The Wealth OF These Beauties

Yesterday was a busy day – the most exciting part being that I was able to pick up the framed quilt blocks that I had rescued about a month ago.  I wrote a post ‘A Neighbor Told A Neighbor’ which told of me being gifted a worn and torn quilt that was going to be thrown out. My neighbor Velma and her son Dan believed the quilt had been done by Velma’s mother, Gertrude Ernesteen Todd. I was able to save only 2 panels from the quilt and decided to have them framed.

Here they are ~

I was so excited to finally have them home and for gift giving ~

Over at Velma’s (84) and her son Dan’s home, joined by the ‘neighbor who told the neighbor’ ~ Poodle Nancy (she show’s Poodles and you may have seen her in the ring at sometime if you watch the televised dog show’s)

I revealed the 2 beauties ~

I gave one of them as a gift and asked to keep the other. Can you guess which one Velma choose?

This gorgeous one in the reddish frame

And I got the gorgeous peach tulip in the brown tones

It was so hard to get a picture with out glare and as you can see out doors captured the reflection of winters bare branch trees

Spending some time with Velma and Dan, it became clear they were not sure who actually made the quilt. They always thought it had been her mother Gertrude Ernesteen Todd but it could have been her mother, and they didn’t know who she was. While talking with them I learned they actually had no information on their family history and with a few facts I went home, deciding then and there I needed to learn a little more for them and for myself. Gertrude was born Oct 30 1913 in Tallahassee, Oklahoma. She married Elbert Jackson Poynor of Shawnee, Oklahoma.

When the dust bowl hit in 1930 the family made the move along with so many for California, first settling in Dent Township, San Joaquin, CA. As our conversation had continued it was possible the quilt came from Velma’s grandmother, a woman I discovered was named Melrose (Millie) Robertson, born 1883 in Carroll County, Ark. She married Joseph Edward Todd, born 1883 Leonard, Tulsa, OK.  They too, along with the family (all in OK) made the move to CA. All of the family would eventually move into Stanislaus County and surrounding country side. Melrose passed in 1937, Joseph went on to live another 30 plus years passing in 1963.

Whether it was Melrose’s hands that pieced this quilt or her daughter Gertrude, we will never know. But as I look into the years of wear I can picture it being tucked in doorways or window sill’s to stem the tide of sand blowing through the home. Or maybe they covered themselves in it as they ventured out to secure a cow or shut the barn door that may have blown open.

Velma’s father Elbert Jackson Poynor, Oklahoma born, was the son of Thomas Wilson Poynor of Fly, TN, He married Orlena Minnie Collins born in Arkansas. They married in 1904 in Hagar, Pottawtomie, OK. Perhaps Orlena had made the quilt.

I don’t think it really matters who made the quilt. The quilt itself is the living history of an event in our American history.

Velma’s family was the family of John Steinbeck’s novel “The Grapes Of Wrath” journeying on to the San Joaquin Valley and then on to Modesto.

If only they could have known that the wealth and warmth (we would feel) would be in the remnants of their hand crafted quilted beauties.

 

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9 Square Lap Quilt Problem

This week I began working on the small 9 square lap quilt I am making for my neighbor Velma. It started with a multiple of pre hand quilted log cabin squares done by her mother. (still no date on when they were actually made)

The squares had been kept in chest laced with moth balls.

After many washings with vinegar and baking soda I felt confident the smell had been removed as well as the quilted squares holding up beautifully to the machine washings.

This week I began piecing the 9 chosen squares together and I have the 3 rows now in place ~ a good feeling

 

if it wasn’t for one small problem

Not all of the moth ball ‘fumes’ are actually gone, in fact they may be getting stronger. As I work, my eyes start burning and yes lips seem to be tingling as well. While the smell is not actually evident there seems to be residue lingering on the fabric.

It may be back to the washing for this beauty or full steam head – damn the torpedo’s and then the washing once all is in place.

Any one have any ideas that I could try ?

