Saturday, July 23, 2016

Pick-up Work for Hot Summer Days

It's July in the Lehigh Valley and that means heat waves and humidity.  It doesn't help that most of us are all experiencing near drought conditions; my neighbor tells me we are about 5 inches below our normal yearly rainfall.  When I was young, most people didn't have airconditioning like we do now.  It makes one wonder how our fore-mothers dealt with the heat in bygone eras.

Well it certainly could be worse; we could be wearing these kinds of garments AND dealing with a lack of air conditioning.  One of my favorite headlines from old publications is a common advice that I find in the early twentieth century:  "Pick-Up Work for Hot Summer Days."
The articles that I have read from the late 19th century and into the early twentieth century usually mean some kind of handwork, often called fancy work.  "Commence now." The Cultivator and Country Gentleman advised in 1896,   "The long summer days are grand for such work."  

In 1915, The Young Woman's Journal  reminded young women of their duty to always be working and that, "During the summer there will be many opportunities for taking our sewing or crochet work into all sorts of odd nooks..."

I don't know about you but even with airconditioning, it feels too hot to be binding a quilt. These months I often spend completing embroidery projects and small sewing pieces.  If you are interested in some kind of embroidery work,  I suggest Pinterest, Q is for Quilter, or the Antique Pattern Library for free patterns.


What kind of sewing do you complete during the hot summer months?



Friday, July 8, 2016

Upcoming Events in our Area!

The Crazy Quilters Guild (from Emmaus, Pa) will be celebrating the guilds 25th Anniversary with an exhibit at the Allentown Art Musuem!  The opening reception is Sunday, June 10, 2016 from Noon until 3.  Some demonstrations will be done that day and refreshments will be served.  

The exhibit will continue to August 6, 2016.  Admission to the exhibit is free!
For more details, go the Allentown Art Museum website at www.Allentownartmuseum.org
But wait! There's more!  
Boyertown is celebrating the 150th Anniversary!

Quilt Show and SaleCelebrating Boyertown's Sesquicentennial
September 16 to 18, 2016
Opening Event: A Review of the
Antique Quilts on Display by Nancy Roan,
Pennsylvania German Textile Historian,  and 
Candace Perry, Curator Schwenfelder Library
and Heritage Center.

There is a lot of information about the event here and 
you can even opt to enter your own quilt to display.  Enjoy and stay cool!


Monday, July 4, 2016

McKim Monday: Happy Fourth of July!

Published in 1930, the Colonial History Quilt seems like a perfect way to celebrate the Fourth of July!  There are 24 blocks in the embroidery set, including pieces depicting Vikings, Native Americans, and settlers.  The pattern was published in 1930.



One of my favorites includes George Washington at Valley Forge:

I bought these blocks a few years ago and am grateful to have found this blue fabric with stars.  I hope to get it completed in the coming year (along with my other long list of UFOs).


Wishing you a safe and happy holiday!