Monday 30 November 2015

C T Quilts ..... an absolute jewel of a place!






Blessed are the piece makers! Blessed are the daughters of the piece makers
 for they shall inherit the quilts.



What can I say about C T Quilts ... hmmm where to start there is so much to say.  This shop is just wonderful.  It is pretty from the outside which always shows promise as far as I am concerned and it is really understated too.  I had been in touch with the ladies at this shop and they had said they were
looking forward to my visit and yes indeed there were old quilts. that statement was understated I can tell you.

When I walked into this jewel I noticed lots of different beautiful new fabrics and notions and a smiling face to greet me.  I introduced myself and was immediately warmly welcomed.  I could not help it because as we were saying hello I say shelving unit and there folded and displayed were indeed antique quilts and fabrics.  I could not believe it.

Whilst I was there I was shown and told about the quilt restorations that they do for clients.  This shop really is good.  You can go there and get advice, help, restoration, new fabrics and notions, antique fabrics and linens, threads and so much more.... If this was down the road from me I would be a frequent visitor.  If any of you reading this are lucky enough to live near this shop in CT then go and take a look for yourselves.  If you blink you would miss it but when inside its like an Aladdin's Cave and seems to open up.  It looks very small from the outside but not at all with plenty of fabrics and another room for quilt restoration.

    Address: 27 Coogan Blvd #1c, Mystic, CT 06355, United States
    Phone:+1 860-304-3090
    Hours:




There is a promised web site which is under construction and then all around the world it will be possible to buy vintage fabrics and quilts from them.  I bought a beauty when I was there infact a couple one has the name and the date on it of the lady who stitched it.  I will be selling it next year either at a vintage fair or on Etsy so watch this space......

Anyway I must get on with a few bits today  ... working from my list is the best therapy as you see things crossed off!

Have a great day and Happy Stitching!








Saturday 28 November 2015

Hello and Happy Weekend.




Good Morning All

Well as you all may have guessed I have been right royal poorly with flu and a dreadful cough and cold.  I tried to go out this week for a little while but the cold air just made me start to cough all the more!

I am feeling better than I was but extremely tired I am afraid.  I have not picked up a needle in weeks which is so unlike me, however I am hoping to get some done next week.

I have so much to do and hate being ill - its such a waste of time I feel.  I have preparations for Christmas to be getting on with and getting ready for my friend Jo who comes every two years from OZ .... Eeeeek!

The trick is I feel not to over do it and just do some jobs daily then early afternoon sit down and do some stitching to feel I am back at work.

I have missed some great vintage fairs on this years calenders and I am really sad about that.  Today is the Christmas Vintage Bazaar in Devizes from 9 until 3 so if any of you can make it then it will be wonderful.  I am hoping that by next weekend I will be able to attend the Sarah Moore Christmas pop up fair at her beautiful farm house in West Sussex but I will have to see.....


I have stopped work for publication this year and will resume in 2016, I am having a few weeks off for Christmas to spend with Jo and  to be able to organise my self for next years punishing diary commitments....

I feel since my holiday in October the weeks have flown by and I have had this cough etc for 9 weeks which is very draining.  I have some new cough mixture and it seems to be working so fingers crossed for me peeps...

Wanting to get on I have written some lists and one of the things to do is get some project baskets ready for next year.  Whilst I have been recuperating I have been sketching new designs and I am pleased with the results.

So hopefully next week I will have some good blogs again for you all to read until I stop for the festive season.

Thank you to those of you who have messaged me I have been over whelmed with your caring words and a special thank you to Jenny of Tilly D fame who contacts me regularly to see how I am and if anything is needed ... Thank you Jenny you have been a great friend and helping me at the October VB when I felt so ill.

Anyway I hope you are all well out there and keeping flu free so take good care and have a great weekend and of course Happy Stitching! xx


Saturday 14 November 2015

Sardinian Knotted Embroidery


Good Morning

This is a great little film about Sardinian knotted embroidery.  The town of Teulada is famous for it.  There is also a book on the subject which is shown at the end of this short film.

I love learning about new things and to see the blue sea and the warm weather on this film makes me hope for a better summer next year to the one we had this year.....

This is great for ideas for your embroidery and shows you, I hope, not to be afraid to try patterns on things as well.  Have a great day and as always Happy Stitching!





Tuesday 10 November 2015

Part two of the Antique American adventure ..... Quilts!








We live in a web if ideas, a fabric of
our own making.

Joseph Chilton Pearce




Having left New Hampshire with a suitcase full of vintage haberdashery goodies and a large smile on my face we were on our way to Connecticut and there was so much to look forward to.  One I had learnt of a quilt shop called CT Quilts and the promise of not only a beautiful quilting and fabric shop but also there were vintage fabrics and quilts and they did not lie!

 Oh what a find and what a shop. Also we were going to meet our dear friends at The Inn at Stonington in Connecticut whom we met on holiday 5 years ago and have met up with ever since.....