 

 

Hand Quilt Along ~ December

It is impossible that 3 weeks has passed since our last posting for the HQAL. December is in full swing, the lights of Hanukkah have been kindled, latkes made, and as I anxiously await Christmas and all its festivities, my quilt ‘Wishing You Good Will’ reminds me to truly be mindful of wishing you all good will, health and happiness all year through.

‘Wishing You Good Will’ is forever in the debt of this HQAL as it was what inspired me to pick her up and begin quilting her. I had found her at our local goodwill store – lonely, scared and tossed aside. I brought her home and tucked her away for a few more years until my discovery of this group.

I joined in January of 2018 after learning discovering it through Kerry at

https://lovethosehandsathome.wordpress.com

How I found Kerry’s blog, I simply can not remember but thankfully I did.

It was back in the 70’s that I began hand quilting, taught by 2 amazing woman from Oklahoma… mentors long passed but never forgotten. There was this enormous hand made quilting frame hanging from the ceiling taking up most of the living room. I had never seen anything like this before. Sister-in-law’s Alma Ayres and Wynotha Wall were busy hand quilting something. One look and I was hooked.

My first quilt was done in my own made up pattern, hand pieced in dotted swiss material. Alma donated the material to me. Still today, I think she must have given me the material on purpose. Oh goodness, if stitching through or around those dots didn’t deter me nothing would. I am sure it was a test to see if I could truly walk the talk. I can picture Wynotha and Alma secretly chuckling over giving me the swiss as my first project.

I have never used a machine, (although I did have my first 2 quilts professionally machine quilted, Alma must have felt sorry for me, thinking quilting them would be to big of a challenge) I still have no fancy tools, in fact I bought my first rotary cutter a week or so ago, I am back to scissors, I still cut out patterns from a heavy paper template I measure and make myself, I don’t know what BOM stands for, I had to look up what Fat Quarters were, WIP meant nothing to me, and stitching in ditch – what?

Hand Quilting has taken me from my 20’s into my 60’s now, an incredible journey that has taught me many life lessons, things like: patience, beauty is not always in perfection, organization, starting over doesn’t mean it was a mistake it means making it better, thinking things through before jumping in, don’t give up till you figure it out…I could go on but I know you get it.

When I look at Wishing You Good Will – this wedding ring beauty – its center four squares  represents my parents with me and my husband, its rings all the paths in my life branching off into their specific nucleus, my children, their families branching off on their life’s paths. Quilting is an amazing life journey.

Happy Hanukkah and Merry Christmas to all the amazing quilters/crafters I have met through this hand quilt along. Thank for an amazing year of encouragement, growth and education.

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This Hand Quilt Along is an opportunity for hand quilters and piecers to share and motivate one another. We post every three weeks, to show our progress and encourage one another.  If you have a hand quilting project and would like to join our group contact Kathy at the link below.

Kathy, Lori, Margaret, Kerry, Emma, Tracy, Deb, Connie, Susan,  Nanette, Sassy , Edith, Sharon, Karrin, and Gretchen

November “T” Block Sew – Along

Back one month ago, I was delighted to join the “T” Block Sew – Along that is being host by Bella of

Then and Again Quilts

Some of you may remember her excellent post on the history of this block ~ The “T” possibly standing for the Temperance Movement…..

With so many projects on my plate I was hesitant but decided to dive right in and participate and I am so happy I did. Bella will be providing a new block pattern with instructions each month. I have posted from Bella’s page the following

From November 2018 – November 2019 we will be making “T” blocks: One new variation each month

THE ABOVE IMAGES ARE USED WITH PERMISSION FROM THE WEBSITE HTTP://QUILTHISTORYTIDBITS–OLDNEWLYDISCOVERED.YOLASITE.COM 

 

In preparation for beginning, I printed out the instructions, picked out my fabric, drew out and cut my templates.

