MOM'S TREASURE BOX

Among my mother's sewing/quilting closet, the above treasure box was found. Nothing but an old cigar box, but inside were items that she and I consider treasures.

On top, a few magazine clippings that she considered worthy to keep. Sayings and poems and information she might need at a later date.

I think that probably these were the original inhabitants of the treasure box. There is one finished project and two more unfinished quilted sachets. The tops are tiny pieced treasures and are quilted. The backs are included in the box. You can see the finished one has an eyelet edge and tucked inside is a sweet smelling sachet. This item is complete with a ribbon hanger.
The next item is a small zippered bag. This is similar to the "Kimmie" bag that I believe is still a pattern that is available. I have no idea where Mom got the idea for this bag. I would guess a magazine. She owned lots more magazines than books. Quilters Newsletter was her favorite.

The last three items are sewing caddies that drape around the sewers neck. The pin-keep, notion holder is made from the Cathedral Window quilt pattern. The small square is a pouch that opens and closes with hook and loop tape. Inside you might keep your threads or buttons. Your pins could be kept on the outside and on the end of the ribbon that goes around your neck a piece of hook and loop goes through the handle of your scissors so that they are kept close to you and never lost.

Below are the copies of magazine clippings found in the treasure box. I have provided the contents below each one to make it easier to read. Mother was all about "Murphy's Law". She knew that was ALWAYS what happened when thinks went wrong.

1. Pinking shears get dull just looking at them.

2. Gathering threads always break in the middle.

3. Facings tend to be sewn to the "wrong side" (opposite sides attract).

4. This mistake will not be discovered until your seams are trimmed, graded, and clipped.

5. Fusible interfacings usually fuse to the iron.

6. If you need "n" buttons, you will find "n minus one" in your button box.

7. The seam you meant to rip out is invariable the other one.

8. Your lost needle will be found by your brother-in-law...while walking around barefoot.

9. The scissor cuts easiest past the buttonhole.

10. The iron never scorches a garment until its final pressing.

If all else fails . . . blame "Murphy"!

This is a question posted and the editor's answer to ---Karen Smith, or Cedar Grove, N. J.

IF RED, YELLOW AND BLUE ARE PRIMARY COLORS AND CAN'T BE MADE BY ANY OTHER COLORS, THEN HOW ARE THEY OBTAINED?

(answer)--Let me briefly straighten out the subject, because your question contains some common errors. There are two kinds of primaries: "additives" and "subtractives." The additive primaries are blue, green and red. Adding lights of these colors can produce nearly every color in the visual spectrum, and the three mixed together produce white light. The subtractive primaries are cyan (blue-green), magenta (purplish-red) and yellow. Subtracting part of the spectrum from white light produces a range of colors; the three together make black.

If that weren't enough to ruin your day, both blue and red can be made with subtractive primaries, and yellow can be made with additive primaries.

I don't know why this was Kept by Mother. I guess the scientist in her came out!!

OK you all know the poet in me and now you know where I got it. Mother loved poetry. I have some poems she wrote and will post them at some point in time, but today this one she liked enough to save. It is cute and applies to us all, I am sure. I know it does to me.

MANY STARTS, MINI FINISHES

by Bee Neeley Kuckelman

There once was quilter named Min.

Whatever she'd see, she'd begin.

A large quilt, a small quilt,

A doll quilt, a wall quilt.

"I'll finish these later, " said Min.

"Now what shall I start on today?

I guess it will be applique.

Some birds in a group,

I'll frame with a hoop.

Today, though, I'll put them away.

"I think I will make a new vest,

In Silk, or would cotton be best--

Trapunto I'll do, Then Sunbonnet Sue!

But now I will give them a rest.

"A tote bag I've wanted to sew,

And then I'll try quilt-as-you-go.

A Radiant Star

For next year's bazaar--

Just when they'll be done, I don't know.

"For Christmas I've projects galore-

A tree skirt, a wreath for the door.

I'll make a soft box,

And red quilted socks,

And what's not completed, I'll store."

"Is anything finished?" asked Son.

Her answer could only be "None."
So Min made a vow:

She would not allow

More new projects--well, maybe just one.

