Quilts that kept us warm!!!

Oh, what a cold night it is here in Minnesota!! Right now it is -12 degrees outside and that is cold!We were silly enough to run some errands this evening and it was so cold out that almost no one was in the stores!! I've never been to JoAnn Fabrics when it was so quiet.....just the two sales associates, me and one other customer! Ah, but I was on a mission because all sewing notions were 50% off and I needed some needles and a couple other items so it warmed my heart to get those good deals. :-)
Makes me wonder though........just how did the pioneers who settled in Minnesota (and other snowy and cold states here in the U.S.) ever survive? I think of stories from Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House on the Prairie books and I don't think I would like getting up with frost on the windows and perhaps on my nose, too! I guess it took lots of quilts to keep folks warm at night in their farms and cabins. Maybe some like these that are on display at the Sibley County Historical Society this Sunday, January 3rd.......................

I thought this block was really unique and I loved the cheeriness of the gingham that alternated with each block. The block maker certainly used her creative spirit here as the blocks are sometimes "organized" and sometimes quite "scrappy".

Actually this one is just a quilt top so maybe it was used as a "spread" for the bed as my mother-in-law did with some quilt tops that she made and gave to me.

This one below is a thick and comfy star quilt and would have kept one quite warm and cozy........

I loved this Lone Star quilt. The color combination of the red and the burgundy and the white is just beautiful............

And I thought it was so unique to add the star blocks in each corner and then smaller ones within the points.

I would like to make one that looks like this but I am not sure I could master all those diamond shapes and then have the star lay flat like it should. It's a "maybe someday" project. :-)

The pretty little birdie quilt in the photo above made me think of Nancy Page quilt designs. I did some searching but couldn't find just exactly this design so perhaps it's maker drew her own sketch for her quilt. It is one of 100 quilts made by Mabel Krueger who made 100 quilts during her 90 years of living!

My personal favorite in this grouping above is that "square-in-a-square" quilt. It's done in such soft colors and while I'm not sure I could make that Lone Star quilt, I know I could do this one. :-)

You can see on this wool quilt that time has taken it's toll and the black wool is wearing thin. Interestingly, the wooly strip triangles have withstood time very well. This was a heavy quilt and would definitely keep your nose warm if you brought it up over your head and snuggled down under it!

This is the last quilt I'll share although there are more quilts on display at the museum. It's another cheery quilt done in red and white. Again, this one would be fun to make but too, too many triangles for me. ;-)

The house that is home (museum) to the Sibley County Historical Society is large and beautiful (and if you go this*post you can see the house and other places here in Henderson, MN). The rooms are filled with lovely things for you to see so if you live nearby, it's really worth the trip. And since most of you that read my blog don't live nearby........I hope you have enjoyed the visit!!!

Have a lovely Sunday!

Sandi

Finally, a quilt story.......

My morning got off to a great start when I got a call from Arlene at our county historical society reminding me to come down and check out a certain old quilt. So, I grabbed my camera and away I went. The Sibley County Historical Society is located in a beautiful old Victorian home and is brimming with county history. I was directed toward the attic where I was to find Arlene. She heard my voice and ushered me into a bedroom to show me the quilts. What a treat!! The first quilt was once a beautiful red and green applique quilt on cream. Then the second quilt was a blue applique with pink (or were they once red) flowers. Both were from the same family and date to around 1825 but they are very, very worn. In spite of that fact, they were still lovely and the quilting was very even. I took pictures which was okay but forgot to ask if I may post them here. I'll check on that and hopefully can post some pictures of them. I was short on time because I needed to get home to make a rhubarb cobbler for our afternoon Bible Study group. So, I thanked Arlene for letting me check out the quilts and I will go back another day to really study them and a few others.
Now to the rhubarb cobbler. It turned out perfectly as always because it was a recipe from my Grandma Goldie and no matter who makes it, it never fails. I'll add the recipe at the end of this post. Bible Study was at my friend Carolyn's. She is a young 93 and I asked her if it was okay if I brought the dessert for the afternoon. I didn't want to offend but she said she would never be offended if someone else wanted to cook/bake. I picked up some vanilla ice cream and with the cobbler fresh from the oven, it tasted "heavenly". :-) As always, we had good conversation over something good to eat, followed by a good lesson and discussion. My Bible study friends are a real treasure. They invited me into their group when we first moved here (Jan, '07) and treat me as if I have been with them forever - and most of them have been friends for more than 30 years!! As I was leaving, I noticed two tiny framed pieces by Carolyn's door. I asked if they were Valentines and she said, "no, they're old calling cards." I could picture them scanned onto fabric and used in my crazy quilt blocks so asked her if sometime I might borrow them to scan them. Generous soul that she is she said, "take them today and bring them back whenever you're done." What a treat today was - vintage quilts, vintage calling cards and wonderful friends! As usual, it's near the midnight hour as I write so time to relax with a little stitching before I head off to bed. I'll be dreaming of those quilts for sure!!