I wanted to hold, look at and generally stroke what I had found in New Hampshire but it was packed in the car so I sat content enjoying the ride and watching the changing leaf colours that were along the way, we were off to Stonington in Connecticut and I was very much looking forward to my time there at the stunning Inn with the Ocean views and the smell of the sea and the sound of the ting ting ting of the yachts that are anchored there.  There was the beach combing and walks, which I felt would do me some good and of course the chance to visit a quilt shop that had so much promise and of course meet with our dear friends for lots of laughter and catching up.  I had my flu pills and I was not going to give into it..... with one holiday a year I really was not going to be unwell.

I found some wonderful things there.  American feed sacks that were whole and not cut up.  Several beautiful quilts, one of which is the star of Bethlehem and one that is signed and dated by the original owner and maker ...1922.  Also I found two quilt tops and one of them is feed sack pieces.  I bought some wonderful nine patch pieces with some of the fabric from the 18th Century in them.  This shop is wonderful.  I have asked the owners if I may do an interview and blog about them and they have agreed eagerly and are happy to do so .....  So this means I am going to write a blog and tell you all about them and what they do and believe me it is amazing.

I took these bits to the vintage bazaar and sold some and still have some left so I will be selling them on.  I may load them to Etsy and I will let you know when that is done so that you can see them.

We spent a good hour or more in this beautiful shop find and the people who were there that day were so helpful and pleasant and friendly.

I was so pleased to have found this amazing place and enjoyed our hour or so with very knowledgeable people who could have not done enough and were so pleased and helpful.  Always going out the back to see if there was something else that may be of interest to me.

The blog later in the week when I have done a little interview with them and so that I can get some facts as well as my impressions as well.  Do not miss it if you love quilts and quilting and of course vintage.

Have a great day and Happy Stitching!

P.S  Thank you to those of you who have sent get well messsages ... how thoughtful and kind of you.  I am on the mend just still without lots of energy.














Monday 9 November 2015

My American antique adventure ... Part one.




We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure.  There is no end
to the adventures that we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open

Jawaharlal Nehru



The time spent in America was all together too short but wow did we pack some things in.  We went to the Canterbury Shaker village with all its history and atmosphere and it has a calm and quiet effect on all those who visit.

Quilting shops that had new and vintage fabrics.  We met up with friends for 5 days and had fun and adventure ( I even went on a bike ride, yes wrapped up and full of medication so as not to let everyone down)  

We went along the Antiques trail and also found some better antique shops that were not mentioned on the Internet but oh boy there are some beauties and everyone was welcoming and helpful to say the least.  New Hampshire and Connecticut were brimming with beauty and vintage and of course the leaves were stunning, such a beautiful time of year to be there and I enjoyed every moment.  I know I was not in full health but at least I was away and not having to do housework or even make our bed.  I was determined to enjoy every moment and keep taking flu tablets along the way.

Our first stop after landing was New Hampshire and the Colby Hill Inn ( which is like heaven on earth)  This is the centre also for the Antiques trail.  When we set off on the trail I was clutching my list and watching all the scenery go by as my husband drove us along.  I have to say that a lot of it was disappointing though.  I had asked about fabrics and stitchery before I had left as you know and there was a distinct lack of what I was looking for.  I will admit to being a little deflated especially I suppose of not feeling my normal self on top.  

Over two days we did not find much but what we did find has sold and so there fore I am pleased with it.  I bought a beautiful wall hanging which you saw in last Fridays blog and the other were two little flapper dolls with hand painted faces and they were beautiful.  I took a chance on them and told myself that should they not sell within 3 months I would keep them.  They sold within 3 minutes so I was so pleased with my choices.

My husband then found an antique shop over several floors in a town near where we were staying called Concord, which happens to be the capital of New Hampshire .... Ooh my as soon as I walked in I knew that I had found stitchery heaven ( not quilts that comes later in the holiday)  I found some wonderful things there including the two head dresses that I spoke of last Friday ( see the post on the
Vintage Bazaar)  also there were cotton reels, mother of pearl buttons on there original cards and beautiful cards of popper studs as well.  I found some original leather theatre gloves too that are so dainty and small you wonder what size these ladies were.....

I bought lace, ribbons, buttons, spools which I might add were clarks and JP Coates and some stunning book plates I had a whole haberdashery by the basket full..... this was one happy lady I can tell you.  I kept walking around in absolute heaven.

I had such a great time buying and of course selling them at the Vintage Bazaar.  Not all have gone so I am think of putting them on Etsy to sell at some point and some will be keepers for me.  I think a little haberdashery and quilt shop with some of my makes thrown in will great or I may well push forward with my website that was shelved because of being busy designing for publication this year.

I was still on the hunt for quilts and feed sack fabrics, whole sacks and of course quilts made from them as well.

But that is another story for you all tomorrow........  Lets just say you will not be disappointed with the beauty of what I purchased and some of the stories to go along with it.  Learn about an absolute beauty of a shop in Connecticut and a funny story about the bike ride!

Have a great day and as alway Happy Stitching!

















Saturday 7 November 2015

Handmade Indian Natural Quilts ....This film is amazing!











