And Another Vintage Style Towel!
This is so cute! Cathy's towel design comes from a vintage Vogart pattern, #672 Dutch Treat. This is one that I don't have! I love Cathy's color choices. Nice bright happy colors, perfect for recreating the 30's/40's style!
Thanks so much Cathy for allowing me to share your towel with my readers. It's so charming!
To see all of the towels from the Challenge, click here.
posted by Pam Kellogg @ 8:47 AM
2 comments
Additions To The Vintage Style Towel Challenge
You may remember that Robin, who joined in on the Vintage Style Towel Challenge, decided to complete the entire set of designs. This morning, she sent me the photos for two more of her towels to share with my readers. Aren't they pretty!
To see all of the towels, click here.
Thank you so much Robin! I'm sure my readers will enjoy seeing these as much as I do!
posted by Pam Kellogg @ 11:00 AM
1 comments
This Piece Is Complete!
I finished this last night. I added the spider to the web, I added my mom's initial (A) which is a little hard to see here but shows up well on the actual block and I added my grandmother's initial (M) in the lower right-hand corner.
My silly husband asked me last night if it has to weigh in at a certain amount before I consider it done! Ha, ha, ha!
Anyway, this piece is for my mom for Christmas. This block will be framed.
I'll be starting another block later this week so check back.
posted by Pam Kellogg @ 10:34 AM
3 comments
Mother's CQ Block Day 7
Just a quick little update today as I'm heading over to my mom's for a bit with my vintage transfer collection. She wants to see what interesting things I might have!
Anyway, as you can see, I've added some more stitching to this piece. Some ribbon work on the right side of the paisley, another piece of lace trim, some sequins, oh and the little stars on the black crushed velvet with the angel!
I'm planning on adding my mom's initial, my grandmother's initial and of course, my signature.
More tomorrow!
posted by Pam Kellogg @ 12:14 PM
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Mother's Crazy Quilt Block Day 6
As I mentioned in yesterday's post, I took a stitching day. I worked solely on the CQ Block for my mom.
Now, several months ago, my mom gave me a few pieces of jewelry and asked that I someday work them into a block for her. One was an angel pin that she's had for quite a few years, one was a silver necklace that belonged to my grandmother and last was a pair of my grandmother's earrings.
Mom asked me that I not compromise the pieces meaning, please don't cut or remove the chain from the necklace, please don't take the screw backs off of the earrings and please don't remove the pin from the angel.
Ok, the angel pin was no problem. I simply pinned it to the crocheted medallion on the black crushed velvet. I tacked the heart locket down with several stitches so it didn't move around too much. Nice and easy.
The earrings weren't much of a problem either. I had to leave the screw backs on because without them, there was no way to attach them to the piece. The easiest thing to do was to hide the backs amidst some fluffly ribbonwork. I did the gathered ribbon flowers, sewed them on, added some leaves and tucked the earrings in where the two fluffy flowers meet. I added some french knots with another ribbon color and sewed on a few grey pearl beads.
My biggest dilemma, was in what to do with the necklace. Had I planned this block out better, I maybe could have had the chain coming from the angels hand and scalloped it across the block. But I didn't think about it too much before I did the foundation piecing so I had to find an alternative.
I tried everything, thinking maybe I could tuck the chain behind a seam and no matter what, the piece was lost.
While working on another area, I remembered the vintage beaded dress piece that I bought at an an antique shop back in February. I purchased it with the intention of using it on a large wallhanging. I remembered that with this piece, there was an extra little paisley, lose in the back and quite deteriorated.
I pulled it out, layed it on the block and it was perfect! The perfect size and color! I put the necklace around it, leaving the pendant part dangle at the bottom of the paisley and my problem was solved!
But despite my excitement in solving my dilemma, I now had a new challenge! Because this little paisley was literally falling apart, I had to figure out how to stabalize it. I took a square of muslin in an embroidery hoop and carefully stitched the piece to the fabric. I then, 3 by 3, ran my needle through the beads and attached them to the muslin.