I also found it helpful to go on to youtube to look at a short tutorial on this block. I must admit I got a bit lost when it came to making the flying geese. But once I got past that success was around the corner – semi success that is. My block turned out 1/2 inch wrong, my second attempt was the right size but two corner pieces were way to short – my measurements were off again somehow but it sure looks good before assembling 🙂

Here is my first block for the first month of the sew along

Bella sent extremely detailed instruction and she was there to answer all my questions during the process, of which I had quite a few. I am working this project all by hand, no machine for this beauty. It’s a block in a day and even with hand stitching it was easy to get the block done in a few hours. I also may try reworking this block with the solid material as the T.

I am so excited to be participating in this sew along. I think it is going to not only be fun but it is going to improve my skill and quilting knowledge. There is plenty of time to join in and sew along so if your on the fence about doing this I say…join us.

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If you would like to participate in the sew along click here. You can also visit the other participants by clicking on their link below. Happy Quilting!

Please take a moment to jump over to Bella and Nanette’s page to see their blocks

Nanette & Bella

Fabric dating leads to an Old Fabric Mill Discovery

In my last post I wrote about the stock pile of material I was gifted by my neighbors Dan and his mother Velma.

I follow a wonderful blog by a woman named Deb. She is an amazing quilter and if you haven’t already, please stop by and visit her page at

https://abearsthimble2.wordpress.com

After reading my post Deb made a suggestion on dating fabrics, giving the dates associated with fabric widths in an attempt to help date some of the fabric I was given.

1915 under 24″, 1920 to 1930’s 30″ to 34″, 1940 to 1950’s 36″ to 39″, 1960 to today 45″ on

Well I began measuring and most of the fabric hoovers at the 1940’s to 1950’s with a width of 39″.  Two of the prints measured in with 1920 – 1930’s width but something else jumped out at me with the fabrics. Two different fabrics were stamped with the maker of the fabric, Cranston Print Works, Company. You may recognize the striped brown as one I will be using with the log cabin quilt I plan to finish.  

But the Cranston Print Works is what caught my eye – tying in my love of quilting with genealogy I recognized the name Cranston as the town where some of my early Italian family members had settled. The Cranston Print Works – Cranston, Rhode Island? Was it the same? It sure was. A quick google search and there it was the tie in with my family history. I have added their history page of the Print Works to the bottom of this post. Many of my DeLellis Family settled in the Cranston/Johnston/Providence Rhode Island area. Many of them also working in the mills of this area. The history and workings of these mills is an amazing area of study. Family members were working as spinners and doffers (A doffer is someone who removes (“doffs”) bobbins, pirns or spindlesholding spun fiber such as cotton or wool from a spinning frame and replaces them with empty ones. Historically, spinners, doffers, and sweepers each had separate tasks that were required in the manufacture of spun textiles.  Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org )

The post card below is one I collected dated 1909. By 1909 it was already being used as the State Armory. Notice the street name.

Below is from The Cranston Print Works Company site. The bell tower looks so similar I can’t help but wonder if perhaps at one time back in the very early beginnings The Old White Mill might have house the Cranston Print Work’s original milling facility back when started in 1807.

