Her Life Was Like a Rose Pattern

Take your needle, my child, and work at your pattern; 
it will come out a rose by and by.

Life is like that - one stitch at a time taken patiently

 and the pattern will come out all right...like the embroidery.

~Oliver Wendell Holmes~

It isn't often you find vintage photos of women with their needlework.  Finding this one got me to thinking about how much of their lives women of yesteryear spent with needle and thread, yarn and hooks, hoops and linen, and frames and muslin.  But how often did they sit for a portrait with their needlework in hand.  Having a portrait made was not a spur of the moment event in the late 1800's and early 1900's. 

 I'm thinking that this woman was conveying one of two things...

...her life was like a rose pattern...one stitch at a time taken patiently.

or

...knitting is a boon for those of us who are easily bored. 

I take my knitting everywhere to take the edge off of moments that would

otherwise drive me stark raving mad.

~Stephanie Pearl-McPhee~

I have to say that I'd very much like to be thought of as a person that Oliver had in mind.

However, the part about 'one stitch at a time taken patiently' ... that's where Mr. Holmes lost me.

So, I guess I'll have to go with Stephanie Pearl-McPhee!

I take my knitting/needlework everywhere...it's a comfort for Me and Thee!





Sure Cure for Cold Shoulders

I say..."Do you know the Cure for Cold Shoulders?"

You answer by..."Shrugging your Shoulders."

I say..."That's RIGHT!!!"

It's A SHRUG!!!

I know you didn't say a word...you didn't need to...your Body Language said it all.

By definition a Shrug is...an expressive gesture of raising one's shoulders.

It is also defined as...A womans short jacket which is open down the front.
I have Cold Shoulders!  Yes, I do, and apparently so do lots of others as there are at least
138 Shrug Patterns shown on RAVELRY.

A Shrug is like knitting a Sweater...you only have to Knit the FirstHalf of it.

That's really good for me....seems the hardest part of knitting a dang sweater is the Second Half!!

Then there's knitting the Sweater SLEEVES....I never get to those!

The other REALLY great thing about a Shrug versus a Sweater is ....

.....a Shrug is a rectangle with no increases or decreases or set in pieces!

That's right!!!!  You can just cast on and Knit until you are BLUE in the face or until it's as long

 as your 'Wing Span'...that's the measurement from left wrist-across shoulders-to right wrist.

I cheat!!!  I knit my rectangle on BONDA...my Knitting Machine...see Her HERE.

That way, I get to the FUN PART FAST...The Finishing!

I finished this Shrug by Crocheting the Sleeves and Edging with a Ribbon Yarn.

Now I don't want you to think I'm not capable of making a Full Size Jacket.

No Sireeee....It's a Fact Jack...et that I have done just that and just this past week.

It's been right in front of you throughout this post!

You can see the Full Fleece Jacket

On My Sewing/Crocheting Workbasket Table

And it's BLUE...just perfect for

Smiling Sally's Blue Monday

PowerPINKnitting...The Undeniable BOND

Have you noticed the POWER of PINK this year?

It is Raging throughout the Country from

PeeWee Football to the NFL...from Rodeo Arenas to LA's Rodeo Drive!

And now...From Sue's  PINK YARN STASH and BONDA
...she's a LeanMean PINK KNITTING Machine...
To Joining the
PINK SCARF PROJECT!

Linking To
Petals to Picots
I Love Friday's Link Party
Beverly's How Sweet The Sound
Breast Cancer Awareness Pink Saturday

On My Sewing-Crocheting Workbasket Table

Like many Sewers/Yarnies/Needlers I have  so many 'Irons in the Fire' these days that I don't know whether

 I'm washin' or hangin' out....or in NeedleTerms....Stitchin' or Knittin' or Both!

And, ya know what...I'm Happier than a Witch in a Broom Factory!!!

(stole that one from a TV commercial...fits me to a T this time of  year.)

Anyway, on my Sewing Workbasket(s) Table I thought you might like to see a

 'Finished Project' and an 'In The Works Basket' Project.

Have you sewn on Fleece?  It's my new favorite fabric for Multi-Needleworking!

This No Ravel Fabric is perfect for a Quick Sew Pattern and Crochet Finishing.

It actually takes less time to Sew It Together than it does for the Crochet Finishing.

That is if you are a 'Type A Finisher'....if ya know what I mean.

What can I say....I'm into Crochet Couture...and Vintage Buttons.

Oh Yeah...The 'In the Works Basket' Project

Coming Soon From Vintage Workbasket

Vintage Vanna Still In Vogue

Linking To

Vintage Thingie Thursday
Friday Night SewIn

 

PS...There really is such a thing as Crochet Couture...well, actually it's called Designer Crochet.  Here's a LINK for Designers who also are Crochet Coutures...like me...The Texas Crochet Couture Gal.  



