Embroidered Dogs on Parade

Good Morning!

I wasn't sure what to post today but I feel like I should share something.  I'm used to working at home but I have been checking the internet much more often due to the anxiety of the times. 

Scout is annoyed with me right now because it is raining which means no walkies.  She is convinced I control the forecast.  

Today I thought I would share some different images from my vintage linens collection and I'm calling them embroidered dogs on parade.  It's just a little cheer up for you and me.

This and the image above was from a 1940s or 50s tablecloth pattern.  

Sailor themed patterns were always popular but perhaps more after WW 2.  This particular piece was from a bib.

This is from a baby quilt during or shortly after World War 1.  I chose to include it because clearly the dog likes to pull on her leash like another dog I walk.

 I think this baby is cute!

A circus dog from a coverlet that features a variety of different blocks.

This quilt was given to my aunt and is from the 50s or 60s.  I think the embroidery was done by a child.

2 cross stitch dogs from an antimacassar, unsure of when it was made--probably in the early 1960s.  

Do you know what antimacassars are?  They were placed on the backs of chairs and on cushions etc, to protect the upholstery from Macassar oil that men used to apply to their hair in the early 20th century.  When I was young, Brylcreem was a popular product for men to use to style their hair and my grandmothers always protected their furniture from the grease.

I have strayed from dogs so I best get another cup of coffee and start the day!  Stay safe and healthy!

Dog with pot of joe from 1950s-60s tablecloth.

Finishes!

 Despite some sun yesterday, the colors on these pieces are more muddy than the actual pieces.  

Here is Someday project #1:  I don't remember why I embroidered this block but I don't really need an Easter quilt so I made it into a wallhanging (also saves me storage space as well).  It's cute though and I will hang it up today.

I also finished Christina's wall hanging; I still have the actualy quilt to finish but that is next.

These are finishes #6 and 7 for the year. 

Have a good day!

I Like Thursdays: March 26, 2020

Good morning!  Today is Thursday and we post things we like via our hostess with the mostess, LeeAnna. You can explore other positive posts by visiting LeeAnna here and gather some inspiration and sunny thoughts.

I like how people are becoming creative in order to cope.

In London, one neighborhood is occupying their children with teddy bear hunts, you can read the article here.

I love my brother Jim:

I'm self-isolating because I took my aunt to the ER and spent time in the hospital.  We refer to my brother (who lives down the street and is my Mom's other caregiver) as "Uncle Bacony."  He always has a bacon treat for each dog and has taught Scout how to catch pretty well.  Scout misses the family. Uncle Bacony called last week and said, "Let Scout out the front!"  

He gave her a bacony treat which made her day.  He always makes her smile!

I like kindness.

The sign says "Take what you need."

Like many towns, we have "little libraries".  The little libraries have now taken to putting canned goods out for folks.  In our neighborhood which is about 95% elderly, this could be a godsend.

I like that "someday" is here.  

Last week I cleaned out one of my chest of drawers that had embroidered linens and quilt blocks on.  There were so many "someday" projects in them.  One of them was a little embroidered block that I made into a wall hanging which is now finished.  I'll post photos of them later when the sun comes out and I can take decent photos.

Our valley is now in lockdown like many parts of the country.  I continue to pray for all of us and hope you are staying safe and healthy.  

A Happy Walk

Scout and I had a wonderful gift on our walks on Saturday.  It was "Chalk the Walk" day on Saturday and the kids in the neighborhood brightened our day with their beautiful artwork!

Enjoy!

Dear HGTV

I am a certified HGTV addict.  I’ve been watching the channel since the network launched in the mid-1990s.  I even changed cable providers when your channel didn't come in clear enough.  Your shows made me a better homemaker, gardener, and even a better quilter.

This past weekend, your network sent me an email saying that you were offering a “binge-worthy marathon” this weekend.  But here’s the thing, the shows you are playing, you’ve been playing almost non-stop for months.  

Why not try something different?


I suggest you air “retro gardening” shows.  There’s a famous quote (I think by Alfred Austin):

“To nurture a garden is to feed not just the 

body, but the soul.”  

Your viewers could use some comfort and distraction.  Maybe some of them have never gardened but now have time.  I recommend Gardening By the Yard with Paul James.  Years before Alton Brown made cooking fun, Paul James taught gardening in a most entertaining and enlightening way.  

My gardens before watching HGTV gardening shows

New gardeners can benefit from Paul James' show and learn to amend their soil, make compost, etc.  Many of us may not be able to buy plants this year at our local nurseries--but we can set our beds up and prepare for when we can plant.

The garden is now 23 years old and the lawn is long gone.  Everywhere in our garden is something interesting and inspiring.

Many of your viewers are seniors and many of them are truly isolated right now.  This population often doesn’t watch videos on computers (if they even have access to them).  You have shows in your archives that are perfect for these folks.  Why not air some of your garden tour shows to inspire them like The Gardener’s Journal and A Gardener’s Diary ?  

These shows will benefit not only seniors but your viewers who are experiencing a deep and valid anxiety right now.

