Impatiens

 

Good morning!

The first week of August has already ended and the garden, while still blooming, has many flowers that look...a bit worse for wear.  I usually always have to deadhead by the beginning of August.  Molly, my beekeeping neighbor, asked why my yard waste cans were so full of flowers.  "The bees need them!"  But as I explained to her, I deadhead now to stimulate more blooms in the fall.  Enter the annuals!  This is the time of year they really shine...And that brings me to my favorite flower this time of year, impatiens.

Around here in the Northeast, this plant is a favorite annual.  It's easy to grow (especially in shade) and blooms profusely in August and will continue to produce through the fall bloom burst.

I actually don't remember any of my three gardening grandparents using impatiens in their gardens when I was young.  It really wasn't until the 1970s that Nana Betty began to incorporate them into her shade beds.  I've since learned the reason for that.  Throughout the early 20th century, impatiens were considered more a houseplant.  It seemed to only be discussed as a garden plant in warm weather regions (like California and Florida).

But now they appear to be a staple...at least in the Northeast.  I wondered what the story was behind the use of these plants.  It turned out to be a rather surprising story.  A botanist who worked in Costa Rica during World War 2,  oversaw the plantations of a Cinchona, a plant used to extract quinine (and used to treat malaria).  He became enamored of the flowers and I suggest you read the story here.

For now, the flower is making a fine showing in the garden...except the plants that the bunnies have eaten the blooms on.

The above flowers are what's left of the impatiens that were blooming around a hydrangea.  Fortunately, the impatiens are a hardy plant in the summer and will eventually re-bloom.

No antique pattern featuring this flower could be found although there a few modern patterns available.

What is the show stopper in your garden right now?  Please share your photos by emailing them to us via allentownquilter@gmail.com.

Have a safe and happy day!

Summer Coverlets

 

Happy Wednesday!

How many of you remember in the late spring changing beds from warm quilts to summer weight coverlets or spreads?  We grew up without air conditioning in our homes and it always seemed like Nana included this task in her spring cleaning.  Fans were also brought out and placed strategically throughout the house:  one to bring up the cool air from the basement and in the attic, fans at alternate windows to create a cross breeze.

By August, the house was always dark because the venetian blinds were closed tightly to keep out the heat of the sun.  Nana didn't bake during the dog days of summer; instead desserts consisted of watermelon or fruit salad.  

Summer coverlets or bedspreads were lightweight, more of sheet than a heavier weight fabric.  Some had a backing (no batting at all) of muslin.  

I have a few coverlets in my collection:

Embroidered peacocks were a favored motif in the 1920s and 30s.  I suspect all the embroidery done on "coverlets" during this time actually used sheets like the basket girl below.

Another popular motif were basket embroidery patterns, too numerous to show them all.

Some like the basket above sold on Etsy (here) included a charming border like fringe.

On crib sizes, a piece of fabric was often sewn as a border, or in this case, a sashing and border.

Something about this piece (on sale at Etsy) seems refreshing.  Maybe it is all the space between the embroidered blocks or the cool blue color of the thread:

And some pieces like the piece below included what we refer to as chicken scratch gingham embroidery:

And there were always enterprising makers who loved applique:

School will begin for the youngsters soon in our region.  The kids probably won't mind that their school isn't air conditioned; but bless the teachers and administrators who will be sweating it out!

How are you keeping cool these days?

Have a safe and happy day!

Tuesday's This and That: August 8, 2023

 

Good morning and happy Tuesday!

Today I'm featuring patterns by Baxter and McDonnell.  It seems fitting to featured their patterns for a doll's bedspread after yesterday's post.  The patterns were published in 1926.  The squares were to be embroidered and then sewn into a bedspread for dolly.  "Pin the design under the muslin and hold them both up to the window pane.  Then trace the pattern with a pencil."  Only 5 patterns were published for the piece.

Wishing you a safe and happy day!

Boudoir Dolls

 

Happy Monday!

Sometimes things are just dormant in your memory banks until you see something that wakes them up.  I was looking up something else when I saw this ad:

Actually this part of the ad captured me: the chaise lounge and the doll.

My Nana Elsie had a chaise lounge in her bedroom.  And when I was small, she had a doll on her bed or the chair.  And then because I am old, I couldn't remember if those kinds of dolls had a name...until I took a shower one day and "boudoir doll" jumped in my brain.  Actually, I think the doll I had you all name "Elsie" (here) was probably her boudoir doll.

And I remembered that on the other side of my family, my great-grandma had one in her bedroom too.  It was always on her bed and looked more like this:

1940 ad.

And because it's what I do, I wondered where and when these dolls originated.  Turns out they were a fad that became popular in the 1920s.  

The dolls were different then, long faced and lean long bodies:

One blogger explained that the phenomenon was likely because of World War 1 and that "the result of the fact that the war had destroyed social and economic traditions ‘youthful survivors found no ‘grown up’ established world of custom to fit back into so they continued to be the children they were before the war.'"  That good article is here.

Most doll historians suggested that the boudoir doll craze was popular in the 1920s-1930s but ads I found indicate that boudoir dolls were advertised into the early 1980s.

There were contests for the most beautiful boudoir doll:

1946

And often the dolls were given as a gift for folks who bought a piece of furniture, often a hope chest:

1956

And lots of patterns were sold for outfits for the dolls:

1936

1934

Most were marketed for grown women:

It wasn't until the 1970s that I found an ad for the doll being referred to as something for a child and "a beautiful addition to your child's room decor."

