RSC16 week 40

ROSE REDS FOR 50 YEARS

My final red block for September is my 8.5-inch improv block.  I was totally uninspired this week with no idea where to begin.  Then I came across a charm pack called Rio, which I had bought for an excellent price at Missouri Star online.  It recalls the Brazilian scenes and colors.

I found an image of a bright parrot and that was my starting point.  I actually finished the whole block in no time. When you're hot, you're hot. 

Only one other piece is from the Rio group, the brights on black.  Can't tell if they are tropical leaves or fireworks; both work fine.

With that finished I had time to work on the new project I mentioned last week.   Ages ago I bought a FQ group of 20 prints,  Just Type by Patty Young for Michael Miller.  I finally decided on a parttern for them.

This is the Color Works pattern, which has been popular in our Monona Quilters group, usually done with batiks.  The black really works well with them.  I'm making a twin size, with appeal for a man or someone in computers.

Since this is the last chance for rose, I have a partial photo of the first quilt I ever bought,  to use on our double bed.  I found it in an antique shop.  The owner asked $35 and that was right in my price range as a newlywed.  I put it through the washer and dryer once.  I thought maybe it was from the 1930's.  A long search began to find out more.  

Guess what?  In the first year of Quilters Newsletter publication I sent for a free issue, number six I think, a few pages in black and white.  There was a diagram of my pattern, a variation of Harrison Rose, named for President William Henry Harrison, and the quilt dates to the 1840's era!  There are more clues, such as the colors, the type of dyes, like the early red which breaks down.  Needless to say, I have not put it through the wash since then.

So that was the start of my study of antique quilts, collecting, studying and dating them for over 50 years.  When I get better photos I will show it in more detail.  It does have hearts quilted in the background, which were used for bridal quilts.  You can see one in the photo.

I've had a good time this month, quilting and blogging, entering the Original Design category in the Festival and seeing lots of wonderful quilts.  I hope you had a chance to visit it also.  Congrats to Cynthia for winning People's Choice.  

Have a good time starting out with October colors.

I link up with

Rainbow Scrap Challenge at 

soscrappy 

Oh, Scrap! at 

Quilting Is More Fun Than Housework 

Sew Cute Tuesday at 

Young Texan Mama