There’s a place and a time for shows that illustrate redoing one’s backyard with a complete make-over but that time is not now.  Putting one or two of the true gardening shows on your channel per day (perhaps in the early evening when many are still awake) could provide your viewers with much needed relaxation and comfort.    As May Sarton wrote, “gardening is an instrument of grace.”  You have the tools to help heal many people right now.  I just hope you use them.

I like Thursdays: March 19, 2020

Welcome back to the new normal.  How are you holding up?  We are fine but worried about family members--one who had a liver transplant on Sunday and appears to be responding well the new liver and his wife who I took to the hospital last night with symptoms of a minor stroke.  If you could keep them in your prayers, I would be appreciative!  We are grateful that both are getting the help they need!

Meanwhile, spring is definitely here!  The daffodils are blooming and many other pretty flowers are enhancing the walks I take with Scout.  

Scout and I walk frequently but I find that longer walks are also emotionally therapeutic.  I mean just look how beautiful the world is!

On the Homefront, I like this chair cover I purchased at Amazon.  My sewing/office chair was looking pretty ragged.  All the kids had used it at one time or another but I was used to it and it just need the fabric covered.  Isn't it pretty?

I'm keeping pretty busy and of course, sewing and writing.  I finished another quilt, a donation quilt for Camp Erin.

I'm working on cleaning out the sewing room, going deep into things I haven't looked at like embroidery transfers and UFOs.

Over at the Pennsylvania Piecemaker's blog, I am spending the week sharing what kind of handwork projects suffragists did.  I'm also asking the community there to email me photos of projects they are working on (suffrage or other) to keep spirits inspired and cheered-up.  You can check things out there. 

Distractions are important and yesterday I took a "news free" day just to remind me of the good things that life holds.  And from the pup front, here is a fun story I posted on facebook this past week.  I realized suddenly that I had been poodled:

Dang, I've been poodled again. "Poodled for dog lovers like me means your poodle has (again) managed to reverse roles on you.  Case in point:  For over 20 years we have kept a string of sleigh bells on the back door.  All of our poodles learned early that if they had to go out, all they had to do was ring the bells.  It was a perfect system.  I could hear the bells even as I worked up stairs.  

But today I realized that Scout has taken it a bit further.  In what can only be defined as a Pavlovian twist to the story, she now rings the bell for me to come.  I offer to let her out and she gives me a special look as if to say, “I’ve changed my mind.  I love you and want to stay with you.  But since we are both here, how about a treat?”  

Sadly, I have to admit this approach is all too effective.  About the third time she attempted this morning, I realized that in fact, I am the one who has been conditioned to respond to the bells.  Well done little puppy.  Pavlov would be so proud of you!

Keep your spirits up and continue to sew!  Remember that mental health is just as important as your physical well being!  Love and kisses and linking to LeeAnna our hostess with the mostess!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Hope you are staying home and safe!

Have a great day!

Grateful a day late

I missed the "I like Thursday" posts yesterday.  Too much going on here and I wasn't in the mood.  I convinced my husband not to fly home from Alabama on Wednesday.  Instead he drove home to limit his exposure to the virus.  I was so relieved when he got home safely.  One of our best friends who works for the company is now in quarantine after being exposed to a worker with it in Ohio.  I have to concentrate on good things now and keep positive energy in our lives.  Like this funny black poodle and her friend Happy:

 They both climbed the steps of our neighbors house to visit while we chatted at a reasonable distance from each other.  I'm concentrating on lots of tasks that limit social exposure like walking in the park and visiting Big Blue, our favorite heron.

 The garden needs to be cleaned out and that is also a good solo task.  I do it every fall but then it gets full of leaves from my neighbors trees.  Some of the daffodils in the neighborhood are blooming and ours are about to pop:

My sewing machine is back from it's yearly tune-up and I'll be doing a lot of sewing as well.  It is clear to me that most of my lectures for the upcoming moths will be cancelled--and should be until we can meet safely.

Somehow we all have to keep a sense of humor as much as we can.  This video of an Italian grandmother's thoughts on coronavirus made me laugh and I hope you enjoy it too!  I love Nonni!  I don't know how to post a video but here is the address:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mzThYPuzs4

Stay safe dear friends!

I Like Thursdays: March 5, 2020

On Leap Year Day I realized the crocuses were arriving!  Sure enough, we had flowers by Monday.  It shouldn't surprise me too much, but I'm always excited to see the crocuses arrive!  Spring is only 13 days away!

"Young Bessie" is my Pfaff and favorite sewing machine.  She's at the repair shop for her annual tune-up and spa/cleaning treatment.  I have plenty of binding to do here and am too busy with my lecturing to sew right now so the timing was perfect!

Speaking of quilts, I took two tops to my friend who does machine quilting and stopped on the way home to visit a flea market.  I got a bolt of backing fabric for $10!!  Yes a bunch of my quilts will have the same backing but I'm happy for the bargain.  Then I saw this meme and it made me laugh and laugh:

Another find was this old photograph of our railroad station in it's hey day.  I particularly love that you can see the old trolley in the photograph!

Well Miss Scout wants to go for her walk so I've got to get moving here.  

Have a great day!