At a quilt show in April, I found a bag of circa 1910 silver beads that matched the ones on the dress exactly. They were expensive but I bought them to fill in on the dress piece when I got around to making my wallhanging. Anyway, I pulled them out and used them to complete the silver border around the paisley.
The next step was to trim the muslin around the beading:
I folded in the excess fabric and carefully, between the beading, sewed the edge down:
This made for a strong foundation and saved the beautiful beading! At this point, I sewed it down onto the quilt but only around the edges leaving the top portion open so that I had a place to tuck the chain into. I then added the silver necklace around the outside of the paisley, tacking it in place where the links were. I pushed the excess chain behind the paisley piece and completed the stitching to hold it in place.
And this is how it looks on the quilt:
I'm planning on doing a little ribbon work near the top of the paisley and coming down the right side of it. I hope it works because I feel it needs a little something. But I'm so thrilled that I figured out how to do this without compromising my grandmother's necklace! And I'm so pleased that I was able to save my little beaded paisley from my vintage dress piece!
I'll be stitching on this more later today so check back soon for another update.
posted by Pam Kellogg @ 9:13 AM
1 comments
Vintage Style Towel Challenge Photos
Gina asked me if there was a place to view all the towels at once. I put them all in a group in my Flickr album. I hope I did this right!
posted by Pam Kellogg @ 10:58 AM
2 comments
A Stitching Day
Here's an update of what I did yesterday on this piece. I finally decided on a seam treatment for the brocade at the top. If you're wondering how I managed such perfectly spaced stitches, I'll let you in on my secret: 8.5 count waste canvas! I simply line the blue registration thread up along the edge of the seam, pin it in place (although you can baste it which is probably a little better) and then start stitching, counting your spaces as you go along. Voila! Perfectly spaced stitches!
I decided to take a few days off from my work. Working at home is great! I love being able to come and go as I please, work when I want to and take a break when I feel I need it.
I'd like to tie up some loose ends, finish some projects that are almost done, work on some Christmas gifts since I'd like to have all that completed by October 1st. My house is clean, my laundry is done, my yard is watered and my work is done for the week anyway so I'm off to enjoy a stitching day!
posted by Pam Kellogg @ 10:48 AM
3 comments
Ginger's Diary
After watching The Aviator yesterday, a movie about the life of Howard Hughs and his role in bringing about commercial air travel, specifically the era of the 20's - late 40's, I decided today to watch Pearl Harbor again. I'm quite fond of that time frame as most of you know and I know many of you are too.
Maybe I chose to watch Pearl Harbor because my mom and I were talking about the 30's/40's era this morning. The quieter times and simpler lifestyles. The movie is still playing at the moment. I can hear it in here. This film reminds me that life was not always perfect in those days. The war years were a hard time for many.
I came in here to look up a website that I found several years back, hoping it was still on the web. It is so I'll post it here. I think you'll find interesting to read.
Ginger's Diary was written by a 17 year old girl living in Hawaii at Hickam Field at the time Pearl Harbor was bombed. I hope you find it as interesting to read and I did.
posted by Pam Kellogg @ 6:24 PM
4 comments
Update on Crazy Block For My Mom
I didn't spend alot of time on this project yesterday. I decided to watch The Aviator DVD which I bought ages ago but never got around to watching. Because of I've never seen that movie before, I didn't want to keep pausing it to get up for beads, threads and do-dads so I did some tatting and worked on this after the movie and during the Cubs game.
Anyway, I added some beads to the braid and the vintage lace, some ribbon roses to the vine along the black crushed velvet and little crocheted medallion to the center of the black patch. I have a plan for this so stay tuned!
posted by Pam Kellogg @ 9:31 AM
1 comments
A New Additon To Our Vintage Style Towel Challenge
We have another towel to see today! This is Laren's towel from a vintage Vogart pattern. You may remember that I stitched this set myself earlier this Summer! Isn't it beautiful? Laren used a few different colors than I did. It's so interesting to see the same pattern worked by two different stitchers!
