Teddy Bear's Picnic

If you go down to the woods today, you'd better not go alone.......I remember (back in the 50's) when my little sister had a record of The Teddy Bear's Picnic, and she would play it over and over again.  The tune was catchy, and the words brought forth an imagined picnic of teddy bears playing hide and seek, and having a grand time in the woods.  Do you know the song?  Below are the full words of the song, and a picture of some bears having a picnic on an old baby quilt.  You know it's an old song with these lyrics "see them gaily gad about"..

If you go down to the woods today 
You're sure of a big surprise. 
If you go down to the woods today 
You'd better go in disguise. 
For ev'ry bear that ever there was 
Will gather there for certain, because 
Today's the day the teddy bears have their picnic. 


Ev'ry teddy bear who's been good 
Is sure of a treat today. 
There's lots of marvelous things to eat 
And wonderful games to play. 
Beneath the trees where nobody sees 
They'll hide and seek as long as they please 
Cause that's the way the teddy bears have their picnic. 


If you go down to the woods today 
You'd better not go alone. 
It's lovely down in the woods today 
But safer to stay at home. 
For ev'ry bear that ever there was 
Will gather there for certain, because 
Today's the day the teddy bears have their picnic. 


Picnic time for teddy bears 
The little teddy bears are having a lovely time today 
Watch them, catch them unawares 
And see them picnic on their holiday. 
See them gaily gad about 
They love to play and shout; 
They never have any care; 
At six o'clock their mummies and daddies, 
Will take them home to bed, 
‘Cause they're tired little teddy bears.

 words by Jimmy Kennedy in 1932, music by John W. Bratton in1907

The quilt is one my mother made for our son as a crib quilt.  She made quilts similar to this one for everyone who had a baby.  If it was a little girl, she made a doll quilt also.  This one was made for Erik in the early 1970's, and measures 29 x 34 inches.

Flannel backed and very thin (or maybe non-existent) batting.  It's machine stitched and hand tied.  As you can see, it's been much loved and used, as it should be.  Have fun at your picnics this summer, but I caution you to stay out of the woods on the day the teddy bear's have their picnic!

Finished Doll Quilt and Childhood Toys

Here is the finished hourglass and pinwheel quilt.  It is pictured with one of my childhood toys.  My mother painted old wooden spools for me to play with as a toddler.  I would string them together to make necklaces.  

The quilt finished at 21.5 inches square.  I tea-dyed it to increase the "antique" look.  Here is another picture of the quilt in my childhood doll stroller.

The doll stroller has seen a lot of use - first with me and then my children, and finally my grandchildren.  I asked my mother what happened to the sun shade, as I had seen strollers similar to mine that were equipped with an additional woven sun shield  (see the below picture)

She laughed, and said you and your brother took it off and used it as a "sled" to slide down the hill in the snow.  We were the king and queen of "making do" if we didn't have the toys that other children had.  So evidently we didn't have a sled (or two sleds) and made do.  Living in Michigan in the wintertime - you have to have sleds!

I will close today with a picture of hydrangeas cut from my front yard.  They have been especially beautiful this year.

Hope you enjoyed the childhood toys and the doll quilt.

Hour Glasses and Pinwheels in Progress

Where does inspiration come from?  Sometimes when I'm looking at antique quilts online, I see one that I'd like to own, but can't afford.  This will be my version of an antique quilt for sale at this site:


http://www.stellarubinantiques.com/directory/Quilts:Doll24.html


Pinwheels Doll Quilt: Circa 1920; Pennsylvania   $335.  

"Four Hourglass blocks are combined to create a Pinwheel pattern in this lovely 1920's doll quilt. Excellent condition. Well scaled to the size of the piece, including the cable quilted border. Measures 28 1/2" square. Berks County, Pennsylvania origin."

My version is blue instead of pink and is 16.5 inches square right now, before borders.  It will finish a little smaller than the original and will have a small blue and then white border as the original does.  I wanted to post even though it's not finished yet because I'm including a picture every Monday on Elizabeth's website:

http://piecefullife-elizabeth.blogspot.com/

She gives bloggers an opportunity to show what little quilt they are working on each Monday and I like to see the updates. 

Here is a picture of the back, to show you the seams pressed open.  There are a lot of seams in this one, and it seemed best to press some of them open, to make it less bulky.  Hope you are having a great Monday!

Goldilocks Doll Quilt

Given to me years ago, as an embroidered "flimsy" by my friend Dee, I recently finished this doll quilt.  I added the small squares final border, and backed it with thin cotton batting and a blue and yellow plaid backing.  I brought the plaid to the front and rolled it over to bind the quilt.  There are no hanging triangles on the back.


I think she looks like Goldilocks, so I took a picture of my oldest doll sitting on the quilt.  My doll was given to me about 60 years ago, and I was cautioned by my mother to never cut her hair.   But I did cut her hair, and I have since replaced it with a new wig.  She was originally a blond, and wore a headband.  The wig was the closest I could find to her original hair.  I think she looks like the embroidered doll in the quilt.  She is wearing her original dress and pinafore.

The little yo-yos were made by me, and are the tiniest I have ever made.  The quilt measures 13.5 in. by 16 in.  Yo-yos are 1/2 inch in diameter.  Here's a close-up of the little yo-yos:

The reason I took a picture of the doll with the quilt is that I often used to play "Goldilocks and the Three Bears" with this doll when I was young.  She was terrific in the role:

I hope you enjoy today's small doll quilt.  I enjoyed finishing it.  Thanks Dee for the beginnings.  Your embroidery is beautiful.

Butterflies Flutter By in June

This small butterfly quilt was made for me by my best friend Dee.  The butterflies are machine blanket stitched onto the white background, and a satin stitch is sewn between them to make it look like there are 12 pieces sewn together.  I am sorry, I don't know who designed this pattern, as the quilt was a gift to me.  I love its happy look, and today I took it outside to be photographed against the butterfly weed in my garden.  


Butterfly weed is one of the few plants that the Monarch Butterfly feeds on while in the caterpillar stage of its life.  


Here are two pictures of the quilt alone, front and back.  It measures 10.5 in. by 11.5 in. and the label on the back says  "To Judy from Dee, Merry Christmas 2003".  It is machine pieced and has no quilting on the back, and has no binding.  The front and back are attached pillow-case style. 

I will close with a close-up of one of the butterflies.  Aren't they cute?
Thanks Dee!