July 17… vintage scraps

After a hot ,muggy time of mowing grass,working in the garden, picking tomatoes and okra ,I was chased inside by an upcoming thunderstorm. Once inside the house I didn’t feel like looking at dirty dishes, or anything that had to do with kitchen for that matter!

After a refreshing shower, I wondered to my fabric stash just to browse through it all ,for just because,and yes I know that’s weird😀, I was really intending to go quilt on the Fire Island Hosta quilt until I came across a box of old scraps! Ah… I had to see how these oldies were smelling….. smelling?..yes,smelling!

I had purchased these scraps off eBay,the seller was very honest saying these scraps were old ,dirty with a smell. I almost decided not to buy them for if old scraps are too dirty, smelly ,they are better off being thrown out, for any hard washing just puts them back to a tangled mass of threads good for nothing. The old vintage bug got me though and I bought them!🤷🏼‍♀️

On the day of their arrival, I opened the box to a stack of stinking ,dirty of fabric. I promptly took it to the laundry room! I sure didn’t want hubby to see that I got suckered into this deal,that was all my fault!😳 That box sat there for at least a week ,maybe more (hidden out of sight ,of course ) for I had other demanding things to do as it was springtime.

I finally dug it out of hiding when hubby had a long day at work,now one needs to understand that hubby didn’t have a problem with me buying old fabric ,he really likes the old quilts ,scraps that I bring home. The problem was ..I was to embarrass to a admit my bad judgment on buying a box of scraps! Okay ,stop laughing it wasn’t funny… then!😁

I got the dawn dish soap and baking soda out ,fill tubs of hot water, sorted whites from colored … and began to soak,scrub change water,soak,scrub and change water by hand until I began to have hope that I wasn’t so stupid after all. Laying it out on the grass and hanging on the wash line the bigger pieces, the sun even helped me out some more.

When the pieces dried, I layered them on an old clean sheet,with little pieces of batting that had a drop of lavender oil on them,put them in a box to iron at a later date.

I was so delighted when I opened that box up to the wonderful smell of fresh air and lavender,I know then that I was a winner for buying those scraps. I will let you decide if I’m right.

There is an interesting array of pieces that I’m pretty sure date to the 1860’s to 1920’s. There’s also madder dyed fabric pieces. Some of the scraps were used ,as there were cut up sleeves,shirts ,bodice piece ,old quilt block ,pocket , and a tying belt maybe that was once used for an apron.

I like to think a young girl was learning how to sew on the belt here.

Look at these old pieces… that are older than you and I.

Here’s a madder dyed piece that’s in good shape!

I did make up some blocks from these scraps.

Here is how I’m thinking of putting the quilt together,it will take a little laying out for the brown strips aren’t all the same but I think it will look nice all scrappy.

Does hubby know now about the oldies? Yep, he saw the blocks laid out ,thought they were beautiful, so he got the whole story.😁