So I called my brother and asked him about the gypsies. Here's what he said:
"Several times a year they came to town. There was a scissor sharpener with a horse cart and grinding wheel, some sold strawberries, and another had a cart filled with ice covered in hay."
"If you gave them something they put a chalk mark on the street in front of your house. Mom kept a bag of potatoes on the back porch and she'd give them one or two." I knew I could rely on my brother to set my memory straight. He's 6 years older and remembers everything :)
The back.
This cheater cloth was once a skirt. It wasn't mine but I couldn't bear to throw it away. So I removed the elastic in the waistband, opened the casing, ripped out the side seam, threw it in the washing machine and used it on the back.
I brought the quilt to Barbie to be long-arm quilted. She did a wonderful job. I love the way it turned out!
The quilting design is a floral/leaf combo.
I anchored the lower portion of the strips with a little hand quilting.
Years ago I bought 4 yards of this print fabric for $2.00 at the historical society fair. As I was prepping it for the back I discovered an original Newberry's price sticker, 37-cents/yard. Those were the days :)
I was playing around with the photo filters on my computer. Most of the filters drastically changed the look of the quilt but I kind of liked "Vanilla" because it showed the light and dark values.
I just finished cleaning and de-cluttering my sewing room. Still have a long way to go but it feels so much better!
My rack of UFOs :)
Pretty yellow tulips in our garden :)
Have a wonderful week!
__________
Copyright 2017, Barbara Schaffer
Oh, it is fantastic! I absolutely love it, front and back! Your fabrics really make it special. I love the gypsy story too. I don't recall them in my childhood, but we did have Indians from northern Maine who would come down and sell their baskets. My great grandmother was a native Penobscot Indian so my mother always tried to buy one if money allowed. I lOVE your sewing room floor. What a great idea. Of course you can't see enough of mine right now to justify any pattern on it. Hopefully you have inspired me to "downsize".
ReplyDeleteYou fooled me with the cheater cloth on the back! I thought, why would she wasted good blocks on the back and not make a crib quilt from them? Good use of it. The quilt does remind me of the gypsies' colorful clothing. I love your rack of UFO's.
ReplyDeleteIt's very interesting to see your quilt in black and white ! But the original colors are gorgeous ! What a great finish Barbara... Congratulations !
ReplyDeleteYour sewing room is ....wow ! And your UFO's too !! ah ah !
Your gypsy quilt is nothing short of fabulous! All of those bright interesting fabrics. What a great quilt. Your sewing space is very cool and ohhhh the stenciled floor!!
ReplyDeleteWow - I love your sewing room! Did you paint the blazing star on the floor? wonderful.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on finishing your GW quilt. I know you had fun making it and it shows. The back is great. How neat to re-use the skirt fabric.
what an amazing story about the gypsies and how lovely of your mom to give them potatoes.
gorgeous yellow tulips - so sunny and happy.
Love a finished quilt! That backing is awesome!!
ReplyDeleteYour sewing room is so pretty and spacious.
Lovely quilt and I really enjoyed the story. I've always admired this pattern. Maybe someday. . .
ReplyDeleteYour sewing room floor! A-maz-ing! Love it! The quilt is a beaut too :) so much work!
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting! The quilt was so much fun to make!
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