

I'm not very good at taking Market photos. I'm a buyer for LSHQ, so I was pretty busy looking for new fabric and block of the month programs. Paula Barnes new Hampton Ridge is beautiful and I fell in love with the wool projects at Heart to Hand.

 

I went out one night with friends for dinner and soaked up a little local flavor of Portland.

Chandelier inside Voodoo Doughnuts

Note the gorilla holding court among the array of sweets.

Weird, interesting place.

Just look at the these diet busting gems!

The signature doughnut...Silly, sugary fun with friends.

 

Will blog more when time permits. I intended to have more to add to this post, but Mom is not doing well at all and my time has been very limited.  Haven't been able to sew since even before market. During Market, Mom had to go to a respite facility, then came back to my house a week ago today. She has stopped eating and we are keeping her as comfortable as possible.  The computer is in her bedroom so I can keep an eye on her  while I type.

It is a difficult time in life, but I'm so thankful for this time with her.

Blessings to all.

 

Until next time~

Betsy

 

 

 

 

 

May musings

Preparing for Quilt Market in Portland...quilts are 'resting' in loose lumps on the bed under Molly's supervision, of course.  They have been in the suitcase, so a quick plump in the dryer and a nap were in order before they are flattened again and packed for shipping.

I would prefer to carry the quilts myself, but just in case something happens with my mom, the quilts will be there for a Schoolhouse presentation whether I go or not.

 

Do you think Fed Ex will ship a cat? How do cats know you have just taken something out of the dryer? I moved her once, left to get another load, and there she is again.  Surely cat hair can't be seen from the audience, right?

 

Mom was placed under the care of Hospice last month.  She is staying with me most of the time. It is a pleasure to care for her, but we both have had to adapt to the situation.  Best part, is kissing her goodnight and telling her I love her and that I'll see her in the morning, and then each morning getting a good morning hug when I get her out of bed as I rub her back to ease the back pain from a long night's sleep.

I've tried, as much as possible, to continue a normal routine, teaching, working one day a week at the quilt shop, and travel for programs and workshops, and sewing. Well, not getting much sewing done.  One thing I'm doing a lot of, though, is cooking! I use to complain about eating out too much and now, I long for a dinner 'out'.

I'm ok, everyday is a new day.  I make lots of lists of things to do, usually losing the list.  There is a lot of paper gathering around this house!  Notes and records from nurses for us caregivers, bills, yuck, a journal of mom's day...now that is cool...something the caregivers started a year ago when Daddy passed away.

 

Speaking of Daddy, he helped me identify this quilt as Lizzie named it.

This is the antique inspiration hanging over my cupboard door.

 

I had asked him if he knew anything about a bird trap, he said yes, it wasn't sucessful in a very emphatic way, but did draw me two pictures of this scrap wood structure boys built to trap a bird.

What Dad drew was a Courthouse Steps block. I love the quilt I made for the book.

 Bird Trap
 

 

If any of you are going to attend Quilt Market in Portland I'm giving a Schoolhouse presentation on Lizzie's Legacy at 1:55 on Thursday, May 16. I've never been to Portland, Oregon...Market should be fun and inspiring.

 

Just for grins, and this doll does make me smile, here is a sweet doll given to me at the retreat I taught in March.  I'm calling her Lizzie.  She is dressed in one of my favorite pieces from my Wrappers collection.

 

I'm spending a lot of time thinking these days, musing really. Reflecting on mom's story and the events she has seen in her 93 years.

This time with her is precious, as everyday should be anyway, a treasure to behold with fond remembrances of yesterday and wonder at what tomorrow will bring.

 

Until next time...

~My best,

Betsy

 

 

The freshness of Spring

Here is Spring...has it arrived where you live?  The bright green of new growth seems to increase daily. Makes me smile.  Spring is so often a time for new beginnings, maybe that energy should go toward finishing those unfinished projects.  Hmmm, no, more fun to start something new.

Have you seen http://www.pickledish.com/ lately?  I was interviewed for a blog post about me and Lizzie's Legacy.  Check it out. The posting is for March 28. If you leave a comment, you have a chance at a free book.(I don't know how long this runs.) Deb asked me what I was currently working on, and Molly suggested the hexagon project, no doubt so she could be in the photo.  Random fabrics, very scrappy, no plan for colors nor size.  Hexes are on the large size, a little harder to hold for stitching and helpful kitty adds to degree of difficulty.  :-) A few hexes stitched each evening and before I know it, I just might have a good size quilt...how big is that? As big as I want, a throw, or bed size, who knows.  It is calming project, fairly portable and fun.

