The Color Orange Takes the Day!

"My Jubilee" by Regan Martin won Best of Show!

One of the first quilts that we saw when entering this year's quilt show by the Cocheco Quilt Guild was an orange and white quilt. I love that color combination. It reminds me of Creamsicles! The quilt made by Regan Martin won Best of Show 2014 and well it should have. "My Jubilee" measures 84" x 71" and was assembled and machine quilted by the maker.

The surprise came while viewing the back of the quilt. We certainly hope that the winner helped herself to some Chocolate Chip Cookies and Milk to celebrate the win! Wonderful quilt!

Shelburne Museum Visit

This week we drove up to the Burlington, NH area to visit relatives and to see the quilt exhibits at Shelburne Museum. The first one we visited was a large hall filled with quilts, textiles, and clothing related to the Civil War. I enjoyed seeing a havelock, in person, having read so much about them and how the soldiers hated wearing them. A havelock is a white headgear that was supposedly going to help northern soldiers in staving off the sun's beating heat of the south.

There were a lot of costumes and other things in the exhibit. I found the signage to be a bit too small to read even though my eyesight is 20/20 when wearing corrective lenses. The roping around the quilts, etc. also made it difficult to get close enough to actually read the signs. I recognized some of the quilts (like the James George quilt) donated to the U.S.S. Sanitary Commission; and one of the so-called "gunboat" quilts that served as a fundraiser in the south. It was a nice array of Civil War artifacts gathered from many lending institutions.

Pat Cummings at Shelburne Museum

In the same building, downstairs, is an exhibit of Amish star quilts. The Amish do not celebrate the individuality of people, probably the reason no signage was in place to reveal the makers of the quilts.

From there we walked over to the hat and fragrance shop. In front of the building, the herbs were smelling intensely-fragrant as it had just stopped raining. Inside we viewed quilts from the permanent collection, a guest exhibit of Nancy Crow, and some other really interesting textiles. No photos were allowed of any of the special exhibits.

It was a very fun visit. The October foliage is, of course, gorgeous...even in the rain! We found a great place to stay and also enjoyed our visit with family. Had intended to go to a quilt show the next day but were not able to do so due to a chronic health condition (arthritis in my feet). We came home as happy campers who actually spent some quality time away from home on our vacation.

Happy Holiday Weekend

Patricia Cummings stands among quilts made by Gail Wilson in a special exhibit (a room full) of Wilson's quilts at the Monadnock Quilters' Guild, Peterborough, NH, October 12, 2014

This weekend we were able to attend two quilt shows in two states, Vermont and New Hampshire. Both of the shows were relatively small as shows go these days but each was very enjoyable! The trees were in full color as is usually the case on Columbus Day weekend. We could see tour buses loaded with tourists taking in the scenery, cameras in hand. Jim was no different. He would pull off the road here and there to take more photos. He was busy at the quilt show, too, taking photos of quilts he liked. What a glorious time! Those who only drove north to see leaves missed some colorful quilts!

Biblical Thoughts about the "Virtuous Wife"

The Virtuous Wife

Who can find a virtuous wife?
For her worth is far above rubies.
The heart of her husband
safely trusts her;
So he will have no lack of gain.
She does him good and not evil
All the days of her life.
She seeks wool and flax,
And willingly works with her hands.
She is like the merchant ships,
She brings her food from afar.
She also rises while it is yet
night,
And provides food for her household
And a portion for her
maidservants.
She considers a field and buys
it:
From the profits she plants a vineyard.
She girds herself with strength,
and strengthens her arms.
She perceives that her
merchandise is good,
And her lamp does not go out
by night.
She stretches out her hands to the distaff,
And her hand holds the spindle.
She extends her hand to the poor,
Yes, she reaches out her hands
to the needy.
She is not afraid of snow for
her household,
For all her household is clothed with scarlet.
She makes tapestry for herself:
her clothing is fine linen and
purple.
Her husband is known in the gates.
When he sits among the elders of the land.
She makes linen garments
and sells them,
And supplies sashes for the
merchants.
Strength and honor are her
clothing:
She shall rejoice in time to
come.
She opens her mouth with
wisdom,
And on her tongue is the law
of kindness.
She watches over the ways of
her household,
And does not eat the bread of
idleness.
her children rise up
and call her blessed:
Her husband also, and he
praises her:
"Many daughters have done
well,
But you excel them all."
Charm is deceitful and beauty
is vain.
But a woman who fears the
LORD, she shall be praised.
Give her of the fruit of her hands,
And let her own works praise
her in the gates.

Dolls Remembered

Today I am thinking of the book Dolls Remembered to which I contributed a chapter in 2009. Happily, I wrote about a doll from my childhood and her importance in my life. Jim Cummings took a photo of "Miranda" for the book by Madonna Dries Christensen. Still available on amazon, the book has received all five star ratings by reviewers. One hundred per cent of the proceeds of the book go to support a Down's Syndrome facility located in Northern Virginia.

Doll from childhood, quilt designed by Patricia Cummings, photo by James Cummings

Do little girls play with dolls any more? The one shown here was "on display" on top of a tall bureau in her bedroom. She had no clothes but the sweetest, enchanting face. As an adult, I made the dress she is wearing. The quilt is one that I designed and made, inspired by an antique quilt. I allowed The Appliqué Society to publish a pattern for the quilt. I hope you enjoy seeing this photo. It certainly makes me smile. It was fun to find the dog bone fabric that I used for the borders.

Autumn: The Best Season of the Year

Autumn: The Best Season of the Year

Patricia Cummings

This photo shows a lovely autumn scene in Vermont of leaves blanketing the grass. Photo sent to us by Charlotte Croft

"The autumn leaves drift past my window; the autumn leaves of red and gold" are the words to a song that I sang in Glee Club in high school. Due to dry conditions, the leaves are showing a lot of early color and the rain and wind are sending them to the ground.

We love autumn and are looking forward to the quilt shows in New England. An exhibit not to miss is currently displayed at the Shelburne Museum in Vermont. The title is "Homefront and Battlefield: Quilts of the Civil War." Some of the best quilts from that period are on display. If you missed the book written by Lynne Z. Bassett and Madelyn Shaw on this topic, hurry to find a copy. It is the best volume written on the subject.

Autumn is the season to take frequent trips to the orchard to buy those crispy MacIntosh apples, right off the tree; apple cider, and baked goods including Apple Crumble Pie. It is the time when folks who heat with wood are taking the time to split wood. Others (like us) are working on the exterior of the house. Today's efforts by Jim were to do some minor repairs to the front porch and wash everything, preliminary to painting tomorrow.

The cooler air is wonderful! So are the passersby who stop to say they like the new "look" of our house. In yellow, I suppose it makes a statement. In fact, I know that it makes a statement! I was so happy to learn that yellow was its original color.

As for me, I have been hand quilting in my den. I am working on a queen size quilt that was pre-marked. It will take forever to finish but I cannot wait for it to be done. Meanwhile, I am listening to Bob Dylan, Mozart, Paul Rausch, and other favorites while I stitch.

Outside is another story. The chickadees, winter birds for us, have arrived. I heard but did not see a Pileated Woodpecker. Those dinosaurs make a hearty sound when they start drilling for insects in wood surfaces. The Jerusalem Artichoke plants are probably 8 feet tall by now and are blooming, finally, with their sunflower-like petals. All is right in my world.