Quite often I do several different bits of quilting at the beginning of quilting stage, since I find that often what I have had in mind during the lengthy construction stage just isn’t “it” when I actually put it into effect.

This is such a quilt. As pledged, I did make a start on the quilting on tuesday, but let it sit in this state yesterday while I darted out to book group and the following book selection meeting.
I have just re-read Michener’s Chesapeake, first read maybe 25 years ago in a Michener phase, but I have been intrigued with how much I had forgotten of it, and how much it seemed almost a different book – surprising too, since one family of offsprings have lived on the Eastern Shore for the last 7 or 8 years, and we are regular visitors to the area. A fabulous part of the US, and I just love it.

But I digress. Since I am using #8 and #12 perle, and have several gradations of those sandy neutral shades and some black, I ‘ve decided to vary the quilting colour for each block but use the same kind of reasonably large stitch treatment, as above, all over. The bit done in the fine (ie ‘normal’ quilting thread) is just too delicate for the subject matter of this quilt, which is developing an almost masculine, certainly rugged character; and today I will pull that fine stuff out.

Detail of the two quilting treatments I am mulling over. I am even considering french knots, but it is a 1.5m x 1m approx size piece, and I dunno …

This one is so elegant, IMHO.

While fiddling with this pic before putting it up I noticed a very tiny bit of stitching on the far left hand leaf, left hand side – OMG – a microscopic mend, to cover an inadvertent slip of the scissors, I imagine. Absolutely sharp scissors are needed to cut away the fbric behind the stitchery after it is done, but you also need to hold your breath, or get your facial expression right while doing it. Accidents are easy to have if you are weary or interrupted in this kind of work, and if this was a little slip of a snip, I can imagine the maker being very pissed off, especially if she was being paid piecework rates. She may have held her breath and hoped the supervisor didn’t notice. Or perhaps this piece was a reject, for this reason.

So then I went back and looked at the others I bought the same day – but couldn’t find mends on any of them.

Today I will be starting quilting on a piece which has a lot of leather applique, and will post a pic tomorrow. There, that’s commitment. A house guest for a few days arrived yesterday declaring that while her husband has business today, she herself would love the chance to just curl up with a book and have a quiet day … bewdie, Marilyn. 

With family visitors and some health problems in the family too, none of my time has been my own for the past couple of weeks, really – although I have realised that I need to have a hand sewing project ready to go for what I am sure will be regular waiting in waiting rooms in the future – so i am all ready to head out the door next time with some Expressive Stitchery to do on a couple of silk hand dyed scarves.

So, while little quilting work is being done, here is one of several little gems I gathered up recently, for a couple of US $ each, in the Plaza Matriz, where every saturday antique and second hand markets operate. A lovely few hours can be easily spent here, and there is also music and tango dancing most weekends, too – new bars and restaurants springing up around what is becoming more of tourist zone. This is one of several insert pieces done in exquisite needle made lace motifs for putting into high class table linen. Era probably early C20th, judging by the state of the yellowed linen and the design. Things of beauty give joy for ever stuff.

A recent find in the antique markets, just a couple of weeks ago, is this beautfiful Swiss organdie collar. I feel it was from the 30’s, and the lady on the stall confirmed this was the period from which it came.

The fabric is very fine, and because it has never been worn or washed, still stiff. Unfortunately, it has a history, which we cannot know, that is revealed in the stains in parts, possible water damage, but perhaps from being in a drawer or a suitcase which transferred oils or other stuff to it over time.

The price ticket, hand tacked to the underside, showing ” 3 – 40 ” very faintly could mean 3.4 pesos, but were they Argentine or Uruguayan, since on the other was wording in spanish to say it was made in Switzerland, therfore possibly for export to Latin America but it might have been bought in Spain… but anyway this ticket is another sign it was never worn by the intending wearer. A beautiful thing, makes you wonder why it was never worn – it would be smashingly elegant over the little basic black dress……….