A Quilt Story

During a lovely holiday visit to John's family, my mother-in-law, Sally, asked if I might be interested in an old quilt.  I followed her down to a back bedroom, where she pulled out of the closet a pretty spread done in soft colors against a creamy white background.  It was made in the 1930's and was still in remarkably good shape.  Sally said she didn't know if I would really want it, and I shouldn't feel that I had to take it (she's so cool).  I thought perhaps screaming HELL YEAH! at my mother-in-law would be a bit inappropriate, so I managed to mumble what I hope was a respectful yet enthusiastic, "Yes, I would really like to have this."

This entirely hand-quilted piece was made by Shelley Stevens, a woman who used to babysit John and his siblings when they were very young.  Shelley was born ca. 1905 and passed away many years ago.  Her sister, when disposing of some of Shelley's personal affects, was going to put the quilt out in a yard sale for $2.  TWO DOLLARS!!!  My MIL couldn't bear that it be subjected to such an uncertain fate, and so brought it home (see, I told you she was cool) and has taken good care of it. 

The pattern seems familiar to both Sally and I, but we couldn't quite put our fingers on the name of it.  Sally isn't certain, but suspects that the fabric came from a quilting kit put out by Sears in the 1930's.  I'll need to do a little research on the quilt's background.

When the weather turns warm, the quilt will grace our bed.  Until then, it's tucked away in my closet, safe from the ravages of time and three cats.

Shelley, if you're out there somewhere, you are fondly remembered, and your quilt lives on.

Cuke Mystery Solved

It's a loofah.  Huh.

Opting Out (A Gift Guide)

Overloaded.  A quick trip down to the Big City this morning to run a couple of (non-holiday) errands was enough to put me over the jittery edge.  Christmas decorations, sale signs, lines everywhere.  Add to that the mailbox stuffed with circulars and catalogues, the email inundated with Black Friday announcements, and the xmas carols heard over the grocery store loudspeakers long before Thanksgiving, and it's enough to make one want to give up and hide, and pretend that the holidays don't exist.

But I don't.  I love the holidays, everything about them.  The food, the gift giving, the weather, the spirit.  So I chose a few years ago to just opt out of the holiday madness, and observe them in a more measured and quiet way.  No more gifts for everyone and their brother, no more bleeding bank account, no more angst-filled hours trolling the malls looking for presents.

At first I decided that all-home made was the way to go.  That didn't last long.  I think it was the intricate hand-beaded ornaments that I made for all of my co-workers that did me in.  Only one of the 10 recipients of those ornaments that took me hours and hours and hours to make really appreciated the time and care that went into them. 

Now I take a mixed approach.  I make, whether on my needles or in my kitchen, as much as my schedule allows and purchase the rest.  I steadfastly refuse to leave the house on Black Friday, and often rely on my good friend, Mr. Internet.  The best gifts I've received are simple and given from the heart.  I try to keep that in mind, and select gifts that the recipient will truly enjoy.

Here are a few of my favorite gift-giving ideas.  What are yours?

FROM THE NEEDLES.  This year I'm going small but mighty.  First there's the beautiful Cotuit Sands Cowl by Marcy Vandale.   I've already knit one and am going to make another one for....someone who's name shall not be disclosed.  There will be a hat for my brother, and maybe some wristlets for my nieces.  I'm thinking about these slipper socks for the ladies in the family (I might need a pair for myself, too).  There will likely be a few knitted xmas ornaments as well, because I just can't resist.

TO BUY FOR A KNITTER/SPINNER.  There's always yarn and fiber, especially the exotics that folks might not splurge on for themselves (think mink, musk-ox, and buffalo), or a beautiful handspun art yarn.  But how about something different (that also happens to be inexpensive)?  I started having custom rubber stamps made for myself a few years ago, and found that packaged with an ink pad and maybe some gift tags, they make great gifts.  You can design them easily yourself using Word, and small stamps cost only $10-$20.

