Stars in Two Pines Park, Parts I. and 2.

 

Part 1. 

This week's post is in two parts.  Longer than usual, I guess.  Whatever 'usual' might be on this blog.

I bought this quilt several months ago at my favorite flea market...the Junk House in Beebe.  It is very pretty.  Vintage.  Hand pieced and hand quilted.  Pink and Brown mostly. And, a star quilt.  What's not to love?  

While it is pretty good condition....and beautifully quilted....there are seven or eight of the stars that are in various stages of disappearing.  Literally.  There will be evidence of this in a photo further into the post.  It happens with some older quilts...the fabric just melts away over time.  So sad.  

Years ago, Georgia Bonesteel made a quilt she named "Rescue the Perishing."  I thought of that some time back when I came into possession of several very old quilts also in various stages of decline.  Some of them way too far gone for rescue.  I have recently hand quilted a top made in the 30's.  The top is in decline also, but I've quilted it anyway.  It has a story but I can't tell you about it until after July when it will be given as a gift.  Do you remember a while back, I also rescued a beaded bag from the 20's?  It took a while.  So did the quilt I have been working on....and so will this one.  Perhaps in rescuing these quilts and other items, I am also rescuing myself.  Seems that way to me.

 Most of the quilt looks just like this.  Solid as can be, beautifully pieced and quilted.

 

 The batting is extremely thin, as you can see it where the fabrics are gone, but even the backing looks good and the quilting stitches are very small.

  

 And, it's very soft, both in looks and to the touch.

I took these photos about 5:30 in the evening.  The light is good at that time on a pretty day and being as I took the photos under the trees....well, you can see the quilting really well.

 

Lastly, here is a star that has virtually disappeared.  The only star fabric left is where there was a seam and in the center...down the five lines of quilt stitches.  The rest has gone.  So, those few stars will have to be replaced.  I'll applique as appropriate a fabric as possible where there used to be vintage fabric OR, I'll piece a new block and insert it into the space left by this one when I remove it.  We'll just have to see.  Tricky either way and time consuming.

I've two important projects going on and taking into next year to complete, but you can bet, this star quilt will be one of the first rescues I will attempt after they are done.  And, then I will show them to YOU.

 Part 2.

 

 As mentioned, I had decided to photograph this quilt yesterday about 5:30.  It really is a nice time to take quilt photos.   This photo shows the quilt and the back of my house, where there is a property where an old home used to be.  Now, on that property, way at the back is a clinic.  The front of the property is right behind my house, and though I think it also belongs to the hospital, as does the clinic, I call it my backyard.  For now.  I'm sure another clinic will be built there at some point.  I do love it though and as you can see, it's NICE.  I have also named it.  Two Pines Park.   There are two very large pine trees on this property.   You can see their trunks on the right side of photo #1 toward the street and also the photo below.  I wanted to tell you why I named it the way I did.  (Now, everyone I know also calls it TWO PINES PARK!)

A couple of years ago, I began reading a series of mysteries written by Louise Penny, a Canadian novelist.  You might enjoy them as much as I have if you love mysteries.  The stories of Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, and the village of THREE PINES, a village south of Montreal, Canada, kept me on the edge of my seat through the entire series and I am ready for another!  They are excellent!

The first book is named STILL LIFE should you want to read one.  

So, did you catch why my little backyard park is named TWO PINES?  It's my little homage to the village in Canada.

Another little interesting fact:  my son-in-law has lived here his whole life.  He remembers the old home that was torn down when the hospital built the clinic.  It belonged to a family named Quattlebaum.  I was telling him about reading the books and why I named  the property TWO PINES PARK and he said, "Well, that's funny, because I believe Mrs. Quattlebaum was from Canada!"

Do you find that as crazy a coincidence as I do?

Love it!!!

So, there you have two stories....one about a star quilt and one about a fictional village in Canada, both connected, in my mind,  to this little cottage home of mine. 

  

We could have a picnic right here in this photo!

Here is a photo of the book.........if you like mysteries, you'll probably like this series.  You may also be inspired to name a special place of your own after the village...or maybe that's just done by a funny person like me.  Or, make a Star quilt....for no other reason than they are beautiful.

until next time

from

BIRD NEST COTTAGE

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