Laren is going to do the complete set so be sure to visit her Needle's Excellency Blog for updates. Laren has also acquired a few new vintage Vogart patterns if you're interested in seeing them.
Thank you Laren for joining in on the challenge and for allowing me to share your stitching with my readers. Your towel is beautiful!
posted by Pam Kellogg @ 9:03 AM
2 comments
Crazy Quilt Block For My Mom
I did some more stitching on this block yesterday. I added the black trim with the red flowers to the bottom right corner and the added the blue braid over the edge of vintage lace. I sewed on a few ribbon flowers on the edge of the black fan stitches as well. Those little flowers are about a 2 - 3 inch piece of picot edged 1/4 in satin ribbon that I hand-dyed myself. They're simply gathered along the edge and then tied off. I had a feather stitch along the edge of the brocade patch at the top but I didn't like the way it looked so this morning, during Simply Quilts, I took it out. I'll have to figure something else out for that seam.
posted by Pam Kellogg @ 8:56 AM
1 comments
A New Crazy Quilt Block
Well, I was going to start on the Harvest Peacock next, but after sewing up several more blocks on Friday, I decided to do this one instead. This will be a Christmas gift for my mother. She doesn't know anything about weblogs so I think I'm safe in posting about this!
Anyway, here is the block before I started stitching on it:
And here is the block after 1 day of stitching. I worked on it most of yesterday afternoon and part way into the evening:
The large floral print is a brocade. Geez, I wish the lovely shine of this fabric would show up on the scanner! The light blue is a printed satin, the black is crushed velvet, the aqua is a poly of some type, the blue with the gold is a cotton with metallic on it and the other medium blue is a batik.
On some of my last blocks, I noticed that the needle was pulling my fancy fabrics, snagging them really. I always put a new needle in my machine everytime I sewed so I couldn't figure out what the problem was. My sewing machine is a Singer so I always bought Singer brand needles. Well, I was whining to my mom about this little problem so when she was up at JoAnn's, she bought me a pack of Schmetz needles to try. Wow! What a difference! No more snags! I was pleased to find them at WalMart for under $3.00 a pack! From now on, it's only Schmetz needles for my sewing machine!
posted by Pam Kellogg @ 12:44 PM
0 comments
Robin's Vintage Style Towel Challenge
We have another addition to our Vintage Style Towel Challenge today!
Robin has shared 2 towels with us. These designs are from an Aunt Martha's Iron-on transfer and Robin enhanced the designs with some crayon tinting!
I love the purple fruit with the yellow border! So cheerful and happy looking!
Robin is going to continue on with the rest of the set and she kindly offered to send me photos to share with my readers.
Thank you Robin! I think it's safe to say that we're all looking forward to seeing the rest of the set! These are lovely!
posted by Pam Kellogg @ 9:39 AM
0 comments
Reproduction Vintage Iron-On Transfers
I've been asked several times now, where I find my cute and charming transfer designs. Well, some of my vintage transfers were given to me. And some of you already know that I find many at Flea Market & Antique Shows as well as Antique shops. I've also purchased a few through Ebay.
A really great source for Iron-On Transfers is PatternBee! Vicki's transfers are reproductions made from her own extensive collection of vintage transfers and they are "iron-on". PatternBee offers over 500 reproduction designs including transfers for baby items, towels, redwork....you won't believe all the great designs there are to choose from!
I have several of Vicki's reproduction patterns. They are packaged beautifully and come with complete and excellent transferring instructions!
I met Vicki through her Turkey Feathers Blog, which is absolutely wonderful! Every day is like paging through a lovely Home Arts magazine. Lots of beautiful photos too as Vicki shares her sewing, embroidery, gardening and cooking & baking with her readers.