When I watched this I was enthralled at how clever this is.  First the blocks are carved from wood and then hand printed onto cotton.  The quilts are hand quilted by very talented ladies.

This is fabulous and I hope you enjoy this.  Its worth making a warm drink and settling down to watch this film which is under 5 minutes and it will start your day with enthusiasm and joy I can tell you.  It has given me some great project ideas with embroidery.  Have a great weekend whatever you are doing and as always Happy Stitching!










Friday 6 November 2015

At last the post about my amazing day at the Vintage Bazaar in Frome!




Hello All

Sorry that I have been AWOL since the weekend but literally on Monday morning I woke up feeling really poorly.  I had a cold and cough before I left for America and struggled with it whilst away and only really getting by with tablets ( also not wanting to make our holiday bad by giving in to being ill)  Then when I got home it was the Vintage Bazaar and again I was taking things to help me get through the weekend.... finally I decided not to take anymore and see how it would be.  The answer Not Good!...  I have completely rested and not done a thing until this morning writing this and I will be taking it a bit easy until it has gone all together.  So please bare with me for a little while.  I am due to be in London next Thursday and Friday and really do need to be better for it.

I have had to cancel going to a fabulous vintage event at The Cozy Club today as just could not muster the energy to travel and also do not want to give anything to anyone because this has been a floorer!  Nearly 6 weeks of this has left me drained.

But that said I had a great day at the Vintage Bazaar meeting a few of you as well, which has been wonderful.  I had great feed back about my blog and how those of you who spoke to me about it on Saturday look forward to my blog so that cheered me on.

I got there early and we set up my first stall.  I had a wonderful friend help me Jenny of Tilly D fame and of course my husband.  Jenny helped organise what we needed to do first, knowing I was not firing on all cylinders and helped me reach my vision of what I wanted my first stand to look like! and I hope you agree it looked really good.

My washing line that I had described to my husband and he made before we went away worked perfectly and I was able to peg out a stunning Victorian patchwork wall hanging (now sold) and inspiration packs.  The picture above was one side of my two place stand and it had blankets on an airer and the beautiful quilt that I bought back from America as well.  I bought with me some beautiful things back from the States and lots was sold.

There were some beautiful untouched feed sacks and some quilt tops made from some as well also a lovely quilt which is a half Dresden plate made from feed sack fabric ... very collectible.

I bought back two antique head dresses from the 1940's one is a bridal one with a beautiful veil and bow in creams plus one that is more evening wear with feathers.  The later now has a story attached to it.  A lady came along and picked it up and asked how much it was.  She was looking at it with such intensity.  We were chatting about it and she told me why she thought it would be perfect and I was thrilled.  That little 1940's head dress came home with me from the States to England and will be flying to South Africa after Christmas on a photo shoot!!  Yes this lady is a photographer and she is also having an exhibition of her photos in London next year!!!!..... I have her email and I will know when that is happening and will be going to see the photos of that wonderful head dress......  Can you see it with Halloween skeleton in the middle of it on my stand along side the wedding head dress, I can not wait to go and of course I will report on it next year.  It should be around May or June.

I had such a wonderful day.  One of the quilts I brought back from America had the ladies name and date 1922 stitched on it and the Bethlehem star quilt is outstanding as you can see from the photo on the left.  It is all hand quilted as well and has a date on it around the early 1900's so a wonderful piece of history indeed.

The venue was packed and there was not just me of course but I am afraid the normal go around and take lots of photos just could not happen as I was so busy.  The stall holders had all made such beautiful displays and it was packed with great names such as Donna Flower, Daisy Darling, The Washerwoman, Vintage to Victorian, and so many more.  I must get a list to let you know everyone, as I said I have not been great so all my organisation skills seemed to have got up and left me for a while.  I have had strict instructions to rest for a while longer so that is what I am going to do.  I will not be stitching but I will be able to do some blogs for you as I am excited to tell you all about America and about the antiques in great detail...

I did however manage to snap a photo of this great couple, Gracie and George.  They are always at the Vintage Bazaar in Frome and always dress for the occasion and not just the VB. George and Gracie actually dress like this all the time and I have seen Gracie on several occasions now and
OH MY what a wardrobe this lovely lady has.  The coats and hats and dresses are literally so beautiful and stunning.  I think you will agree she is a most elegant model and is able to wear such beautiful vintage clothes with grace and beauty.....  George is very dapper and it suits them both so well....... would love to have a peek in their wardrobes!

So thank you to those of you who came and found me and who bought from my stall, I really enjoyed meeting you so much.  A big thank you to Liz, Jack, Clare and Mike for organising such a wonderful event indeed.  Do not forget there will be the Christmas Vintage Bazaar on Saturday 28th of November at Devizes at the Corn Exchange.  Entry is £2 and it is from 9am until 3pm, so get your diaries out ladies and gents... it is not to be missed!

There will be a blog tomorrow so please come back and look at the incredible Indian quilts and then next week I will be telling you all about my American antiques holiday.......

Have a great day and of course Happy Stitching!