Button Buttons...Who Has Blue Buttons???

I Do-I Do...1930's Blue Buttons and a few Patterns Too!!!





The 1930's Depression Era buttons can be a lot of fun to collect for FUN and PROFIT.
Yeah, Buddy!  How excited do you think I was to find that bit of information
 when doing some research on my Vintage Button Collection?
I take it in spells....this Button Bustin' Obsession...and it's usually the 1930's Buttons!
Once I start sifting through the boxes, jars, drawers, and bags, I can't stop!

As soon as I find a really unique one, I'm all over Google to confirm my RARE find.

1930's Buttons are not usually as valuable as buttons made from stones or jewels,

but these trendy and practical buttons have a lot of nostalgia connected with them.

There are several factors that determine the value of any of these vintage buttons.

Basically it has to do with the CONDITION of the button.  UhOh!!

As is true with many collectibles, it is the items that are well-preserved that command a higher price.

In the case of buttons, a set of four that have never been removed from their

original packaging are likely to sell for a nice price.  UhOh!!

However, even buttons that were used at one time but maintained with care will sell very well.

That's Three UhOh Strikes!!!

The pedigree of vintage buttons will impact the market value...that is the

Who What Where and When Factor.

To verify that the button came from a gown worn by a major motion picture actress from the

 Golden Age of Hollywood adds to their mystique and allure for collectors.

Yipppeeee...Jackpot.....Made in U.S.A.

The rest of the Card on Betty Grabels Blouse!

 

Whatever the case, there is money to be made with vintage buttons. 

 

Valuable artifacts may be found in old sewing baskets or stored away in the attic ... or in Old Smuckers Jars.

 

As with all collectibles, it is a good idea to have the buttons appraised before attempting to sell them on the open market.

 

Ya'll do know I did all this research for those of YOU who are Vintage Button Collectors?

Really, I DID!

 

You see....mine may be broken, chipped and have the original 1930's Dirt and Grime,

but....

they are PRICELESS!

Quilt Blocks of Autum Foliage and Flowers

I've always been a Calendar Gal...that is a Calendar Collectin Gal.

So, it's a given that I would StitchNQuilt a Calendar...being a Stitchin Quilter!

In these three Fall Months, the Flower of each month is featured in Machine Embroidery.

From my Fall Fabric Collection...each Flower Block is sashed in an appropriate Fall Fabric.

As beautiful and appropriate as these fabrics are for presenting these three blocks for

Pink Saturday's Autum Flowers and Foliage,

they  are not the fabrics I used for the collection of the Flower of the Month Quilt.

Wasn't it nice that the inventors of the Gregorian Calendar decided on an EVEN number of MONTHS.

Surely they were thinking of Quilters...an ODD number

sure would mess up our layout!

Linking To

Beverly's How Sweet The Sound Pink Saturday

Autum Foliage and Flowers

As Always...Thanks Beverly for Making Saturdays PINK!!!

Stitching To Dress...StressFree

Stressful Stitching?   What's that?

I've been a Stitcher since the early 1950's as a young girl...Thank-you Mother...NO STRESS then!

Stitching on a Treaddle Sewing Machine...A Little Treadle Stress...It was a Doll Dress!

Stitching on Mothers 1950's Singer....Mother Stressed...It was my First Dress!

Stitching through my Finger....Finger Stressed...Bandaid Dressed!

Yep, I guess there's a Bit of Stress in Stitching!

BUT

Somehow I never thought of it as 'Stress'....just a 'New Dress'!

I still think of  Stitching as 'Stress Free', and today I'm still Stitching to Dress!
So...what better way to
Spend Some StressFree Stitching Time
than in a
Stress Free JOB at a Stitching Store!

HiHoney Stressed!!!

 Sewing Button Badges HERE. 

WORKBASKET 1962...Still Works for Sue

I know your not surprised that I have a Collection of The Workbasket Magazines,

 but you probably will be astonished that I was featured in

 Number 12, Volume 27 published in September, 1962.

I'll get to that in a minute....maybe two....so hang with me while I make my Basket Case.

Did you know that The Workbasket has been around since 1935?

Originally it was called Aunt Martha's Workbasket.

A Short History of an Original Craft Magazine

Very early this morning while having coffee and digging through a basket of buttons to embellish the Pumpkin Coasters I've been Crocheting, I ran across another basket of Workbasket Magazines.  Have you noticed how often the word 'Basket' appears in this post?  It's kind of a thing with me....Basket Collecting...that is!  And of course I USE them to hold  Collections of Yarn, Fabric, Notions, WIP's (works in progress), more Yarn, etc. etc. etc....you get the picture! 

