I’ve acquired some real treasures in recent days…my brain is spinning with ideas for using them.
The red windowpane checked towels are old linen. Yes, they do look like graph paper. But they work well as an underlying grid for free form appliqué and stitching. The loose weave and years of washing make them a delight to use – the needle just glides through the openings between the threads. The red/burlap trim and the lace are gifts from a friend. They came from Europe and look like they belong with a collection of French General fabrics, don’t they?
The doilies are another antique store find. Yes, they are treasures in their original box, with the label, but they won’t stay there. Click on the photo to enlarge if you want to read the details. You will swoon! They will become mats for photos on fabric, I think.
And the blue linen hankie, oh, my, what a beauty! A friend found this while shopping and thought of me. And this was before seeing my vintage blues from Bell Buckle! Enlarge his one to see the hand drawn thread work and the amazing tiny appliqué. The white squares in the nine-patch measure 3/8” on each side.
This piece will not find its way into a quilt for a very long time. It now lives in my basket of blue.