Molly has a thing for English Paper Piecing, but I won't allow her to help with the basting.  Thank you Sue Daley for introducing us to Sewline glue!!!!! I may never thread baste again. Grab some of this fabric glue and give it a go, running a line of glue on each side/edge of the paper , enough so your fabric's seam allowance with cover it and then press it down with your finger.  TA DA basted.....so fast!

 

Molly trying to decide on the backing of Sister's Block quilt.

 

 

She chose the paisley.

 

 Now I'm wishing I had a larger quilt, big sigh...they can't all be big.

 

I had wanted to be decorated for Easter and Spring, maybe tomorrow! The same Christmas quilt, red and cream, is still on the end table. Was ok for Valentine's Day, but not good for spring.  Taking care of my mom is about all I can do.  She is napping right now. 

 

I had a lovely break two weeks ago when I taught a workshop for several days in East Texas, wonderful food, great students and friends, fabulous sewing room and one realy good night's sleep!

Next week I host a JO Morton retreat and I cannot wait to get away, relax and sew.  When I am away, Mom has very good care...my son, or husband, stay with her at night and my comfort keepers during the day. Her dementia is progressing and it is harder and harder to get away.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I can go next week and in May to Portland for Spring Quilt Market.

 

My time is up, sad to say...until next time, take some time to enjoy Spring.

 

My best,

~Betsy

Lizzie's Legacy

My books arrived and my quilts came home.

13 quilts and a pincushion, which you can barely see on top.

 

One of my friends wrote this to me, "Congrats on the birthin' of this baby,

I know it was a long labor for you."

How true!

You can preview the book here at the Kansas City Star Pickledish Store.

Hope you like it.

 

I feel free to a certain extent...you know how it is when you finish a project and you are so happy with your project, and so glad to be done, you can't wait to start something new,

but you can't decide on what to do!

That is me to a tee these days.  I have time to plan, to sew, to work, but again, on what???

I'm busy with my mom and her care, hand sewing at her house in the evenings. When I'm there with her during the day, I'm cleaning her closets and, ugh, the garage. My parents saved everything from their 72 year marriage, and I do mean everything!

During the day when I'm at home, well, I dart from one quilting thing to another. Lizzie would have called it, "knocking around"; I call it "messing around", but the meaning is the same...busy with a whole lot but nothing accomplished! Maybe it is just a lack of focus. The one thing I haven't done with my free time is clean the sewing room....too depressing a thought.  Yet, I know one of these days the mood will hit me and I'll tackle that awful, jam-packed room!

 

Until next time,

~Betsy

 

Where did January go?

How did we suddenly reach February??? Guess editing and a teaching trip to Louisiana took up all my time in January.  How is your winter going?  Here, in Texas, it is pretty warm. Trees will be budding too soon if it doesn't turn cold pretty soon.

The trip to Louisiana was wonderful, good food, meeting new friends always a treat to go on the road. Just wish there was more time for seeing the sites.  Visited two great shops, The Bourne Quilter in Lafayette and The Quilted Owl in New Orleans, and toured the plantation, Laura along plantation road, beautiful old Creole home.

The editing finished and I got to see the final pages of Lizzie's Legacy while in Louisiana. I'm sooo happy! The book will start shipping this month. Here is the cover...

 

 

Hope you will like it.

 

Molly enjoyed helping me plan the quilts. Here she is on an especially productive day...

 

I think we were trying to select the backing for Sister's Block quilt.  Do I remember which we choose?, no. Will have to check when the quilts return and they are on their way.

The tracking number came today from my editor Jenifer. You may want to check out what Jenifer is doing now that this book is done. She is a modern quilter. Her style is quite popular and you can find her work in magazines and books. Check out her cute book Quilt Retro and her latest, Stories in Stitches which pairs antique quilts with modern quilt versions.

 Both of us are trying to catch up on everything that got pushed back while working so long on this book. Thanks Jenifer, and my team, too, at Kansas City Star books for working with me...I can't wait for my copy to arrive! 

 

Winston saw Molly's photo and reminded me he helped quilt Sister's Block.

 

Hopefully the quilts will arrive soon, and I'll tease you with some more snippets of the quilts then.

 

Until next time...my best.

~Betsy