Old Quilt/Embroidery Finds at the Thrift Store--Parasol Ladies

It's been a long time since my last post but I thought I would share some things I found at a local thrift store! I've been trying to find more information about what year this possibly could be. There are 2 pillows that are finished of applique quilt pieces and look to be made from feed sack cloth. I'm sure the colors are faded from what they were back in the years it was made.

Mostly what I've found is consistent with the 20s/30s decades and the quilt pattern is Parasol Ladies. This pattern is similar to the Sunbonnet Sue. I really liked the detail!

Is this hand embroidered edges or machine?

I would love to know.

The second pillow I found with it that has green colors but not stuffed.

The underneath looks handsewn embroidered.

Quite a bit of wear in some places.

The filling part of the interior is heavy and almost a solid flannel feel. Definitely not poly.

The information I found mostly was about quilts/quilt blocks. If anyone has ever seen these and has good knowledge about what year these were made, please send me a comment below!

Miss Abbie says "Hello" to all our followers and friends. She is still my lump of sugar and my best friend.

I hope to be blogging more often again. So check back soon!

Take care,

Jennifer

The Colberth Rock Shawl and A Thrift Store Find

 Yesterday, I picked up a  shawl I started.......ok, wait for this now.......July 4th. 2017!

 It use to be a free pattern on Ravelry Now it's a few bucks so looking for the pattern was necessary. I finally found it (the last 2 pages of it) and picked up where I left off in the mesh lace. Then about 16 rows down I obviously dropped several stitches in one place. Trying to mend lace was not successful so I frogged about 16 rows. I found a rest row (knitting all stitches) and picked up with a smaller needle finally. The yarn is Juniper Moon Farm Moonshine  and is 40% alpaca. Its a beautiful, soft red. 

After knitting a pair of socks, switching to size 9 US needles with worsted weight was very different.

I frogged almost back to the point where I picked it up. I may have shown this on the blog in the distant past as I started it a long time ago but here's a few pics from then. The true color is in the last 2 pics.

The Colberth Rock Shawl by Rhonda Craven (in progress)

Mystitchmarkers match the yarn :) 

I'm on the second skein now.

It's really a basic triangular shawl.

591 yards of cushiony, soft goodness.

The label has suggestion to use size 7 needles and I started it out like this but my tension must be tight because I ended up switching to a size 9 into the mesh lace portion.

And now.

Definitely will need some good blocking.

And my latest thrift store find!

A wood bowl and some old spools.

just because.........

I have a little soft spot for old sewing notions

and wood bowls........

And I'm getting the bug on this very rainy day to do some thrifting again. It just makes a dreary day brighter.

Have a great day!

As You Like It Scarf Progress and Design

Just to let you take a peak at some knitting this weekend from my stash, I will share these pics.

About 5 months ago, at least, I found a treasure in the junkin' store I frequent, all in a plastic bag and appeared to be skeins of DMC wool. I was first attracted to the colors as I love Colonial blues, reds, greens, etc. So, while resting up over the weekend with Mr. Darcy and 2 movies, I knitted.

Just one skein to another.

I counted after opening the bag!!!!!  53 yes 53 skeins in muted colors. Virtually 10 cents a skein.

 

I just started knitting, in no special order and then I stacked them like this so I can just pick one up as I go. This will make about a 90 inch scarf, plenty to double and triple with jeans on a winter day.

This DMC 100% virgin wool is imported from France. Washable. Cold water.

 

I decided not to piece blocks together, just keep knitting from one color to another.

Hence, the name As You Like It scarf. It's stitch therapy. Keeps my hands busy and warm by the woodstove.

This bag was only 5 bucks. If ordered from a store would be over 50.00 bucks.

 

 So I think as they say another man's junk, is another man's treasure can certainly apply here.

 

I just keep knitting in simple garter one to the other, not really getting disturbed by some irregular threading through the next color.

 

Keeping it simple.

 

Picking out and choosing colors.

 

 Designing my own jeans and sweater scarf.

 

Loving the beautiful colors.

 

One really interesting thing about this pack~~~there is only ONE skein of Dark Brown. Yup.