Vicki and I recently did a fun craft swap. She had found some beautiful vintage cherry fabric which I fell in love with. She kindly offered to swap 1/2 of it with me!
Scott is currently in the process of refinishing a set of 4 mismatched antique pressback chairs. I'm going to use this to make some seat covers for them.
Also in our swap, Vicki sent me a beautiful vintage style towel that she made as well as a handmade potholder that she did from a vintage kit.
In return, I sent Vicki some various fabrics, some buttons and trims and few other things that I thought she would like.
Anyway, if you're looking for transfers, try PatternBee!
posted by Pam Kellogg @ 8:49 AM
2 comments
More Doorknockers!
First, I'd like to thank you all for your lovely compliments on my Autumn Holiday Doorknockers yesterday. I may not reply to every comment, but I do read them and I truly appreciate hearing from my readers!
It seems, that you enjoy seeing photos of my stitching. I don't have any new stitching ready to share with you but I thought I'd scan a few of my doorknockers that I currently have displayed. I think I made all of these last Summer.
This is a charming little Vogart pattern bordered with some of my reproduction 30's fabric. This little doorknocker hangs on the knob on my backdoor.
Worked in Redwork (also known as Turkeywork), this little kitty comes from my cherished collection of old Workbasket transfers. My mother gave me her entire collection! I'm not even sure why she gave them to me because she still does this type of embroidery. Maybe it's because I was always drooling all over them!
Another Redwork design done in green, this also comes from my Workbasket transfers. I think I may have enlarged these patterns a little bit on my computer. Redline transfers such as the Workbasket ones, are hard to see through the lightbox so I usually scan them into my computer and then print them in b/w.
Redwork became popular in the late 1800's. Red thread at that time, called Turkey Red, was one of the only colorfast thread colors available. To read more about Redwork, click here.
It surprises me when I hear of stitchers concerns over red floss colors bleeding when wet. Esp. since red thread was colorfast back in the 1800's. I've never had any DMC thread color bleed, not even the reds.
Oh, and if anyone is interested in trying Redwork, good DMC reds to use are #321, #304, #498 and #816. I've also used #666 and although it's quite bright, I like it!
posted by Pam Kellogg @ 8:43 AM
4 comments
2 Autumn Finishes
I stitched up these two little holiday designs and did the finishing last Friday.
A cute little jack-o-lantern for Halloween
And little turkey design for our American Thanksgiving
If I was using my brain the day I scanned these, I would have scanned them before I stuffed them, you know when they were still flat and easy to fit on the scanner! But I think my brain was on vacation that day and I didn't think of it until I had them finished! These are little doorknockers (pillows that hang on a doorknob). Both are crayon tinted.
posted by Pam Kellogg @ 9:15 AM
6 comments
The Rest Of My New Vintage Transfer Patterns
This is the last of them! Isn't this cute? I don't play cards, so I doubt I'd make this as a tablecloth, but the designs done in applique and embroidery would make cute tea towels or would be great on an apron! I love this Simplicity pattern from 1946 which is complete and uncut!
Tomorrow, I'll have some stitching to share with you!
posted by Pam Kellogg @ 1:36 PM
3 comments
Transfer Pattern 2
Another Superior Pattern with loads of extra loose transfers included in the envelope!
posted by Pam Kellogg @ 1:34 PM
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Transfer Pattern 3
Another pretty pattern by Vogart. I actually already have parts of this pattern. They were in some loose transfers that I purchased through Ebay. I've already stitched the hummingbird and the cardinal. This pattern is complete and since I love bird designs, I was thrilled to find this one uncut.
posted by Pam Kellogg @ 1:33 PM
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Transfer Pattern 4
This pattern by Vogart is just too cute! The transfer is cut but it is complete and I was surprised to find a few extra transfers in this envelope as well!
posted by Pam Kellogg @ 1:31 PM
1 comments
Transfer Pattern 5
A cute pattern by Simplicity from 1946. I guess sachets were a big thing back then. I think these would make pretty little ornaments!
posted by Pam Kellogg @ 1:30 PM
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Found A Nice Blog Devoted To...
