Yesterday was Egg Day So Today I make Thanksgiving Noodles! (Got Eggs from Harry the Egg Man Down the Road.)

Holiday's are not holidays in our family without the home made noodles.

There were plans made to get eggs Monday but after all the snow and cold set in I phoned Harry Brown and asked if Tues. or Wed. would work just as well.  He was just as happy as could be to oblige me.  Dear man that he is!

Tomatoes in my kitchen window.

So yesterday off I trekked and what to my delight did I see?  A big table of tomatoes just waiting for me!

Green and partially green tomatoes ripening in one dinning room window.

God bless you Harry!  He gave me a big sack and told me to help myself!

The third window of ripening tomatoes!

I returned home with not only 6 dozen eggs but I have three window sills of tomatoes ripening.  With any luck we may still have fresh home grown tomatoes at Christmas!

You do need a sharp knife to slice them!

Today I will pan to make a few batches of noodles to freeze for Thanksgiving then drop them into hot turkey stock for Thanksgiving Dinner.      thehiddenpantry.blogspot.com/2011/11/make-egg-noodles-for-now-or-store-in.html     This is the link if you would like step by step directions to make them too.

The vintage doilies add to the "character" of the patchwork coverlet.

There is mending and sewing to do and I will strip the beds, launder the sheets, and remake them for the company that will be here!  There is a vintage patchwork coverlet my Mother made that needs a bit of additional repair today. Many times I am able to make repairs using the vintage doilies I have collected to cover the worn spots.     thehiddenpantry.blogspot.com/2013/08/second-vintage-patchwork-coverlet.html    Here is another link if you would like to see just how I repair them.     thehiddenpantry.blogspot.com/2013/07/repairing-patchwork-coverlet-with.html

Doilies come in various sizes and colors I have found!

 

I am so happy when all of my Children and Grandchildren are here. It makes these tasks fun!

Mending and Repairing Grandma Ruby's Vintage Quilt

All of the binding has come loose and I am carefully making repairs.

It has been quite a while since my brother-in-law Bart and sister-in-law Pam gave us this quilt that Grandma Ruby had made.  The binding was in need of repairs even then.  At that time I was still working and in my head it went on my now infamous "list".  While many of you have traveled with me as I have knocked things one right after another off that list I am remiss I haven't gotten to this before now!

I love these bright colors and the yellow she bound it with!

My last trip to Hobby Lobby netted the yellow quilting thread needed and today is the day I have started!  At noon when I ait to start this I am half way around in sewing the binding.  The stitching was gone most of the way around only attached at all on one side and frayed.  There are also spots in the quilt top in need of a few loving stitches!  But by far the greatest repair is in the binding!

The happy quilt!

 

I have always loved this quilt as green is about my favorite color and I find this very bright and quite cheerful!

Sewing, Mending, Repairing, and More

There are three blocks to do, this is the second.

My sewing is finally underway!  Sunday afternoon I started slowly by putting a casing into a pair of Brian's favorite sweatpants and inserting a cord as a tie so he could continue to wear that favorite pair of pants with the elastic out of the waist!

Next I pinned mid weight woven lace and lace doilies in place on two coverlets showing some wear!  This afternoon I stitched them and they are good as new! 

There is a pieced quilt top I need to decide to either tuft or quilt but first I want to embroidery the names of the women who have stitched it together by hand and will finish it.  The last one I completed was embroidered after the fact and I am sure it will be easier to do it now before it goes together!

My purpose is to leave these to my children with an idea of their age and the ancestors who created them. This piece is all hand stitched quite beautifully with again vintage fabrics that are not as heavy as the first one I finished.  It is primarily dark fabrics and I am unsure if hand quilted what color thread I would use.  On the other hand I could use a heavy batting and tuft it as a comforter using a contrasting wool yarn for wonderful winter warmth.  I really loved the way the blanket stitched edges looked in the crazy quilt and would use this again on this one if I  choose tufting.

There are several other finished tops and some are light weight and light colors that would be very suited to hand quilt.  Others are pieced in velvet just a wide range to ponder suitable finishes!

Apple Season Begins as the Garden Dwindles, Fall is Near and Winter Not Far Behind!

Beautiful apples picked just this morning!

As summer wains and fall nears apples and pumpkins abound.  The gardens dwindle  and the orchards spruce up for the fall crop.  I have very small pickings left of tomatoes and beans but today our friends the Linton's delivered near a bushel of apples from the tree in their yard.  I especially love this as he doesn't spray and there is no pesticide residue to have concerns about.

Today's picking from our garden is sparse.

Mike and Brian had big discussions about where to place an additional out building as Molly looked on!  I put 10 pounds in an orchard box to take to the kitchen and boxed the other 20+ pounds to store in the garage refrigerator until I get my bearings and process them!

Mike Linton and Brian ponder.

And Molly looks on!

