Saturday Musings ~

Saturday Morning Greetings to you!

...wanted to share with you

a few snaps of my small-haul of treasures 

 ~ that I found yesterday at the 

Fishersville Antiques Expo

here is a sweetly-tattered sampler that found me….

it was in a booth operated by Tinker's Wagon ~

this poor old dear has been through the ringer hasn't she?

just look at her :(

but

I have plans for her…

~ and to me she is perfect ~

Louisa Colbur(n?) stitched this naive but charming needlework ~

there threads have faded to loverly creams, browns & indigo blues…

the linen looks to be a homespun, with an approx. 32-36 count from what I can tell.

Louisa hem-stitched all of her edges back like a proper girl was taught to do in those times ~

unfortunately, time has taken it's toll and there are quite a few large holes & rips throughout…

I can't find a date, or age of Louisa anywhere {yet} but I'm still searching…

but she did leave a tiny little 'B' at the very bottom ~

done in 4-sided stitch…

I wonder what it stood for?

I also came home with 2 towels, 

...from the booth of Cat Lady Antiques ~

the one below, 

is beautiful nubby linen with a hanging loop on each end.

very simple and straightforward…very utilitarian & I love that about it.

this one, {below} its a 'bit' more fancy ~

with it's crocheted edging at the very bottom…

it has one hanging loop, center/top…

and I think it is oh-so-sweet that the maker initialed the loop with pen & ink ~

I do believe I can make out the letters "L" & "F" ??

Hmmm….

I know two girls with those initials ~

perhaps I'll stitch a friendship sampler on this one?

and do you recognize these book pages?

of course you do….

I had the pleasure of chatting with Jimmy Cramer at the show ~

oh how I love his gentle nature and creativity!

{Hi Jimmy!}

I have shopped in his booths MANY times 

at the Beaver Creek Antiques mall in Maryland, {{he has THEE BEST stuff!}}

and love when I bump into him at the Fishersville show….

I have devoured each & every page of his & Dean's ground-breaking book…

poring over it time & again, 

...looking at every intrinsic detail and soaking it all in.

…even the cover of their beloved book is the perfect Farmhouse Porch Green!!

after seeing friends at the show,

{HI Kathy & Jack, Trudy, Cathy, Donna, Anne, Stacy, Stacey, Kim, Joan & Art…..}

I came home and fondled that tattered old sampler above ~

I took in each tiny stitch and wondered where Louisa was when she stitched it?

 how old was she? what year/month was it?

why had no one considered framing it? was it ever framed?

did she herself spin & weave the linen it is stitched upon?

how would she have finished the bottom?…

and so many more unanswered questions.

it's these questions that keep me researching,

…. designing & dreaming of needle & thread ~

the fodder for my insatiable appetite and

the fuel to my ever-burning fire 

...I reckon. 

so with that,

I picked up my own needle and thread,

chose my linen

{32ct Vintage Maritime White from Lakeside Linens}

and began making those tiny little 'x's' that consume me day & night...

….using my favorite 4" Duchess hoop and gold needle of course.

~ and so it begins again ~

…the rewarding act of stitching memories into cloth.

Hoping your day is filled with beloved memories!!

~ Blessings from the Farm ~

 Lori