Crazy Quilting! CQ Crazy Blog has some really beautiful CQ stitching. Take a peek if you have some free time!
posted by Pam Kellogg @ 9:53 AM
1 comments
More Of My New Transfers
This is an old pattern. It was published by "The Designer Publishing Company Inc." in New York. This design is for a cutwork tabletopper. I've never tried cutwork and I would like to try it but I think I'll try it on something smaller first. I have other vintage cutwork patterns which are a little more simple than this one. These pretty little peacocks could be embroidered with simple outline stitch.
More later...
posted by Pam Kellogg @ 9:08 AM
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Transfer Pattern 7
Such pretty towel designs! I love pretty handmade linens. They fun to stitch and they work up quickly so they make nice little gifts.
posted by Pam Kellogg @ 9:04 AM
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Transfer Pattern 8
I've never been big on the whole "His & Hers" thing. It was really popular back in the 30's - 60's. But for the 25 cents I paid for this complete transfer, I just couldn't leave it there. I don't know if I'll ever stitch it, but it's a nice addition to my collection.
posted by Pam Kellogg @ 9:02 AM
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Transfer Pattern 9
More designs for pillowcases. Back in the old days, you could purchase what was called "pillow tubing" by the yard. It was fabric for pillow cases, woven in a tube and all you had to do was finish the ends.
When I make pillowcases now, I just go to WalMart and buy a pair of white pillowcases already done. Unfortunately, they have a 3 inch hem on them so the design isn't exactly where I want it. They're simple enough to make so one of these days I'll start making my own. You know, when "time" starts growing on a tree out in my backyard!
posted by Pam Kellogg @ 9:00 AM
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Transfer Pattern 10
Another beautiful crinoline lady with a crocheted skirt! Superior Transfers and Walkers Transfers are a little more elusive than Vogart or Aunt Martha's so I was thrilled to find a bunch of them.
posted by Pam Kellogg @ 8:56 AM
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Transfer Pattern 11
I think out of all of my new transers, this one is my favorite. I love anything with fruit on it!
This is the coolest pattern! It has the patterns for working the fruit in applique as well as the patterns for doing simple outline embroidery.
posted by Pam Kellogg @ 8:54 AM
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Transfer Pattern 12
An old Aunt Martha's design for a baby quilt. I don't have any babies in life but wouldn't one of these be cute on a towel, maybe crayon tinted for Easter?
posted by Pam Kellogg @ 8:52 AM
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Some Of My Transfers from Yesterday's Shopping
Sure wish I knew how to crochet! My mom said she would show me as I already know the basics but do I need the ability to do one more thing? Oh, but this is just so pretty!
Most of the transfers are complete but a few are cut. Which I don't mind at all! I'm happy to have them. These old transfer patterns are one of my weaknesses!
posted by Pam Kellogg @ 1:48 PM
1 comments
TransferPattern18
Many of these envelopes had extra transfers in them like this Alice Brooks design #7463 for embroidery and crochet.
posted by Pam Kellogg @ 1:42 PM
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Apron Patterns
Scott and I just got back from our favorite Flea Market and Antique Show just over the border in Elkhorn, Wisconsin. We walked 1/2 the market and I was starting to get discouraged. Until that point, we had found a whole lot of nothin! And then suddenly, as if something magical happened, patterns started showing up! Apron patterns and iron-on transfers galore! I couldn't believe all the great stuff we found! Which of course, I'll share with you over the next few days.
I'll start with these cute vintage apron patterns:
I'm not sure what year this McCalls pattern is from. The back of the envelope is missing. The pattern is complete but cut and there's a newspaper clipping inside dated 1957.
This pattern was a send away design. It didn't come with an envelope and there is no copyright date on it. The pattern is cut but is complete.