Sewing is calling me and as usual I have lost most of the day already.  Maybe I will get some mending started as I contemplate apple something!  Thanks go out to our friends Mike and Mindy for the lovely apples!

Ottoman "ReDo" or Repairing a Worn Ottoman

Molly is my able assistant in all projects.

When I ran out of 30 gallon trash bags today my attention was diverted.  I enjoy seeing all of the "treasures" as I go through the boxes heaped high with fabric, lace, notions, and doilies. 


I was admiring the hand made doilies and it occurred to me that for the short term and until I decided if I could part with or have upholstered my green velvet wing chair and round ottoman it might work nicely to attach a patch of sorts.  There was a very nice round crocheted piece that would perhaps look good perched atop the worn spot in the center of the ottoman.

An overcast stitch using a double thread all the way around the outside of the doilie worked great.

Molly our trusted Brittany Spaniel agreed and off we went to find just the right color of thread, the right size needle, and scissors.  She raced me up the stairs as she relishes always winning.  So she sat by my side and I made short work of the patch.  And what a lovely patch it turned out to be!

I think this rather lovely!

 I really do like the end result and may have unwittingly solved the whole dilemma.  You see my best friend gave me the chair years ago and for that reason it is very difficult for me to part with it.  Although truth be told it is about shot.  But then some might say, so am I!  Just because it has grown a little worn it may not be ready to cast off.  No I think the chair and ottoman will be fine, just fine.

Sewing Repairs and My Winter Garden.

These blossoms are about 2" long!

Christmas week one of several of my Christmas cactus plants began blooming.  Now there are 3 in bloom!  What a spirit raising experience to have these beautiful fuchsia blooms with snow on the ground and an outside temperature of 7 degrees F.

A bud just opening.

The buds are just as lovely as the blooms and both last quite a long while.  I have started many of these and given them away.  The secret to them is they like to be, and bloom when they are root bound!

Amaryllis bulbs.

An additional treat is the amaryllis bulbs I started a week after Christmas.  I see buds and leaves shooting up in a large basket in the dining room!  Love to see these beauties in bloom too.  All of these cheer me on my way each day and I am off to do repairs and mending........

Sewing on a snowy cold day.

Brian has long underwear that the elastic is out of it, our granddaughter has a book bag for me to repair, plus there is my favorite pair of socks and then the fabric to be gone through and the quilt tops to work.  Lots of stitching is waiting to happen.  I basted the 3 pairs of long johns, (Easier to tear out hand basting than machine basting when checking for correct fit!) repaired the book bag, and darned the socks.  That is a start!

Second Vintage Patchwork Coverlet Repaired with Vintage Doilies

These are much sturdier than they appear and are perfect for covering places where the fabric itself had worn out.

Today has not gone as planned so I changed the plan and started back sewing.  I am making my way back to finishing some of the projects I have started so I can start some new ones!!

I love the delicate look these doilies lend to the overall appearance of the coverlets.

Today I completed the repairs on the second  vintage patchwork coverlet and am really happy with both of them.  They should both be just fine now for a good long time.

Basically I just select what will best work where and pin them down then stitch them snugly and back stitch trimming any loose threads as I go.

I really like that they have all darkened with age and appear as different shades of tea stain.  It adds to the vintage feel of the project.

Lots of personality reflected in these coverlets.  History too as Mother made them from the cloths belonging to my Grandmother and my Dad.

There is a comforter I am almost done with and it is very very old and some of the fabric is disintegrating so I am planning on using this technique for it also.

It is lovely that the patchwork patterns can show through some of the repairs and still be an effective restoration.

This is a frayed seam repair made with a strip of a nappy cotton lace and it works perfectly by stitching a rectangular box instead of just a row.

I really love this project and look forward to work on more if these  as it is needed.

Repairing Patchwork Coverlet with Vintage Doilies, Project Completed.

You can see the ribbon I used in earlier repairs and the two doilies I have pinned tonight for tomorrows stitching.

I am loving all these wonderful shapes!  It really does make covering the damage interesting.

Mother made several patchwork coverlets out of Dad's clothing and Grandma's "house dresses" as they were called back in the day.  After being used and laundered they have come loose in places and some of the fabric has just given way.  She machine pieced the squares and perhaps some of the seams have just plain pulled away.

This looks good centered over the corners of 4 squares.

This whole square has become frayed and the tight stitches of this will reinforce greatly.

I must admit to liking the unintended creativity of this application.

Twice I have repaired and reworked this patchwork using gross grain ribbon once and lace another time to cover and repair.  I had been pondering the next step when first I saw in several instances on Pinterest doilies worked into quilt designs.  Now doilies have appeared in two deliveries for my further adventures in "stitching".

Some of these just look like snowflakes!

And some people think it coincidence?  Not I!  At any rate it is now almost 11:00 PM. and this is all laid out on my dinning room table and pinned together for me to sew tomorrow.  So we shall see then how this all works out.