 

Anyway, in the basket of buttons I found an old Smuckers jar of Vintage Buttons that will work great on the Pumpkin Coasters.  Not that they have a thing to do with Aunt Martha's Workbasket from 1962, but it is just another of the examples of my morning 'Multi-Tasking-Caffine Basket Case Thingy', and I thought you might like to see some of the buttons that were available to Aunt Martha back in 1935.  Oh, and some of the fabrics, too.  My work baskets work well on the 1930's quilt that covers the table where I work...notice how often the word work appears in this post?  Too much caffine or is it the basket case thingy!

In 1962,  I was a Teenager...15 to be exact...and I had just learned to crochet in Homemaking Class.

If I'd have known about The Workbasket back then,

I'd have made this Teen-Age Sue Pillow!

BeBopASueLa....I may make it yet!

Quilting A Blue TeaParty on Blue Monday

What better day to be quilting a Blue TeaParty Quilt than on Smiling Sally's Blue Monday!!!!

I'm quilting this for a special Blogland Friend, and thought I'd share a few of the Blue Blocks.

Arent' these the perfect fabrics to use for a TeaParty Quilt?

Linking to



Hoot Hoot, Ya'll...It's A Pumpkin Coaster SET

Hoot Hot Off the Hook!

The complete Pumpkin Coaster Set which includes

Four TeaCup Coasters and One TeaPot Coaster.

Now this is a Hootin' Halloween Tea Party SetUp!

I believe it will pass the Texas Tea Party Etiquette Standards!

Especially with Black Tea!

Black tea is the foundation upon which the popular varieties of English tea are derived.  

And many might be delighted to find out that black tea, aside from being an enjoyable drink,

 can actually be good for the health.

Benefits of Black Tea Website

After making four Pumpkin Teacup Coasters, I decided to make one for the TeaPot.

To make it larger, increase the beginning chain of 12 stitches to about 15.

Increase the side rows from 7 to about 11.

Change the single crochets of the rust border to half double crochets and do TWO rows rather than one.

In case you missed it from the post...Pumpkin Coaster ShowOff...here's the pattern link.

Pumpkin Coaster Pattern

Pumpkin ShowOff

Pumpkin Coasters....who'd thought!!!!

Not me...I usually just fold a paper towel and hope it catches my drips and spills!

That was before I was a TEA drinker!

I've become a bit more cultured since joining the Wednesday Knit Foursome,

who are connoisseurs of Tea and Tea Etiquette.

And guess what...a folded paper towel just doesn't cut it when setting a proper

Afternoon Tea Party Table.

So, for our Wednesday, October 31st Afternoon Tea Party I'm thinking a Pumpkin Coaster

will surely give the Knittin' Gals an idea of how far this

Girl Raised In Texas has come in the department of Tea Etiquette!

What can I say...Old habits are hard to break!

If you would like to make a few Pumpkin Coasters...here's the link

PUMPKIN COASTERS PATTERN

 

Linking to:



And

Pumpkins and More Pumpkins

on



Dear Jane Stickles...I Shrunk Your Quilt

Yes, Jane Dear, I did it on purpose. 

Forgive me Jane as I list the other Alterations of my Dear Jane 1860's Quilt:

...20th Century fabrics rather than 1860's reproduction prints.

...flip flopped and angled blocks rather than row by row.

...reduced number of blocks from 225 to 10 of yours and a couple of mine.

...there's more, but that's enough for now...I'm sure you are already in 'Shock'.

I can explain, Jane.

Several years ago...not in your time, but in mine...the opportunity came my way to take a Dear Jane Workshop and Lecture.   With the lecture and introduction came instructions not to think in terms of completing or even come close to making the 225 blocks in your quilt.  Rather, concentrate on the techniques that the Instructor had spent hours and hours in making patterns of your 4 inch blocks...which rolled over into several books, a CD, a line of 1860's reproduction fabrics, and more.

Before I go any further with my 'I can explain, Jane',

take a look at how your 1863 Quilt  has made an impact on

Quilters in the 20th and 21st Century.

Dear Jane Home Page

Okay, back to 'Sue's Baby Jane' Quilt.

 Although I'm not a 'Perfectionist', I am a 'Picky Piecer'.
I've been known to be a notorious Multi-Tasker...20th Century term for 'Lots of Irons in the Fire'...however,
I am a Finisher...eventually!!!
So you can see how I would latch on to Brenda's world famous Dear Jane Catch Phrase.
"Finished is better than Perfect"

Now here's something that will really 'Shock' ya, Jane!

Yep, it's me and Brenda fabricated and stitched right on my Baby Jane Mini-Memory Quilt!

Like I said earlier...it was a few years ago in the 1990's!

Quilting has come A Long Way, Baby...Jane!

Linking To