Another send away pattern without an envelop or copyright date.
Again, a send away pattern but this one has an envelope. I guess they weren't too worried about copyrights back then as again, there is no date on this one. It came from "Everywoman's Pattern Service" in New York City.
Last but not least, another mail away pattern for 2 aprons. I really wish these were dated. There's no postmark on any of the envelopes. This one was never cut! It came from the "The Pattern Bureau Fashion Service" in New York City.
There's one more pattern in the batch but it doesn't have a photo so it's a "mystery" pattern! Guess I'll have to make it to see what it looks like!
I paid only $2.00 for all of these patterns!
posted by Pam Kellogg @ 3:47 PM
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Yes, some more Chicken Scratch
I did this piece a couple of weeks ago for a friend who's birthday is today! My intention was to make it look masculine so I did the reverse on purpose using black perle cotton and going around the black squares instead of doing white on white.
Because I was trying to make it look manly, I added the blue ribbon flowers and suddenly, it didn't look manly at all but rather funeralish! Ok, so what I could do to make it happier?
Well, I first added the pink french knots done with some #3 Perle Cotton that I hand dyed myself. That gave it some life. Then I added the leaves and the little grey flowers but it still needed something. So, I added the white beads to the Chicken Scratch part and then it looked like polka dots and I was finally happy with it!
Of course, now it doesn't look manly at all but it's kind of cool looking. And thankfully, my friend Chris likes whatever I send him and doesn't care that it has my feminine touches to it.
Speaking of Chicken Scratch, you must visit Linda at Chloe's Place to see what she's doing with Chicken Scratch and Crazy Quilting! Wow!
posted by Pam Kellogg @ 1:12 PM
2 comments
Mom's Apron Challenge
My mom does alot of sewing. She likes to make traditional patchwork quilts. Several weeks back, she was in between projects and just wasn't sure what she wanted to do next. So, I offered her a challenge which I knew would be no problem for her to do!
I suggested that she make a vintage style apron. The aprons my mom currently uses are quite worn out and since she has been talking about making a few new ones, I thought this would be a fun and quick project for her.
This is what my mom did:
IT's so pretty! I think she used a vintage pattern (which I'm sure wasn't vintage when she bought it). And she did transfer design with some crayon tinting.
Here's a closeup of her stitching:
I don't think the transfer design is vintage, not sure where mom found this pattern, but I love the apron she made for herself!
posted by Pam Kellogg @ 9:13 AM
3 comments
My Husband's Obsession
You all know what my obsession is! And since I don't have much in the way of stitching to share with you at the moment, I thought I'd share a photo of Scott's obsession.
This is a 1929 Ford Model A Tudor Sedan. Scott has been working on this for several years now. As you can see, he still has a long way to go on it! He has the front fenders but he didn't have them on the car in this photo.
As I've mentioned before, I find my peace when I'm stitching. Scott finds his peace when he's working on this car.
posted by Pam Kellogg @ 4:10 PM
3 comments
Michele's Vintage Towel Challenge Project
We have another vintage style towel to look at today! Michele did some crayon tinting on her towel. She told me it was the first time she's tried crayon tinting. Isn't this pretty? The colors are so soft! Michele said she found the pattern at WalMart so I'm assuming it's an Aunt Martha's transfer.
Thank you Michele, for joining in on the challenge and for sharing your project with us!
posted by Pam Kellogg @ 1:11 PM
2 comments
Butterflies and Crazy Quilts
Another favorite subject for the Victorian Crazy Quilt are butterflies! The Victorians loved bright colors and what is more colorful than these beauties!
This beautiful Swallowtail is enjoying a visit to my Purple Cone Flowers. These photos were taken last week.
posted by Pam Kellogg @ 6:59 AM
0 comments
The Monarch Butterfly
I was trying to be patient with this little one, waiting for her to open her wings but she just wasn't cooperating with me! Still, I'm so pleased with this photo. Notice the little white dots on her tiny body.
posted by Pam Kellogg @ 6:56 AM
0 comments
Garden Spider For The Crazy Quilters
Well, if you don't care for spiders, don't look at this photo!