http://cpw.com

Home » Our History

Our History

In many ways, the history of Cranston is the history of the American Industrial Revolution… Our roots go back to 1807 and to the establishment of a tiny cotton printing plant founded by a Rhode Island governor, William Sprague.
In order to understand how Sprague was able to build a textile empire in Rhode Island, we have to travel back to England in the late 1700’s…
Samuel Slater and the American Industrial Revolution In 1769, one year before the Boston Massacre, and six years before the colonies were to gain their independence from England, an English inventor, Richard Arkwright, patented a spinning frame that would revolutionize the production of cotton cloth. Two years later, in 1771, another invention, the spinning jenny, was introduced by Englishman James Hargreaves. In 1779, the spinning mule, a device for spinning muslin yarns, was invented by Samuel Crompton in England. The Textile Industrial Revolution in England was soon in full swing.
Even after the Revolutionary War in 1776, America was still viewed as an ideal market for the vast amounts of cloth, textiles and trims that England was producing. Industry secrets and technology were closely guarded. American mills offered “bounties” for English apprentices who could provide plans for Arkwright-Hargreaves mill works. It wasn’t until 1789, that the English methods of cloth production would be brought to America. Responding to the offer of a “bounty”, a young 21 year old Englishman, Samuel Slater, disguised himself as a common laborer and was granted access to emigrate to America. As we will see, his journey was to forever change the way in which American textile mills operated.
Samuel Slater had been a partner of Richard Arkwright, and smuggled in Arkwright’s industrial secrets in a most unusual way, he committed the workings of the mill to memory! Slater’s first American mill was constructed in what is now Pawtucket, Rhode Island. He later established mills in Oxford, Massachusetts, which is today known as Webster, MA. (One of those early Slater mills became part of Cranston Print Works Company in 1936.)
Governor William Sprague Samuel Slater’s journey and a number of other factors enabled William Sprague, a governor of Rhode Island, to take a small cotton printing plant and make it into one of the great textile empires of the day. The mill was called “Sprague Print Works” and located in Cranston, Rhode Island, the administrative home of Cranston Print Works Company today. Access to waterways, new technology and natural resources made Sprague Print Works a thriving business until after the Civil War, when an economic depression set in and ownership was passed to BB & R. Knight. The Knight corporation licensed and operated the mill under the “Fruit of the Loom” trademark. It is interesting to note that the original Sprague Mansion and other memorials can still be seen in Cranston today.
1920-1987 Expansion and Innovation In 1920, the William G. Rockefeller interests bought the Knight plant and reorganized it as Cranston Print Works Company.
Capacity increased greatly in 1936 with the purchase of the Slater East Village mill and print works in Webster, Massachusetts. As you remember, it was at this historic mill that Samual Slater developed the first American cotton-spinning machinery. In 1949, Cranston boosted capacity still further by opening a plant in Fletcher, North Carolina.
1987 Employee Ownership In August, 1987, Cranston became an employee-owned company whose fundamental and on-going mission is to continue to serve the needs of its customers, employees and the society in which we live. All of us at Cranston are proud of our rich heritage, and determined to continue our history of quality. As a new century approaches, we look forward to continuing our commitment to the environment, our local communities and to our customers. After all, “quality” is not just a byword at Cranston Print Works– it’s a centuries-old tradition!

 

• Cranston Print Works Company – Operating Since 1807

 

 

A Neighbor Told a Neighbor

A neighbor told a neighbor I quilted.

While I was out raking leaves the neighbor who heard I was a quilter stopped to talk with me while they were out for a walk. His name is Dan (abt 65) and his mother’s name is Velma (abt 85). Dan told me they had a chest full of fabric and some old quilt squares that belonged to his grandmother, Velma’s mother. If I would like them, they were mine or they would be going to our local recycle store.

A few days later with the neighbor who told Dan and Velma I quilt; I call her Poodle Nancy because she shows champion Poodles and yes you might have even seen her in a nationally telecast dog show or two) we went over to their home to see the ‘fabrics and quilt squares’

What was neglected in the original invitation was that everything was in an old chest full of moth balls ~ oh goodness ~ I kid you not, I thought I would pass out from the fumes. My initial reaction was the material was ruined, unsalvageable but how could I possibly pass out this gold mine of fabric?

Ok – it did not look like this or smell as amazing as it does now. This has all been washed in vinegar and baking soda, laundry detergent – at least half a dozen times.

Now ironed, and folded and ready to go it has all been salvaged!

Next came the quilt squares ~ log cabin patterned, pre quilted squares in brown and soft orange fabrics

I was really nervous about washing them but in the washer they went, two, three, four washes. I thought for sure they would fall apart but look at them…gorgeous.

The oddest thing with these though is they are hand quilted already, pre sewn and fiber filled to the backing, I have never seen this done. Have you?