From chaos.

 

 To organized.

 

To systemized in the colors I like.

 

But the brown is special all by itself.

Only 46 more to go! I've got some buttons in my stash I might use on this, as well.

 

Simple finds.  Simple joy. Simply colorful.

 

I picked up my smaller needle for 1 over 1 stitching on my pincushion. Didn't cross stitch much on it. I got side tracked to knit.

Till later,

Jennifer

North Georgia Mountains---many adventures just outside the homestead

Mr. Darcy and I had a great day off together. I feel so blessed to live in the North Georgia mountains. It's rich in history, many a junkin' store to walk through, many locals and tourists to meet and it's never but a very short drive from the homestead almost right in the back yard to see many quiet spots. 

 

God created the Earth so beautiful and to enjoy. And so on Wednesday we did just that. With an agenda, yet some serendipity on my part, for the day's adventures, Mr. Darcy and I had alot of fun, rest and relaxation, good exercise hiking and making memories, holding hands and conversation of which is always comforting.

 

Here are a few of our pics from our stop at Anna Ruby Falls which is very close to the homestead.

The Captain Nichols back in the day attended one of the churchs we go to and worship. Can you imagine him riding his horse and finding all this beauty?

 

The day was cloudy and overcast and we were just in the nick of time for no rain. But when we reached the large falls, the cool mountain mist was so refreshing peppering my face.

 

 

 

This tree we saw was growing on a huge rock. It had twisted and turned, acclimating itself, drawing water and nutrients and making roots in a rock.

 

 

Speaking of the rock.........this is my rock. :P

 

 

yes he's  Bulldog fan!

 

 

 

This water looked almost inviting for play but believe me, the water from here is cold. No matter what time of year!

 

 

Last time I went to the Falls, it was a dry season, but this time, the water was rushing and filling every gap. The sound so comforting, the mist so refreshing.

 

 

Half way up the mountain, I took a rest.

 

 

 

Those boots were a gift from Christmas and Country Outftters. They were worn specifically because all up and down he hike are signs that warn of Copperheads and rattlesnakes. Not my friends.

Mr. Darcy wanted to take pics here.

 

 

In the above pic, you can see in the distance the big Falls.

 

 

The Falls have two sides and huge. We didn't get a pic of both, wish we did but Mr Darcy did like it. This was his first time there. I've been here many times.

 

 

At the gift shop at the end, I thought this was a fox but they had it labeled as a racoon. Confused me.

 

 

Much of the streams and area are undisturbed. They do not remove trees that are fallen because they believe the natural habitat benefits all kinds of critters.

 

 

It was really the perfect temp of a day to hike here.

 

 

 

After the hike back, we went riding through the mountains and stopped to eat some really good fried chicken and veggies and dessert to fill us up!  We were hungry!

 

 

Then we roamed through a junkin/antique store which had quite the library of old books.

I got a hardback copy of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice.

 

 

There's just something about reading it from a hardback and not the Kindle. Plus there were pics in it randomly.

 

 

I felt the serenity of the many walks taken in the Jane Austen books after the walk with my loving husband. Now to read, on my back porch again of all the Jane Austen flair will be awesome.

 

I have started a good part of the way now on a late Summer shawl with my circular needles.

 

 

Here are the colors. 3 full skeins for a shawlette.

 

 

 

I've made a couple of dropped places but knit group is not far away and I hope someone can help me fix it!

 

Needle size# 11 Knitpics Dreamz ( LOVE)

32 in circulars

 

Following no pattern but my own simple fly- by- the- seat -of- my pants-- hope- it- looks- good approach.

 

Cross stitch designs are flittering around the desk and soon I will be offering another freebie to pay it forward for your stitchy fingers.

 

I am almost finished with a summer scarf for one mother's day project and I have one more to go so I best get busy.

 

Purl of Wisdom~~~ Thank God for the colors of nature. The palette of Spring gives us all free pleasure at taking in a fresh new approach.

