What's on the line?

It's my birthday gift from my mother! This pretty quilt top is one that she made in the mid 1960's. She knew that I liked it and so she gave this to me for my birthday. I've always liked the design. When I asked her what pattern she used she said that it was one she had ordered from the Des Moines Register newspaper. Have any of you seen it or know the name? I'd love to find out more about the pattern.
While I may not know much about the pattern, I do know something about the fabrics she used. Many are scraps from clothing that she made for herself or for me and my sister. That striped fabric in the upper left corner is from a dress that my sister wore for her school pictures one year. In the next row, the second block from the left is fabric from an outfit that I made when I was in high school. And the last block in that row is fabric from a dress that my mother made and I remember how pretty it was on her. It's also a really good quality cotton fabric and has a soft sheen to it. In the last row, the second block from the right, there's a pretty turgoise and white polka dot that my mother used to make skirts for my sister, Judy and me. We wore them with white blouses and white socks and more than one "can-can" (crinoline) underneath the skirt so that it would be full and pretty. Somewhere, I have a picture of the two of us in those skirts. I'll find it and post it one day. Those are just a few of the fabrics that I remember well. Some are scraps from dresses that my mother made for the women who lived at what was called "The County Home" back in the 1960's. She worked as a seamstress sewing clothes for the ladies and then went on to work at a store called "Lillian's". I always loved the name of that store. It just sounded elegant and it looked it from the outside. I only remember going into the store a couple of times and never owned anything that came from there. Since we could all sew, we didn't really buy much clothing. I do have the dress that my parents bought me for eighth grade graduation and I'm going to do a post on that one day. I got it out to show my mother when she was here and we were amazed that it looks almost brand new and it's at least 45 years old!

I took a close-up of the quilt block pattern so that you can see how it's made. I would love to have yardage of the pink tulip stripe. I remember it so well. I do love tulips and perhaps it started with that fabric. :-) Anyway, my mother hand-pieced all the blocks and then added the sashing by machine. The blocks aren't exactly square or lined up but I don't care. I like it just the way it is. I am not sure how I'll quilt it, or whether I will do it by hand or machine. I'm happy just to look at it right now and felt it was just the perfect gift for my birthday......especially since my mother was here when she gave it to me. :-)

I've added one more picture for today..........a charm pack that I won from RJR fabrics. They had a contest on facebook using this fabric line.............."Summer Solstice". I thought I'd tell you about it today, since this day is the "Summer Solstice" for those of us in the northern hemisphere. :-)

Contest entrants had to purchase fabrics from this line and were to make a purse or totebag from the fabric. I decided I'd like to do this and so I tried to purchase the fabric but it was sold out at more than one sight and another site was "on vacation" and no one in Minnesota carried it. So, I posted to the RJR site to let them know I wouldn't be able to enter after all. Okay, fast forward to a few weeks later when I enter a little drawing for a charm pack and I am one of two winners. I get a message that says they have the perfect charm pack for me.........and when I opened the package on arrival.........there it was "Summer Solstice!! It was perfect, just like they said. Now the challenge is to come up with a project for the fabrics. I have an idea brewing in my brain so I'm going to see if it translates to paper to fabric sometime this weekend. I'll be sure and share photos when I finish the project.

Actually, I was trying not to start new projects because I have so many old projects to finish. I have at least ten "in progress" projects on various surfaces here in my sewing room. I have got to finish some of them! LOL! Being here at the computer won't get any sewing done, so it's time to scoot. Check in tomorrow because I am going to post a little giveaway celebration for my two year blogaversery and 500 posts. Yep, I write a lot and I love it. Thank you Blogger for making this two year anniversary possible!!!!!

Have a great Monday!

Sandi