FROM THE KITCHEN.  Cookies and quick breads are always wonderful.  Homemade granola, walnut halves spread with almond paste and dipped in chocolate, and honey with nuts, chopped dried fruit, and a cinnamon stick (great on top of yogurt!) make good gifts too.  This year I'm thinking about making hot fudge sauce and putting it in pretty jars, and maybe some pomegranate or cranberry-rosemary jelly.  Jars and other containers are great wrapped in a pretty linen kitchen towel, which can then be reused time and again.   Food gifts need not always be sweet.  One of the best gifts I ever received was some homemade herb salt made by my friend Susie.  This was a gift that kept on giving: I used it regularly, it lasted a long time, and I thought of her whenever I cooked with it.  Now I let her know when I run out, and I give her something in return (hey Susie, send salt!!).  Infused oils and vinegars are easy too, and look nice presented in pretty bottles.

TO BUY FOR A BAKER/COOK.  If your favorite kitchen ninja adores gadgets, then you've got it easy.  But for a little something different, try a dough-rising bucket or a bread forming basket for your favorite baker.  A selection of specialty flours, such as Italian oo or French-style flour, would be fun.  For the cook, an unusual sea salt, a special balsamic vinegar, or a local artisan olive oil would be welcome. 

MISCELLANY.  One of the most charming gifts I've received, and another one that keeps on giving, was given to me by my friend Becky.  She formed some pretty art paper into a cone, filled it with daffodil bulbs, and included a little card with daffodil lore and planting instructions.  Every spring when the flowers bloomed I was treated to a splash of color.  On the weirder end of the gift-giving spectrum is a Turducken.  This is a chicken stuffed in a duck stuffed in a turkey, with sausage-cornbread stuffing in between each layer (outrageous, but really tasty).  I sent one to my brother a few years ago and he loved it, so now it's an annual tradition. 

KARMA.  For the office, I gave up on the hand-made (see above) and the Starbucks cards and instead tried to find something practical and inexpensive, but that supported a good cause.  One such find was cotton dish towels screen printed with charming images from the group LA Goal.  I know this group well; my sister-in-law is a member.  They provide job opportunities and social and artistic outlets for adults with developmental disabilities.  The work they do is incredible, and a small sum of money goes a long way in making a difference in the members' lives.  There are similar organizations in many communities; consider stopping by their holiday boutiques to pick up some charming gifts.  Another favorite organization of mine is Heifer International.  Knitting-wise, there's lots of ways to help (premie hats, chemo caps, lap blankets for nursing home residents, etc etc).  This year I plan on knitting a bear for the Mother Bear Project.  I purchased a charming little kit from them a year or so ago at Stitches West, and I hope to have at least one knit up to drop off to them at the next Stitches.

Here's to joyous and stress-free gifting!

Garden Unrest

Figuring it was time to put the beds to bed, so to speak, I meandered down to the garden this morning to check things out and work up a garden-winterizing to-do list.  I hadn't been down there pretty much since we moved in a few weeks ago and I was surprised at what I found. 

A bright and cheery gerbera daisy.

Some type of cucumber.  Tastes different from a regular

cuke, and I think these are well past their prime.

These were tucked under the cucumber vines.  Nothing smells like a carrot straight out of the ground.  They'll go into a butternut squash-carrot soup for tomorrow night's dinner.

An orange cherry tomato variety.  It's been pretty cold the

last week or two, but these seem to be getting a second wind.

With some feta and olive oil, they'll make a nice salad (if I

don't eat them all straight off the vine first).

Strawberries!

This is frightening.

Onions.  I think they sprouted after the rains a week or so ago. 

I don't know if they'll continue to grow in this cold.  I pulled one and it was

pretty small.  Maybe I'll get a few pearl onions?

It looks like I still have a bit more time before I need to put the garden to rest for the winter.  Good -- all the more knitting time for now. 



Ode to a Tomato (And a Way of Life)

On impulse the other day, I pulled over to a roadside farm stand not very far from my new home.  Handpainted signs proclaimed "Farm Fresh Produce" and "HEIRLOOM Tomatoes."  As I approached the small open barn, a young man got up from his folding beach chair where he was reading in the sun to greet me.  Inspecting his meager offerings -- the promised heirlooms, some regular garden tomatoes, and a few squashes (it is the end of the season, after all, so the pickings are naturally slim) -- we got to chatting, and I learned about the farm and received a local history lesson in the process.