SUNDAY NOON;  All done.....

I found another bad place just above the Dolie at the right and used a woven cotton lace to repair.

I like this piece too with the scallop at the right.

UPDATE NOON SUNDAY;  I have been anxious to finish this little project.  I am tickled about it because it is an unusual thing to do and I really like the idea of it all.  So here are a couple of the finished pictures.  Brian held it up for me to show it is completed.  Very easy sewing, they just went right on without a hitch!

Actually I have another pieced coverlet that is very similar to this one she made in reds and blues.  I mended if previously by using embroidery stitches to anchor the repairs.  I am excited about some small red doilies that may go nicely on that one some time in the future.  Always more projects swirling about in my head!

Vintage Textile Treasures, Doilies.

There are around 50 doilies on the table in assorted sizes, colors, and designs.  The stack at the lower right is 14 of the smallest, ideal for working into a quilt pattern or to mend with.

Inside the boxes from Grandma Powell that I brought in today and got unpacked there were what we called doilies.  (I don't know if younger people speak of them now or know the term.)  Many times these were made by had crocheting them yourself to adorn the tops of tables, arms and backs of chairs or sofas.  The tops of consoles and pianos as well as across the tops of vanities and dressers.  If you didn't crochet likely someone in your family or circle of friends and family did.

I especially admire the delicate color and design of this one.

Of course they could be purchased too.  Fancy work was done on many with additional colors, ruffles, or fruits like clusters of grapes or green leaves were worked into patterns.  I was always fascinated by these items.  I never learned to crochet although my own Mother is quite a master at it even having made little dresses for me as a child.

This deep purple edge is surely striking!

Some of these are also hand embroidered pieces with lace trims. Again in a variety of sizes.  I always wonder about the person who made all of these items.  What they had on their minds at the time they sat and did these, now many of these discolored with age?

I love the plain ones too!

This is folded in half but you get the idea!

At any rate I have seen them being worked into quilted items of late and have thought this a handy idea to keep to mend over damaged sections of a quilt or in the design of one being made.  So I am so very pleased and grateful to have been given these having known they belonged to Margaret,  Martha Jean's beloved sister.  (Grandma Powell is Martha Jean.)

I will treasure them and use them well.

Vintage Textiles and More Treasures I Find. Ready to Sew Soon.....

Vintage Matching Heart Shaped Doilies.

I had deserted sewing back before Christmas although it had not deserted me!  I had just too too much going on to get organized and Grandpa Powell has gifted me with way more fabric than I will ever live long enough to use up.  At one point late last summer I had it all organized but she has since given me at least another 2 trunk loads of totes and boxes of fabric which I have not sorted through yet.

My list of things I need to sew is piling up which includes mending for my granddaughters, a baked potato bag for my sister-in-law, and a tote bag and bibs for some new Moms in our family.  Actually it would be very wise to just get some of these things made up ahead of time for future gifts.  Here is a link to one of the bags I have made.  I never make 2 just alike so there are several others but this one probably gives the best illustrated directions.     thehiddenpantry.blogspot.com/2011/06/finnished-bag-for-diane-birthday.html   

There Are Three of These Hand Made Lovelies.

And then there are the baked potato bags.  That link is     thehiddenpantry.blogspot.com/2011/01/other-drawers-in-my-pantry.html

Dark with age yet spotless.

At any rate I have lugged my big heavy vacuum  down the stairs after finishing the top floor and am getting ready to sweep after which I will grab a bite of lunch and start in on the fabric sorting.  I hope to put together some cute and appealing fabric color combinations in the process of the sorting so I can get started yet today and resume tomorrow on the fore mentioned projects.  (10:00 A.M. 6/25/13)

Well it is 3:00 P.M. and I have 4 big boxes and a bag to load into the back of the truck and take to the nursing home activities director as a donation for the crafts department.  I took a big bag to the trash bin too.  Actually I again found treasures!!  I love old textiles and I found hand crotchet "doilies" as Mother called them as well as very old hand embroidered "doilies and an embroidered tablecloth.  Plus 3 very very nice vintage tablecloths.

I love this old hand embroidered tablecloth.

Forgot to mention tons of lovely fabric, some in small portions and others are nice big uncut portions she has bought with something in mind and never gotten to it.  Also tons and tons of lace, notions, and trims and ribbon.  Just like Christmas!  I still have more to do another day.

Tea stained Dollie on the top of the stack.

More crocheted treasure.

 Dogwood blossoms.

Very retro!

This one is machine embroidered.

Since the vacuuming and laundry is all done I can work on it again tomorrow most of the day!  Might even get to start sewing!

If you know what this is please leave me a comment and share!

Does anyone know what this is?  It feels like a heavy suede and it says, " Made in Japan" on a cloth label on the back.  It is about 7" across and darkened with age.  I really like but do not have a clue what it is.