April UFO Discoveries

Neither of my March UFOs got completed, although I am continuing to plug away at the 30s reproduction pyramids as part of Karen Snyder's Quilt Block a Day.

Elder Son drew two numbers for the April UFOs:  8 and 9A.  Project 8 was in the bin with a lot of the other 2012 UFO choices, but I had a hard time finding 9A.  It was neatly stored in its own plastic box in the cupboard under the wet bar.  See what I get for being organized?

Project #8 is a gift of the ages.  I think my Aunt Frances, who was in her 90s when she died, started these items. Heartbreakingly, there is a tiny baby dress -- maybe about 6 month size?  It is made of fine cotton, in perfect condition although it has obviously been worn (a little formula stain at the neck):

It has narrow, very fine lace handstitched to the hem:

 

Such a mystery.  Who wore this?  I know it could have been a boy or a girl, was it my Daddy or my Uncle?  One of my cousins?  It has been laundered and starched, why did she fold it away with unfinished quilt projects?

There were also four flannel crazy-quilt blocks in the bag.  Flour sacks were used as the backing, and bits of flannel were basted to the flour sacks, then embroidered with fancy stitches and a shiny (silk?  rayon?) embroidery floss:

On two of the blocks, you can still read the mill name and location.  Weiser, Idaho is in the far western part of the state.

 This is my favorite, she pieced a little heart in the center:

Then there is this piece of yellow gingham with an eight-pointed star embroidered on it in brown and white.  Except two points are incomplete, so I guess it's a six-pointed star.  This type of embroidery is called "chicken scratch," possibly because the little stitches look like the marks made by chickens' feet.

I found this same pattern in a 4-H project book from West Virginia.  Maybe one of my cousins started it for her 4-H project and didn't finish it in time for Fair?  It looks like it was intended to be a table cloth, there are markings for a border.

And the prize, 20 hand-applique'd butterflies in real flour-sack fabric.  Notice that two are flying in different directions!  These blocks had once been sewn together but have been taken apart, did she decide to add sashing to make a larger quilt?  That's what I am going to do

The buttonhole stitch embroidery is beautifully done.  I wonder if my Grammy made these blocks, she sewed to support her family during the 1920s and 1930s.

Project 9A is my "I Spy" quilt that I started when my friend Holly's daughter was a baby.  She's 9 now (the daughter, not Holly!). 

 I know a granddaughter who might like this one.  The black squares between the blocks are made with a 3-D technique.   I remember how much fun Holly and I had searching out fabrics for the blocks. If I can remember how I made these, I'll post a tutorial.

Yesterday it was 80+ degrees outside, a record breaker. My rhubarb popped up and grew inches yesterday, as did the Bleeding Heart. I almost finished clearing away the winter detritus from the back yard -- today the high is forecast to be 46 degrees and 60 mph winds.  Snow tonight and a high of 39 tomorrow.  Ah, Spring in Colorado.

Remember to go to yesterday's post and make a comment for a chance to win the Lily Ashbury charm squares; celebrating my number of followers topping 50!