Safely arrived... from New Jersey

Look what the mailwoman brought today. Two lovely antique baskets blocks. I actually had bought one block, but Renie put some extra things in it. Like the blue basket block and some leftover fabric, that I can use to repair my antique quilts. It's so nice of her, and she put such a lovely note in it as well (wich ended with love-love-love the blue + white quilt). Isn't that so nice. I think I have met wonderful people/quilters on the internet. I love the "www", it gives me the chance to get in contact with quilters all over the world!! And even visit people and make new friends, like Marne and Elaine.

Well a new project is waiting. I'm thinking about making a kind of "medaillon" quilt, with the basket in the middle, and some borders around it. Maybe put the blue basket in my antique orphan quilt. And of course all will be handquilted.

The brown block is a 9 inch square, dating: circa 1840-60. It's all hand stitched. It's incredible if you look at the condition of this 150 years old block of early american stitchery. The blue block I would date about 1880-1900, I think the basket is made of a men's shirt. It's also very cute and in great condition.

1440 minutes to go....

.... it's going slowly but steady. Yeah, if you choose for handquilting, you need lots and lots of time. Well I'm not in a hurry but my goal is to finish this quilt before my summerholiday starts (lucky my summerholiday is in september : ).

Today, for the first time we can say "spring is coming". It's lovely weather so I'm outside with my quilt. To give you an idea about the amount of work: 110 blocks and 4 borders, each block takes about 45 minutes handquilting. So with 78 blocks finished, I and my friends Dieuwke and Willemijn spend 3510 minutes (59 hours) of quilting, ............ stil 1440 minutes to go for the last 32 blocks.

To put on your agenda ....

......... when you're in the Netherlands in Mai. (Spareroom avaible in my house!!!)

In the Castle Cannenburg in Vaassen is an exposition about "Merklappen en Antiek Textiel" (Needlework samplers and antique textile) from thursday 13 until sunday 16 Mai (10.00 a.m till 17.00 p.m).

A week later you can go to Hennie Oosterbaans housewarmingparty. On friday, saturday and sunday (19, 20,21 Mai, 10.00 a.m. until 17.00 p.m) her little shop is open, and there will be an little quilt exposition as well. (Location: Koudhoornseweg 31, Garderen).

FINISHED .........

.............. my blue white antique quilt (1860-1880) is turned from a dirty old quilt top that needs repairing into a real quilt. It's better not to use it on your bed or on the sofa. But you could if you want. Now it's time to finish my logcabin '30s quilt. And then a new project with my 19 maple leaf blocks (dated around 1920), all hand-sewed, they measure: 12,5 x 12,5 inch. It will be very interesting to think how to arrange them.

Don McLean in concert

When Rob was young, he was a big fan of Don McLean. By coincedence we found out that there was a concert in Carré (Amsterdam). So yesterday evening he and Tale went to see him. It's always a suprise what to expect, he now is 65 years old. But Rob said the concert was fantastic!! The only thing was: he was without his band. They were stuck in the US. As you probably all know, there isn't much flying going on over here. The ash cloud from Iceland is still bothering us.

What are you doing on sunday morning?

Well, this is me with nursing home hair on the sofa. Working at the binding of my antique blue-white quilt, only three sides to go. Our sweet little grumpy old dog Paco, has made himself very comfortable next to me. He has finished his breakfast, and now he likes his after breakfast nap. Rob is working on the computer, preparing his cycling tour through Germany in june. It's a beautiful sunny day, so in a few hours we will be away for a walk and some cycling.

Rob and Tale's cycling tour ...

Each year in april Rob has a congress in Maastricht. Last year was the first time Rob and his friend Tale decided to make a cycling tour through Belgium and Zeeland (Netherlands), starting in Maastricht. So this year they decided to do it again. The weather was good, sunny, a little bit cold, only ........... lots of wind. On the Zeeland-bridge (5km long) they had wind force 6 ahead. The tour took 5 days: 401 km (249 miles), in 29 hours and 18 minutes. They stayed in B&B and Youth Hostels. By the way, you can be over 30, to stay in a Youth Hostel.

And what did I do this week ..... well I tied a lot of knots. Thursday I was ready. Now I'm busy with the binding.

A long walk with Paco ...

Rob is cycling with his friend Tale through Belgium and Zeeland (Netherlands), he will be home on tuesday. So I'm alone, and that means I have the whole house covered with quiltingstuff. Well my life isn't only about quilting. And although the weather wasn't perfect (windy, cloudy and cold) Paco and I decided for a long walk (about 8,5 miles). There is a lot to see during the walk.

Update tying my blue-white quilt

The last days I spend a lot of time "tying". I think I have done 3/4 of the quilt, I hope to finish it tomorrow evening. Paco keeps me company. He found himself a new place to watch me.

Well maybe finished: 595 more square knots are waiting, because I think it would be nice to make a knot in every white square.
But that can also later.

Antique blue-white quilt (1880-1890)

Quilting means a lot of ironing (strijkijzeren as Marne would say), not my favorite part of the process. But when it's a done the quilt is ready to finish. I decided to tie this quilt, because originally it was tied. There are 1190 squares in this quilt. That means 1122 square knots to tie.

I have to hurry up a little bit, because I'm using my dining-table. Next days (or maybe weeks) dinner on the sofa.

Vrolijk Pasen .....

..... Happy Easter. Rain, rain, rain, rain, nothing else then rain over here in the Netherlands. Lucky me, today I got my "late" birthday present from my parents. A wonderful book about the history of the dutch quilt. What else can you do, beside quilting, on a rainy Easter Monday.

Remembering Adelia

28 june 1861, Quilted all day from seven in the morning until five in the afternoon. Had a real good visit with Mrs. Miller. Received a letter from Anderson Murphy inviting us to Woodstock to a picnic at the close of school. Nina Hamilton said Myron told her I was to be married on the Fourth. News to me entirely. But one very important thing they left out. Who it was to!

This is a fragment from the book: Remembering Adelia by Kathleen Tracy. Beside parts of her diary, it also has some lovely patterns, like the "Housewife Needle Case".

Women of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries stored their sewing supplies in a small kit, called a huswife or housewife. Soldiers enlisted in the Civil War did their own sewing and uniform mending, os many of them also carried one in their haversack to hold needles, thread, buttons, and perhaps scissors. Many such needle cases were made by family members of loved ones and given as sentimental tokens when men went off to war.

Isn't it lovely? Just a good way to spend a rainy saturday afternoon.

Another Antique Quilt

This is my other antique quilttop I bought at the quiltshow. It's made with nine-patches, sewed by hand, dated around 1860-1880. I think this quilt and the blue-white quilt are made by the same woman. Some of the blue fabrics are used in both quilts. This quilt is also tied, with the same cotton. I'm not sure if I want to tie this quilt. Maybe I'm going to look for a traditional quiltpattern. Enough plans, time is the only problem. Do you have a suggestion for a good traditional quiltpattern used in 1860-1870's. Please let me know.l