It turns out that this whole area used to be pear orchards.  The farmer's grandfather purchased hundreds of acres years ago, where he raised cattle.  But long before that, the property was a Pony Express outpost.  Still there are the Pony Express' hand-dug well and forge.  I don't know why I find this so extraordinarily cool (The Pony Express!  For real!  They were right down the road!), but I do.  The forge building is now used by the farmer's brother for auto repair, and except for the anvil which still remains, the original forge tools now grace the living room walls of various of the farmer's relatives.

There's only 25 acres of the family parcel left now.  The young farmer has long wanted to be an organic farmer, and recently he decided to try to make a go of it.  He says the locals have been supportive, and he plans on expanding his vegetable offerings and wants to plant a fruit orchard.  I sure hope he's successful.  Preserving farm land (especially small-scale and organic), agricultural communities, and access to quality food is something that's dear to my heart. 

Arriving home, I sliced up one of those tomatoes and took a bite.  They were nothing like the tomato imposters found at the grocery store; these were imperfect, knobby and blemished, like many a home-grown tomato.  But they tasted like a tomato should:  of the fading summer, the rich earth, and a young man's dreams.  Actually, they were perfect.

A Day at the Fair (Or, Fleeces Happen)

I should be packing, but I'd much rather cop to the little falling down I had at the county fair a few weeks back. 

Each year, our local spinners' and weavers' guild puts on a sheep-to-shawl demonstration outside of the livestock building at the fair.  Guild members turn out in force to card, spin, and ply wool (which was washed and hand-dyed in advance by a guild member) into yarn and then weave it into a beautiful shawl, which is later auctioned off by the farmers to raise funds for various causes.  My job is typically to card -- a task I enjoy, with the added bonus that it frees me up early to go see the sights, such as this:

I really want one of these.

My favorite part of the fair is the animals. 

There are beautiful sheep.

Nothing beats a chin scratch.

And charming goats.

The only thing cuter than a goat is a baby goat.

A tour of the livestock pens provides a great opportunity to meet the shepherds and talk wool.  Which may result in this. 

A trunk full of fleeces.  There may be a few six in there.

There are some exceptional Cotswold lamb fleeces in those bags.  And some beautiful Shetlands.

Hey, they're for professional purposes!  New blends in the works!  It's justified!!

So, back to the spinning demo.  A big gathering of spinners means a big gathering of spinning wheels.  It's fun to check out all the different kinds of wheels, and this year Down Under was well represented. 

A Wendy wheel from New Zealand.

An Ettrick Windwheel from Australia. 

This is an older wheel with an iron pulley (they're now made out of wood). 

One clever spinner put socks on her wheel's treadles.  Isn't this cute?

There were lots of spinners this year, and they provided plenty of yarn to keep our weaver, Chris, busy at the loom.  The shawl took shape quickly, and by the afternoon, it was ready.

The shawl in process.  I love the gorgeous fall colors -- Susie worked some magic in the dye pots.

The completed shawl, modeled by the lovely Annie.

Don't you think this would look perfect in my new front yard?

It was a great day at the fair.  Next year, I'll be in a new county and will have a new fair to explore.  I hope they have sheep-to-shawl demos also.  Until then, I have some fleece to attend to.

Family Business

They say never do business with family.  "They" don't have my SIL, Sharon, as a real estate agent.  It's hard to house hunt when your intended destination is an eight-hour drive away, but Sharon was a great resource -- even though our destination is quite a distance from her home base as well.  We hit some snags trying to purchase the home we wanted, but Sharon stuck with it and after two anxiety-filled weeks, she nailed negotiations and we sealed the deal last night.  We have a new home!  Phew.

In a month, we'll be heading north to the heart of California's Gold Rush country.  Did you know that Gold Rush country is also heavily populated with wineries?  Oh yes, I am seriously looking forward to tasting exploring my new territory.

Thanks, Sharon, for everything.  You're a pro.  And great family.