SUNBONNET SUNDAY WILL NOW BE LIMITED TO THE FIRST SUNDAY OF EACH MONTH (UNLESS MANY PROTEST)

SUNBONNET SUE SUNDAY #4

This post is about Little Susie alright, but about a time in her life when she NEEDED someone. We all need someone. Thankfully it is not always a man--but in this case, it is. Sue needed a beau. Someone to dance with her, fish with her, marry her. He wore no bonnet, but a large brimmed hat. I take take that back. He does sometimes wear a floppy hat that resembles a bonnet. Hey--he has to "fit". His name is "Bill". So he is Sunbonnet Bill---NO---he does not wear a bonnet, I told you!! Large Hat Bill, then? NO--that is just not right!! There is one constant with Bill and it is not loud talking, cursing, or loud bodily functions as with most men---it is the fact that he always wears overalls. Ok--there ya go--his name is--Overall Bill. Took a long time for me to get that out, didn't it? Sunbonnet Sue loves Overall Bill.

We don't know for sure when Bill first showed up, but the earliest Bill dates in the 1920s by Nancy Cabot and Delores Hinson. These patterns call him Sunny Sam, Sunny Jim and Happy Jack. The most common names known are Overall Boy, Overall Sam, Sunbonnet Boy, Dutch Boy (wearing wooden shoes) , Straw hat or Straw Hat Boy, Fisher Boy, Little Laddie, Famer Boy, and Cowboy. Needless to say that the names were altered to suit the attire of the boy. Aunt Martha's Bill patterns are from the 1940s.

This is the Premier issue of Quilter's Treasure-featuring Overall Boys! It is dated December, 1993.

It gives some history and sketches of patterns
Mother made the quilt featured on the front of the magazine, called WORK WITH LOVE

The designer is Carol Scherer. He is admiring sunflowers. A large bandana is dangling from his back pocket and he is wearing a large straw hat that shields his eyes from the sun.

This is the second quilt she made from this magazine. Overall Bill Brings Home the Tree. Bill has cut the tree on a dark snowy evening and is dragging the tree home by lanturn light. Such a wonderful feeling you get as you travel with Bill to a simpler time when trees were cut in the woods and not bought in a store or a street corner. I can smell it now!




here is mom's quilt!


Here are more patterns and quilts that are given in the magazine.

These are Christmas Tree ornaments----

This quilt features a more grown up Bill that is taller and leaner and does work like shoveling and chopping wood. He also is shown holding a box of candy for his sweetheart.

Mom made an Overall Bill quilt for my nephew that I do now have, so I can't show you a picture. The same Bill was featured in each block and denim was the featured fabric. I believe each shirt was a different fabric and he was a thinner bill verses the pudgy one.

This is the only Sunbonnet Sue and Overall Bill Block that my mother made (that I know of). It was made for my husband and I for our 10th wedding anniversary. This information is embroidered on the bottom right corner.

THANKS FOR YOUR INTEREST IN SUNBONNET SUE AND MY BLOG. I AM REALLY ENJOYING YOUR COMMENTS. THANKS SO MUCH.

SUNBONNET SUE SUNDAY

My mother is will be 82 years old on November 30, 2008. She has severe dimentia and is barely functioning as she has lost most of her memory. Mother was a quilter during the 1970s and 1980s. She made scrap quilts when she first started watching Georgia Bonesteel. Then one day when I was a senior in high school, I came home from school and she had a quilters catalog in her lap. She asked me, "Molly, do you think it would do for me to "buy" fabric for a quilt. She showed me a pattern that she had pick out for this "purchased fabric". It was in a Georgia Bonesteel book. Well, of course, I encouraged her to buy it. She hand quilted it in sections and it is one of her best quilts. Mother quilted hard and fast for about 10 years. Along with her quilts, she made vests, coats, bags, dresses, and more. She continued to quilt until my daddy died in 1998----then she quit. Not only quilting, but everything.

At one point, Mother was addicted to Sunbonnet Sue. As you can see in the picture above, she bought many books and magazines with patterns. The pieces above were the leftovers of a Sunbonnet quilt that she made with 30's feedsacks. She also made a calendar quilt. A Sue for each month of the year. One more that she made was an Overall Bill for her grandson, my nephew.

I have so many Sunbonnets to show you that I have decided to start Sunbonnet Sunday. Each Sunday I will show you some aspect of my mother's Sunbonnet Sue collection: a book, a pattern, a magazine, or some stitching. At the beginning of each month I will show you her Calender Quilt Sue for that month. Then, when I have shown you all the blocks, I will show you the entire quilt. Somewhere along the way, I will show you her Sunbonnet Feedsack quilt and other family Sunbonnet quilts that I have inherited. I hope you enjoy the Sunbonnet journey I have planned for you.

The first Calendar block is the November block------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------what would Sue be doing in the month of November-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------baking pumpkin pie?----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------raking leaves?------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------washing quilts and getting ready for winter?-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------could she be----------------------could she be?----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------stealing a turkey?????????????????---surely not!!!!-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------but she is!!

MORE NEXT
SUNDAY!!