QUILTS FROM MY SUMMER TRAVELS...

 I tell you, my travels this summer when we went to Maine for a few days, brought back many memories of  a great Aunt and my Grandmother who were very accomplished quilters.

My aunt who made the one on the right here, sold many quilts.  None of them had her name on them as she just sold them to friends who gave them as gifts to their family members.

This one is machine pieced, hand quilted, 
probably made around 1960s for my Aunt Ernestine, who passed away a few years ago and my uncle gave it to my Aunt Joane.

I recognized the pattern from another of my grandmother's patterns, long ago made into rags from so much use.

This little window is hand painted by a friend of my Aunt's who also made a winter scene window  for their cabin.  (aka cottage here in Ontario).  To say it is lovely doesn't
describe it.  From found windows too!

 This log cabin is one of many many that my grandmother did.  She never threw anything away, scrounged a tie factory which was not far from her home and they often just gave her all their scraps of left over ties  The red in the centre is from them and I have a bit of it as I got some of 
her fabrics a few years ago.  Some
were just too dried out to use, but the red is in my treasure chest.

My grandmother loved blue, so most of her quilts have a blue base to make her blocks. It must have been a popular colour in the 60s.  Also machine pieced but hand quilted.  Around 1960 also.  And it is very well preserved as it wasn't used much.

The patchwork photo has some of my hair ribbons from childhood which was done by my great Aunt that I lived with during the war.  I was very young...I could see so many little plaid ribbons which I must have worn as pig tails were so popular amongst the young.

It is hand pieced and hand stitched around the patches...

Our days are getting shorter now, longer in Australia as they await their summer season and we, the winter days.  It was dark early last night due to the dark skies of the rains passing through our little paradise.

We are alone on the island this week.  Our neighbours (formerly new) didn't come last weekend, but Helen was here, and I got another lesson in hopefully will be some hand work for the winter.

Helen's mother who is in failing health has taken up Helen's days as she visits her mother often.  94 years old and still feisty old broad even when she is bed ridden.  Serbian by birth, Helen's mother has taught her daughter well.  An accomplished seamstress, Helen has found her mother's wedding dress hand made as you can imagine by this woman with exceptional hand skills.  Helen said there is even the silk stockings in the box!   Photos to follow when more time is available.

Today, we have the wood stove on in the day as it was fairly cool this morning.  But when the sun shines, it is very cozy in the sun room.