It occurred to me that one of the reasons this has escaped my memory is because it is so not fashionable to have a doll in a person's bedroom anymore.  Modern and minimalist decor dictate these days.  Most people my age and older will tell you that the younger generation is not interested in the "stuff" we have in our home.

Do you remember using a doll as an accessory in your bedroom?  Do you remember an older adult having one?  

Have a safe and happy day!

Flower Friday: August 4, 2023, 2023

 

Happy Flower Friday!

I write my posts in advance most of the time and for whatever reason, I didn't realize that I hadn't written a post for yesterday.  The truth is we've had good weather and I've been working like crazy in the garden this week.  Lots of weeding and deadheading while the weather is decent.  It felt good to be working outside again.

 

We've had lots of visitors to the garden including this bunny, smaller than a softball who is living out back:

And a slightly bigger baby bunny living out front:

The hummingbirds are flitting about most of the time these days.  We saw a very small one that was only about a 1.5 inch big.  Another day, I was standing out front when a hummingbird flew right up to me and hovered in front of me for a few seconds.  I wasn't sure what he or she was trying to convey to me but then it took off again.  I love when the hummingbirds greet me like that.

A few years ago, Lorraine gave me a rudbeckia that she said didn't get any disease and it is a sure winner.  This one (above) got a lot more shade than my other plants when  a bush had an amazing growth spurt nearby.  Still the plant is happy and blooming!  Thanks Lorraine!

The perineal hibiscus has begun to bloom!  It's always such a showy grand flower!

Wishing you a safe and happy weekend!

Designs Still Worth Doing: The Final Chapter

 

Ruby McKim was such a creative designer, one never knew what she would do next.  But some clues as to the next chapter in her life could be found in her catalog and also her work in Child Life magazine.

1931-32 DWD Catalog

April 1936 Child Life magazine

In 1933, the whole McKim family took an extensive trip to Europe.  The fact that the family could take this kind of trip during the height of the Depression possibly illustrates the kind of wealth the family had acquired.  During the trip, Ruby and Arthur McKim became interested in importing dolls, a business which eventually became the sole focus of the couple.

Kimport Dolls (name after their son, Kim), was introduced in 1935 and featured dolls from around the world, character dolls (like presidents and first ladies).  The also offered a publication called Doll Talk for Collectors; many doll collectors have told me they know of the newsletter.  

Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt dolls.

Kimport Dolls continued after Arthur's death in 1967 and Ruby's passing in 1976.  The business finally closed in 1985.

Why the switch to dolls?  Well on the McKim Studios' website, it states that "McKim Studios had grown so large that it was necessary to 'job out' different aspects of it.  They couldn't ensure quality control, and Granddaddy refused to put out an inferior product."

For 20 some years, Ruby McKim had been focused on the quilting and needlework design business:

From 1922 into the 1930s, she had worked for Child Life Magazine as the Children's Art Editor.

From 1928 until 1938, she submitted articles to Better Homes and Garden magazine.

She had been chosen to design patterns for 3 years by the Kansas City Star.

She and Arthur offered a variety of sewing catalogs including Designs Worth Doing, the most popular publication.

She had published one book, 101 Patchwork Patterns, and also 23 quilt series, a patchwork sampler, and a variety of other designs.

All the while, she was raising her children.

Every time I did this program for guilds, women would yell out, "she was burned-out!"  I also wonder if perhaps she also needed a different artistic outlet.

In 2002, McKim became the 33rd inductee into the Quilters' Hall of Fame.

Her work was so diverse and prolific that I couldn't even post each pattern.  Still I hope you enjoyed  hearing more of her amazing work and the contributions she made to our quilting traditions.  So many of her designs are still worth doing.  I hope you think so too!

Have a safe and happy day!

 

Tuesday's This and That:

 

Here's some embroidery that I found on pinterest that I thought was interesting:

I followed the pinterest leads and found these pieces were from this blog.  Interestingly, these pieces are not reflective of North Americans during World War 2.  They are British slogans.  Clues include the gas mask slogan:

And the slogan on the firebomb piece:

***

On Friday, I returned my mom's dog to her.  She had been out of the hospital for nearly a week.  It's been a tough couple of weeks, running between caring for her and for my husband who is recuperating from having his gall bladder removed.  And of course, we had Kerry (mom's dog) here.  I had to also take Kerry to the vet on Thursday.  

Kerry was diagnosed with an ear infection.  Poor thing was so uncomfortable that she was even moaning in her sleep.  It was best, we all decided, for her to return to mom's where she could lay around with the old woman who doesn't do much anyway.

I didn't sleep much during these weeks because of the anxiety of it all.

But Saturday I declared as a me-day.  I didn't go to my mom's.  I didn't walk the dog.  I didn't cook (in fact my husband even made me breakfast). I played in the sewing room and planned what I would do in the garden once the heat broke.  

There was one other thing that happened during this two week interval.  I saw my hand doctor.  One does not relinquish appointments with him because he is the best and most popular specialist.  

The right hand is now scheduled for surgery in October.  While there, I asked him to look at my left hand (the surgery on that hand had been done in November).  The surgery has helped the trigger fingers in the 4 digits.  Although I've known I had carpel tunnel in the left hand, it's gotten worse as I've gardened with the left hand to protect the right.  "And another thing," I told the doctor.  "I think I jammed my thumb while housecleaning a month ago and it isn't getting better."

Dr. T. felt the thumb.  "Nope," he said.  "You now have trigger finger in your thumb."

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME?"

So now, after I have the right hand is healed, Doc T. has to operate on the left again.  He said he can do the carpel surgery at the same time as the thumb.

***

Wishing you a safe and happy day!