I've never been a big fan of spiders myself, but I think after seeing the spider on rollar skates in Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban, I've sort of developed a new way of dealing with them!
This harmless garden spider is a Argiope aurantia also known as a Black & Yellow Writing Spider.
I first noticed her on the soffit above my front porch. I was so taken with her web. And yes, this is a female. The males of the species don't look anything like the female.
What really caught my attention was her web. That heavy zig/zag down the middle of the web reminded me of the zig/zag stitch on my sewing machine!
A spider and/or spider web was a popular motif on Crazy Quilts for the Victorians. They believed it was good luck to have a spider in their house. Hmmm....I don't think I want this one in my house but she would certainly make for a beautiful embroidered motif on a CQ!
I had noticed that she was moving every couple of days. I thought maybe she was trying to find a better neighborhood! It wasn't until I did a bit of research this morning that I found out that she moves on a regular basis, eating her web almost daily and then building a new one. She's now on the soffit on the side of my house.
Anyway, as I've mentioned before, I can take beautiful photos of birds and butterflies which are always moving but give me something sitting perfectly still and it always comes out blurry!
posted by Pam Kellogg @ 5:32 PM
3 comments
Bargin Appliques
My mom was out and about last week and in her craft/sewing supply travels found these beautiful Venice Lace Appliques for my Crazy Quilting! What a bargin at only $1.00 each!
As I mentioned last week, I have some cross stitch design work that I'm doing for Zweigart. They have lovely products to work with and I truly enjoy being able to look at and hold these beautiful textiles.
With my current work schedule, my stitching time has been cut back just a bit. I have been stitching, working on a few gifts, but it's a bit slow going at the moment.
I'm so looking forward to getting back to my Crazy Quilting. As you know, I've aquired some new beads and now with these Venice lace pieces, the desire to do CQing is even stronger! The Harvest Peacock block is calling me and now I have been inspired to do a Peacock In The Snow block. Can't remember if I've mentioned that or not! Anyway, the ideas always come to me faster than I can do them!
posted by Pam Kellogg @ 12:19 PM
1 comments
Vintage Tatting
After writing my post yesterday, I remembered that I had some vintage tatted pieces and thought you might enjoy seeing some of them. I purchased these earlier this Summer at a flea market. They came in a box of various crocheted edgings and small doilies.
I believe the stitcher used something a bit heavier than tatting thread but I don't think this is #12 perle cotton either. I've actually tried working with regular tatting thread, but I always end up with a great big fat kanoodle so I stick with perle cottons and crochet thread. Someday, when I have plenty of patience, I'll try the tatting thread again.
When I bring my vintage crocheted and tatted pieces home, I always wash them right away. I then roll them in a big fluffy towel for a little while and then I iron them dry. You might find it amusing knowing that I really don't like ironing for the most part. I make sure that I fold laundry right away when the dryer shuts off so I don't have to iron any clothes. But I can stand in the kitchen for hours ironing these little handmade pieces. I listen to my music and I wonder who made them and when and what they were intended for.
I also wanted to share a website with you that I found quite a while back. The website is titled, "Vintage Tatting" and offered there are many vintage (public domain) tatting patterns along with a brief history of tatting. These patterns are written for shuttle tatting but any pattern written for a shuttle can be done on a needle. One of these days, I'm going to take Linda's advice and rewrite the patterns I want to make so that they're easier to follow. It's all the #'s and abbreviations that keep me from trying some of the more complicated designs.
There are some absolutely beautiful patterns here including one for a baby bonnet and one for a slipper! Be sure to take a peek if you have time.
posted by Pam Kellogg @ 11:00 AM
3 comments
Tatting
Tatting is such a lovely embellishment!