At first I tried ripping out the stitching but to do this would mean actually dismantling every square and starting from scratch. I did not want to do that. I took the risk and thankfully they came out in perfect shape. I am going to do a small lap quilt for Velma of her mothers quilt squares. I am not really sure however if they really are her mother’s or something Velma did years prior but I will get to the bottom of this at a later date and let you know. In the meantime what I do know is Velma loved that I offered to finish this for her.

I’ll be using this brown pin striped & brown flower print material to frame in the squares  (I got from Velma) I am pretty sure I have amble amount of the peach floral of the last log above to use for the backing. The tricky part for me is the fact that the squares are already pre quilted and I will be adding the framing.  I’ll add another layer of fiber filler and then hand quilt 9 blocks for this lap quilt. I don’t know any other way to do it.

BUT

While Dan and Velma rummaged through the chest Dan pulled out something they had totally forgotten about. This actually not only took my breath literally way but it took me to a whole other spiritual quilt dazed level.

An old and tattered, faded and torn quilt most definitely done by Velma’s mother. This had to be at least 100 years old from the conversation I was listening too.

This quilt was going into the trash but not before I salvaged the only 2 squares that could be saved.

I have taken the two squares to be framed behind glass. I choose this beautiful frame and I think they are going to be stunning for gift giving this holiday for Velma and Dan. I will keep one for myself but give them choice of either one. (once separated from the quilt and out in the air for a few days and once under glass, the moth ball odor should be ok..it wasn’t to bad)

red tone frame

brown tone frame

 

 

 

HQAL: November Thank You to Wishing You Good Will and the HQAL Crafters

Three weeks has past since my last post on my progress with Wishing You Good Will. She is a true beauty with 35 double wedding ring rings to quilt. Taking a quick look back at my posts for August I had noted that I had completed 9 of the 35 rings (having begun this journey in January)

With thankfulness I can post I have now completed 16 of her beautiful rings. I am so amazed at the progress made.

 

Feeling like I have been hand quilting this at a snail’s pace, moving backwards at times, I am filled with gratitude for Good Will. She has given me hours of reflection and quiet solitude. She has seen the snows of past February cleansing her soiled and stained face. She has delighted in the return of spring renewed and anxious for the buds to bloom. The hot sun of August warmed and comforted her tears of memories past. And here we are coming to the end of a year ….

I am filled with gratitude and thankfulness for finding and joining this HQAL, for the woman and quilts I have had the honor of following. You have encouraged me and renewed my commitment to this craft of hand quilting. You have brought Good Will into the forefront of my life with so many lessons learned from her after sitting on the shelf for years untouched. You have reminded me that we all need to be loved and touched, hugged, appreciated for our inner beauty. Cared for, encouraged, complimented, questioned, shown interest, pushed. There is an accountability not only to the group to report on my progress but an accountability to the quilt herself. To finish her story…….

Good Will was tossed aside, left, abandoned….I know it sounds a little far fetched and perhaps silly but when I think of my project in human terms it transcends its bounded fabrics and wraps her lessons into the fabric of my life. She reminds me to check in on friends, question, encourage, show interest in their inner lives to bring out their inner beauty to make our world just a little more meaningful.

This Thanksgiving I am thankful for this HQAL, all the wonderful projects and people I have met along the way.

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This Hand Quilt Along is an opportunity for hand quilters and piecers to share and motivate one another. We post every three weeks, to show our progress and encourage one another.  If you have a hand quilting project and would like to join our group contact Kathy at the link below.