 

 

Till later,

Jennifer

 

Treats at the Homestead

There's a really, wicked, cool vintage/thrift store called Velvet's Vintage. Velvet is a sweet lady and the nicest person you'll meet. She has a neat place and also had a small auction this weekend of which was some me time for my introverted self. You know when I saw old cotton batting quilts of years gone by, flapping on the porch rail, I had to stop!  If you Facebook, like Velvet's Vintage and you will be able to see her latest updates on her house of the shop and any auctions.

 

I really was looking for a chest of drawers but found other things instead. Many things went for only 5 bucks, I'm talking, exciting good. I absolutely didn't need 4 quilts but as I love old, old homey, vintagey linens and such, they were calling my name in the wind and sun so I got them for a little of nothing to change out at the homestead here in the mountains.

 

I haven't measured them but my favorite is a smaller one, probably for a twin bed but I'm using it now for a quilt change on the sofa by the fire. There are very few fray spots on a couple here and there but  all handmade with the back of the quilt made of 15 lb bags of white flour sack cloth from Athens, Ga on one of them.

Interesting indeed.

 

Besides quilts, I got 2 old, steady chairs painted in a cream color for 7 bucks.

 

 

It was perfect because it replaced my others I had before and the best thing is I like these alot more.

 

 

Sometimes when the weather is nice, I like to eat outside with Mr. Darcy.

 

 

 

 

This quilt is the largest one and probably would fit a double bed. It's bright and cheery and I could only think of Christmas and Valentine's decor when I saw this one.

 

 

 

 

 

The backing is all old calico red cotton.

 

 

This is the second quilt and it's light and airy for the Spring months.

 

 

 

It's old and the backing you can tell was all handstitched.

 

 

 

This is the next one, it's the smallest, probably for a twin bed. It now graces the sofa by the fire.

This one is my favorite!

 

 

 

 

 

It's the one that has the old 15 lb flour sack cotton printing on the back.

 

 

The last one here is also an old, pretty design.

 

 

Fits a double bed which is what I prefer to sleep in anyway.

 Life is way too short not to sleep cozy.

 

 

 

 

 

It's amazing how we can repurpose old quilts. When I first saw them I thought that when I unfolded them, there would be holes and damage but very few worn frayed areas, not even noticable.

There is lots more life to these quilts.

 

And they will grace the homestead in some way or form. I'm sure they were loved by some other folks somewhere as well and whoever made these quilts with their loving hands probably had no idea they would end up in this home. The designs on the quilts I'm sure all you quilters would know, I don't, but I do love them all and yesterday was a wonderful day out.

Sadly, we wanted to leave church this morning and go for a ride for some Fall pics but the wind has been quite breezy and cold here and the leaves and acorns are falling fast with  a rainy cloudy day. 
The sun came out for about 30 minutes and it's already getting near dark. But in spite of the weather, the fellowship and worship service was good and the message was very good this morning.

So after church I put a pork roast in the crockpot for tomorrow's supper along with some fresh veggies and while that was on the way and started, cooked a 2 layer yellow cake with chocolate icing which definitely hit the spot!

I vacuumed lots of Abbie hair and cleaned the kitchen and family room while the warmth of the fire place is radiating nothing but COZY. I sorted out some stash and fibers and put them back where they belong and found the ottoman again. :)  I couldn't believe how many threads, needles, hoops, frames, and patterns to stitch was piled up on the ottoman!!

I sat down a few too many minutes now and could definitely take a nap but instead going to finish the last episode of Downton Abbey, Season 2--the Christmas episode with Mr. Darcy. I'm all giddy about this episode and can't wait until January for Season 3 here in the US. We just decided we are going to restart and watch both seasons again in the next few weeks.

This Abbie is all cozy now on her pillow and soaking up the warmth from the fire.

 

 

 

She has her "Baby, it's cold outside" hoodie on. She's a hoot!

She is in a pensive mood as she doesn't particularly like this hoodie. Some she likes and some she pouts for hours at me for putting on her. She even refused a treat, a bacon one. But she finally forgave me for the hoodie and is now considering keeping me.

 

 

Have a great Sunday evening!

I'm fixing to have another piece of chocolate cake with a cold glass of milk.

Downton Abbey is about to start here.

 

Jennifer