Peppermint Pinwheels - On The Design Wall: October 2010

Inspiration: Martha Jane Pettway

This is the quilt that inspired me to make my green and white linen split log cabin quilt. The original is in the Quilts of Gee's Bend collection. It is also made of corduroy, which I love in a quilt, but I cannot imagine hand quilting through corduroy.

Martha Jane Pettway, born 1898. "Housetop"--nine-block "Half-Logcabin" variation, ca. 1945, corduroy, 72 x 72 inches.

I think I remember from the show that the corduroy used was leftover scraps from home goods that women in the town were sewing up for a regional department store. For my version, I used thrift store linen tablecloths and bits of old blue jeans.

PSsst - Click on the link below the Martha Jane Pettway quilt to see some A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. quilts. You can also see loads of contemporary quilts by clicking on the Blogger's Quilt Festival button below!

Amy's Creative Side - Blogger's Quilt Festival

Tools: Restoration for a Handmade Tablecloth

In honor of Halloween, I have a scary story to tell about a ghoulishly stained tablecloth. Deep in a dark corner of the basement (where there was recently spotted a very large black snake and is a well-known haunt of the abhorrent jumping camel cricket, are you scared yet?) I found this once beautiful tablecloth. Brought back from a long ago trip to Venice, it's cream colored linen and handmade lace was stained and mottled with black and green mold.

Creepy!

The horror!


Bone-chillingly horrendous stains!

But, I heard of a product called Restoration that claims to extract stains from vintage textiles. It was a bit pricey for what I thought was merely a gentle laundry detergent. What I found out is that this powder has supernatural powers. I followed the directions on the container and had to repeat the application of my precious powder twice, but, at the risk of sounding like an info-mercial, the results were astounding.

It's a miracle!

There is still one tiny ghost of a stain left from the large patch of black mold, but it's so small that I can only see it when it's inches from my face.

I can't wait to use this to revive more of my stained treasures.

Tools: Vintage Needle Cases

I love antique sewing accessories. I found this sterling silver needle case in an antique store amongst a jumble of threads that was once someone's sewing kit.

It is sterling silver and embossed with a couple standing facing a castle and a Van Gogh sky. It's so cool. When you press the small button on the front, it pops open, like a make-up compact. That's when all the needles fly out at you.

It's stamped with a patent from Jan. 12, 1904.

This needle case is hand painted porcelain from Limoge. It was a gift. The needles tend to fly out of this one as well. Flying needles, the price of beauty.