Kathy, Lori, Margaret, Kerry, Emma, Tracy, Deb, Connie, Susan,  Nanette, Sassy , Edith, Sharon, Karrin, and Gretchen

 

 

 

 

HQAL: Wedding Ring Quilt says “I do”

Double Wedding Ring Quilt History | AccuQuilt : AccuQuilt

Though the pattern was first published in the United States in the early 1920s, the quilt pattern can be found as early as the late 19^th Century. The Double Wedding Ring quilt pattern has long been a symbol of love and romance with its interlocking ringssymbolizing marriage.Apr 15, 2017     https://www.accuquilt.com/blog/education/a-history-of-the-double-wedding-ring-quilt/ 

I have been working steadily on ‘Wishing You Good Will’ and while I feel I am making progress it still remains slow and difficult to gage. Working on her these last 3 weeks I have begun to think about the fact it is the wedding ring pattern; weddings, brides, flowers, saying

“I DO”

What I have found with Good Will as I move methodically around working on her, is the  amount of worn and torn fabric I missed when first repairing her. In addition the amount of staining is more than I thought and a good dry cleaning is so needed, although it will not remove that damage. Still she is beautiful!

 

I began thinking about this quilt in a whole different light. I imagined this quilting process to be like the build up and anticipation to the wedding. The beginning of the border will be the equivalent to the wedding ceremony and once that is completed it will be the big celebration reception party. I can tell you right now, once ‘Wishing You Good Will’ is completed I am having a huge ‘finished the quilt party’ and your all invited.

In the spirit of marriage, weddings, rings, brides, grooms, guests, toasts, flowers and the wedding ring pattern, I thought it would be fun to highlight some of my favorite wedding photos

My mother Grace Judith Tanner

 

My Grandmother Catherine Langellotti & Grandfather Frank Civitano

 

My Grandmother Minnie Lipschitz & Grandfather Isidore Haimowitz

 

My Great Aunt Rita Langellotti & Steve Stalupe

This beautiful bride is a photo I found in an antique store and was able to reunite with a descendant. I love the aproned like skirting on her dress.

 

My Aunt Coletta Civitano’s wedding photo with my grandfather Frank Civitano from photo above

 

My Great Aunt Julia Civitano & Nick Forese

 

Brides of 1915

 

 

My 1st cousin 2x removed Dominick Caso & Rose Haughey

Some how thinking of ‘Wishing You Good Will’ in terms of brides and flowers, laughter and most of all love has helped me turn this daunting task into a true labor I love!

My beautiful granddaughter Heather & Trent

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This Hand Quilt Along is an opportunity for hand quilters and piecers to share and motivate one another. We post every three weeks, to show our progress and encourage one another.  If you have a hand quilting project and would like to join our group contact Kathy at the link below.

Kathy, Lori, Margaret, Kerry, Emma, Tracy, Deb, Connie, Susan,  Nanette, Sassy , Edith, Sharon, Karrin, and Gretchen

Ready For Fashion Week

This wonderful photo was shared by blogger Jamie Gates of

https://applegategenealogy.wordpress.com/blog/

and with her permission I am sharing it with you. Although the photo is only in black and white,  I thought it was a great photo to highlight the fashion; the patterns and prints of this time period. Please stop by and take a look at Jamie’s blog. She is one of my favorite genealogy bloggers that I follow.

Meet the Berry’s: Violet Frances (Berry)1912 – 2000, Bemis Bertha Bell (Berry) 1898 – 1980, Rehbien Walter James Berry 1895 – 1971, Dorothy Georgina (Berry) Allman 1913 -2000,  Goldie Florence Berry 1896 – 1982.

 

A Saturday & Sunday Finish

I just finished the Saturday and Sunday kitchen tea towels. While they turned out really sweet I could kick my self with one of the wooden shoes. I had posted a photo of Monday and Tuesday

but in my rush to get the project finished and in the mail for gift giving on time, I forgot to get a photo of Wed. – Fri.. So no photo finish with this race.

On all the towels I kept the dress colors the same, the dark blue and turquoise except on Saturday for birthday cake giving!

Is it only me? why tea towel I thought and a quick google look see answered my question.  Simply put: the term tea towel is used in England and here in the states we know it as a dish towel. Tea towels were used to dry the china that was used while serving tea ~ makes sense. Here we use it for just about everything and anything. There are endless sites and posts on tea towels. I never thought I would find tea towels such a fascinating read ~ but I have.