The Baby Blanket

During Sarah Sponda's visit she raided the cedar chest in the pink room.  Good Gravy Marie!  She found some of her Mama's treasures.  One being Jenny Wren's baby blanket.  It was literally thread bare and all the "silky" had been worn off.  It was held together by a breath and a prayer.

Sarah, being Sarah, decided it needed to be rescued and returned to its rightful owner.  (Insert skepticism here).  I couldn't change her mind.  When she told me what she wanted to do I was on board ~ but only after the "deer in the headlights" reaction.  Sometimes it takes a moment for creativity to sink in.  Especially if its not my own.

So off we go a shoppin'.  To find just the right fixes for her treasure.  She, like me, isn't patient when you have to shop the coupon/sale way.  We have to tag team the clerks at Hob Lob, 'cause, for whatever reason, you can only use ONE coupon at a time.  You can't even make two separate purchases back to back. N. O. they said.  Pft.

 

 

 

So, here we go!  Since the blanket was so thin she wanted to line and back it with flannel.  She also wanted to put a silky binding back on it.  Pretty ambitious I thought.  But, she has surprised me before with her skills!  She layered the three pieces together ~ blanket , yellow flannel and pretty gender neutral print on the back.  So far, so good.

 

Off to the machine we go to put the first two layer together. Have I ever mentioned her relationship with Susie Singer?  No?  Well, that's a story for another day.

 

 

Ahh, a cake walk she's thinking!  Okay.  Movin' on.  Since putting a silky binding all the way around was going to be a little more costly than she wanted, she opted for a thin ribbon sewn into the binding.  Sounds simple enough.  So let's do it!

 

Looks easy.  But don't ask her if it was!  Um, I can't tell you how many times I heard her call my name.  Sometimes I would come.  Sometimes I felt she would figure it out.  Sometimes I had a dozen other kidlings calling for me.  I felt like I was on a roller coaster!  I also can't tell you how many times that poor girl ripped out the seams.  She threatened to quit.  She would get angry with me (tee-hee) and she would walk away only to come back  Signs of a good quilter!

But, alas, she got it sewn! She purchased a cute variegated yarn to tie it with.  It was not a candidate for traditional quilting.  She did an awesome job for a spur of the moment quilt.  Even if she had several meltdowns!

The last thing she had to do was put a label on it and wash it up!

 

 

To Mom

Your baby blanket

Love, Sarah

Jul 2015

 

I am extremely proud of her!

 

 

 

Sew, until next time,

Lovely Daydreams From the Land of Cotton!

 

 

Vintage Finds

So.  This past weekend ~ I went-a-shoppin'  ~ at the Barn Sale ~ with my Kindred.  

As usual we enabled, no, encouraged, no, that's not right either.  . . . enjoyed, that's it, enjoyed! each other's company.  I didn't have a plan.  Nope.  Just flyin' by the seat of my pants, I was. "Cause that's the way I roll most times.  Having a plan = disappointment.  Disappointment as in not finding what you want.  I'm more apt to let my treasures find me.  So. . . .  as I was fltittin' along that's exactly what happened.  Some treasures found me!   Little, ol' me. 

But since this is the home of cotton and her kin, I shall tell of the finds I found concerning that beautiful mess.

I'm (as most know) a sucker for cotton.  Old, new, vintage, retro, you name it, I could love it.  But you know what they say about love ~ it.  is.  blind.  I became blind.  Blinded by the red and white goodness that was spread on a table before me.  As a feast for the cotton deprived eye, it was there,  tantalizingly beautiful.  Her flaws hidden from the naked eye.   Beckoning without saying a word.
Her beauty speaking for her, calling to me.  I was smitten.  I was snagged.  Hook.  Line.  Sinker. 

I told myself I was strong.  I was only buying ONE thing.  One.  And I did. 



And I walked away.  And I pondered.  I longed for.  I coveted those that I left behind.  I caved.
I returned.  I bought. 

I was assured the linens would wash up nicely.

Um.. . . . not quite so.

The "stains" were of the devil.

I was told the quilt blocks were made from old grain sacks.

I washed them when I got home.  I wouldn't normally do that, but the words:  mouse and pee, used together in the same sentence don't sit well with me. 

 Now they are wonky.

 

 

 

I discovered I like the grungy look they have.  Some of them are grungier than others, as you can see.

I am making a runner with them. I had some  homespun that will work nicely for the backing.  I will quilt it up with some of that vintage thread I got at the last barn sale.

 

I have plans for the other goodies as well, but I shall share them as they land on the drawing board.

Sew until we meet again,
Lovely Daydreams from the Land of  Cotton

We're Coming Along . . . . .

. . . . . . quite nicely.  I've finished crocheting the white borders on Ms. Vintage Granny's squares.  I bet she was thinking her parts and pieces would be forever stored in some dark crevice.

I think Ms. Gran is holding up quite nicely for a gal her age. She is, however, a little wonky ~ bless her soul ~ given I've had to use different yarns for the borders, with different size hooks just to make her squares even close to the same size.

Now the real fun begins.  I get to lay out the colors  ~ so I don't a family of reds or blues or greens all huddled together.  Next, crochet them together.   Then once they are all attached at the hip, I will crochet a border around the whole afghan, corralling those cuties together so none can escape!   Give her a good washing and then, and only then, Ms. Vintage Granny will be done!

Sew until next time,
Lovely Daydreams from the Land of Cotton

Vintage Granny Squares



I've started working on my granny squares ~ again.  I found them in a storage bin when I was cleaning out my cedar closet a while back.  You may remember them as this:

 

 

All skewered on two knitting needles, held in place, in limbo, for . . .  literally years.  

I'd say, 40 years or so. 

Pitiful. 

 

 I added a second row of black around them and then tucked them away ~ again.  

But fortunately for them it wasn't for countless years!  

I decided today to get them back out today since my favorite the most boring

 sport in the whole wide world will be playing.  

ALL.  AFTERNOON.   LONG. 

I am NOT thrilled.  I hate football. 

 Period.

 

 

I decided to add a row of white to offset the black and to pull the colors out in the centers.

I hope it adds just the right touch. 

I think I may add a add a cute little border around the whole thing

when it is finally put together.

I will be excited to get her done.  She has waited far too long. 

 

Procrastination.  My adversary.   

 

 

Sew Until Next Time,

Lovely Daydreams From the Land of Cotton