I finished my tatted edging for the bluebird pillowcase last night. It's worked in mint green crochet thread. I'll attach it to the pillowcase later today.
I scanned the other pieces so that you could see that I really can do other patterns besides the plain tatted edge that I always do! I think I use the plain edging alot because I know the pattern by heart and therefore, can do it without following the written pattern.
I taught myself to do needle tatting a couple of years ago never dreaming that eventually, it would make lovely additions to my Crazy Quilts!
Pretty tatted borders can be used on towels, pillowcases, clothing, just about anything that you would put lace on. With a little imagination, the possibilities are endless.
posted by Pam Kellogg @ 10:52 AM
3 comments
Stitching Bluebird
Well, you've probably been wondering why I haven't done much blogging lately. I suddenly have a ton of design work and being that I'm a very scheduled person, I'm trying to stick to my schedule. My theory with my work has always been, do it right away because you just don't know when the next project is coming in. And the deadlines in the needlework industry are unbelieveably and ridiculously, short! It's pretty much, a yesterday sort of thing for the most part! Although my current projects are a "when you get them done is fine" sort of thing. I like working with Zweigart!
So my stitching time has been cut down a bit for the time being. But I did manage to stitch this little bluebird design on a pillowcase. The design is from a set of "Days Of The Week" towels. I think it's a Laura Wheeler design but not sure as my transfers are complete but cut. They came in a batch of loose transfers that I found on Ebay.
Last night, I started a tatted edge for it. My usual plain tatted edging but in mint green crochet thread. I hope to finish it up tonight and then have time to attach it tomorrow.
posted by Pam Kellogg @ 5:07 PM
2 comments
Email on Chicken Scratch
As per my daily routine, I got up this morning, had my cup of coffee, watched the weather and when my husband left for work, I came in here to read my email and my favorite blogs.
Due to spam and viruses and all those nasty things, I do my email web based first. I delete the stuff that I know is junk before allowing my real email to come into my mail reader.
Well for some reason, I must have forgotten to reboot my brain today and accidently deleted an email with the words "Chicken Scratch" in the subject line. I noticed it just as I clicked the delete buttton and then it was gone with no way to get it back.
So, if any of my readers here, sent me an email regarding Chicken Scratch, could I please ask you to forgive my malfunctioning brain and resend it to me? I promise, I'll be more careful next time and double check before I click "delete"!
Thanks!
posted by Pam Kellogg @ 9:56 AM
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The Scalloped Apron Pattern
Vicki, over at Turkey Feathers, asked me where my Scalloped Apron Pattern came from. She loves it! So do I!
I think mine came from the Nancy's Notions catalog but I'm not sure as my mom ordered it for me along with some things that she wanted.
So I Googled it and found a place that carries all the patterns by The Paisley Pincushion! I'm in trouble now! Sew Thankful looks like a really nice website with lots of patterns for all sorts of neat things and they have some neat threads that would be great for tatting or crazy quilting!
Now I'm eager to complete my design work for today so I can relax a bit and look around some more!
posted by Pam Kellogg @ 12:03 PM
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New "Vintage" Apron Patterns
Isn't this apron bug something? And I already have a bunch so why do I think I need more? I guess I just think they're really fun!
I aquired these 2 patterns over the weekend. Saw the Simplicity pattern in the pattern book at WalMart but it was $14.00 so I waited for the pattern sale at JoAnn Fabrics and picked it up for $1.99. This is a reproduction of one of their patterns from either the 40's or 50's. It's not written on the envelope but it was in the pattern book. You can see a photo of the original pattern cover on the bottom of this envelope.
The Scalloped Apron is from a mail order catalog. My mom actually ordered it for me along with some things she wanted. I think it came from Nancy's Notions. Anyway, is this just too cute or what? I'll be using my vintage iron-on transfers to stitch on these as soon as I have some extra time to run my sewing machine!
posted by Pam Kellogg @ 12:21 PM
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