Getting Ready for July 4th in America!

Here are Sophia Grace and Rosie, trying out the little flag quilt.  They think it will do quite nicely to keep them warm and cuddly as they watch the fireworks this year.

It's 13.5 by 16 inches and the little flags are 2 x 3 inches.  I put hanging triangles on the back, so it can be displayed on the wall, if Sophia Grace and Rosie will give it up.

Another little quilt I just finished is made with solid blues and old scraps from my Mother's stash.  I was at the cabin, and started sorting out the blues from the scrap pile, and this little quilt soon came to be.

It's 15.5 by 20.5 inches and the squares are one inch.  It looks so peaceful, and I love the polka-dots and the stripes.

Here is the little blue postage stamp quilt on the doll's ironing board, getting ship-shape before getting packed to go with us.  I have been working hard at getting all the laundry done and all the sheets changed as we get ready to go on a trip.  I always like to come back home to clean sheets, and an empty laundry room, don't you?  

There were 41 replies to the last post for entry into the drawing for the book Patchwork, by Averil Colby.  The random number generator chose Sue, number 28, and I have contacted her to make arrangements to get the book into her hands.  Thanks for all of your kind entries, and I'm sorry that you couldn't all win the book.  (You are all winners in my book.)

It's Monday, and time to check out all the projects at the Patchwork Times blog (Here)

AAQI Charity Donation and Gonk

Here's a picture of my charity quilt with a Gonk.  I thought they matched with their plaid character!


My Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative (AAQI) charity quilt has now been given a number, and is in their internet listing of quilts for sale at the website:


www.altzquilts.org


There are lots of beautiful quilts for sale there, all for a great cause.  This one is named "Homespun Triangles" and is #10405.  I see several quilts there that I want to buy.  They put a price of $40 on this one.


Do you know what a Gonk is?   Gonks are egg-shaped toys from the 1960's.


I visited my friend Dee recently, and her brother had brought his Gonk over to her for eye repairs.  Her older brother Harry, used to cruise around his neighborhood in the 60's with this Gonk strapped in the back seat of his ultra cool 1957 silver Chevy convertible!


Now he keeps his Gonk on his houseboat, where his children and grandchildren can enjoy him.  Anyone else have a Gonk about 50 years ago?


I'm posting this small quilt on the pieceful life blog with the other posts for Little Quilt Monday.  I like to see what other little projects people are working on there.


http://piecefullife-elizabeth.blogspot.com


I'm in Michigan in the middle of a forest, so I have to go to the nearest town to get internet service, so please forgive me if I don't respond to your posts very quickly.  I am on vacation from internet service, and it is showing me how much I miss it.

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.