It’s a gray, gloomy day here in Kansas City. It is a day made for sewing or working on a quilt. But then it’s also Friday the 13th and that could totally negate the weather when it comes to sewing. Not only is it Friday the 13th, but it is also dangerously close to the final day for taxes.

I totally despise tax day. I know, that comes as a huge surprise to all those Americans who are delighted to see April 15th roll around every year.

I live in denial. I watch the days go by and see tax day get closer and closer. Every day I think, “Oh man, I’ve got to get busy! I’ve got to get my ducks in a row, my receipts sorted and tallied and all this stuff sent off to my tax lady.”

And another passes.

And another.

And still I am gathering things up at the 11th hour as usual.  I don’t know why she puts up with me.

I send her an email every year that says, “Shall we file for an extension or do you think you can work me in?” I sign my name and add this title, “Your reluctant client that lives in denial of tax day actually getting here.”

Only today did I realize that she would be working on my taxes on Friday the 13th. That cannot bode well. And it’s not that I’m really superstitious. Or am I?

I’m okay with black cats even if they walk in front of me. I do try to avoid walking under a ladder but not because I think I will have bad luck. That’s more because I think it would be a stupid thing to do. I don’t carry a rabbit’s foot for good luck. It’s obvious to the most casual of observers that the rabbit had no luck at all!

My mother-in-law used to tell me it was bad luck to sew on Sunday. She said I would spend eternity picking stitches out with my nose. Now there’s a mental picture! It’s much like that saying, “Keep your nose to the grindstone.” Perhaps if one did that, their nose would really be sharp enough to pick those stitches out! But it does seem uncomfortable.

So I have emails coming in from the accountant and I have my grandson here today. I’m taking advantage of naptime to write this blog.

I will be glad when the tax forms are filled out, signed and sent off. Who knows, maybe Friday the 13th will turn out to be a lucky day for me. What with the water in the basement a few weeks ago and the refrigerator needing to be replaced, I think I am due for some good things to happen.

But just in case, I think I will wait until tomorrow to sew.

I’ve been mulling over blogging options this morning. Sometimes I sit in front of this computer and nothing comes to mind. Other times it seems as though I can’t shut up. Then there are times that I think if I blog about the topic that is first and foremost in my thoughts, it will be perceived as self-serving and like I’m tooting my own horn.

That last option is the one I’m going with so perhaps I should ask for forgiveness now.

I have a new book out called A Bag of Scraps.  It’s about scrap quilts and the garment districts and those intriguing bits of information that came from magazine articles and advertisements. I’ve seen more than one ad that said they had bags of scraps for sale for quilters.

One of the tell tale signs that a quilt has been made from pieces that came from a garment factory is having many pieces of the same print but in different colorways. That can also be a sign that it comes from a kit. “Mickey” Around-the-house Dresses made by the John C. Michael Company located in Chicago, Illinois, claimed he could sell his ladies and girls dresses cheaper because the fabric that was left over after cutting the pieces were then cut into quilt patches for their line of quilt kits.

My stepmother had given me a quilt top that I revamped and turned into a fan quilt. I’ve been told that the pieces were scraps from The Princess Peggy dress factory located in Peoria, Illinois. When I first looked at that top, I was so surprised to find so many prints that were alike but colored differently. Then my sister’s friend told me where they had likely come from. Talk about one of those “Aha” moments!

According to an article published in Quilt magazine 1990 winter edition, written by Elaine Cressionnie, “In all dress factories there are stacks of scraps that fall to the ground when the fabric is stacked up and cut by big machines into the appropriate styles and sizes. The Princess Peggy factory was no exception. They produced mountains of scraps that needed to be disposed of.

“Frequently these fabric were bagged up and then sold by the pound as scraps for quiltmaking. The bright, happy florals and geometric designs that made the Princess Peggy house dresses so popular were particularly suitable for quilting.“

Capper’s Weekly also advertised that they were selling bags of scraps packaged in 2-pound bundles that would equal approximately eight yards of fabric. They claimed they had made arrangements with a ready-to-wear women’s housedress factory to supply them with leftover scraps. The price? A mere 75 cents.

Gloria Nixon, a quilt historian from Paxico, Kansas, loaned me a box of Red-I-Kut quilt pieces. Each block was packaged separately in little glassine envelopes. Some blocks were already made up but others were still in the envelopes waiting to be stitched together. The address on the packets is the same as that of the Mary Dean Frock Company on Eighth Street in Kansas City. (I can’t begin to tell you how jealous I am of Gloria and how much I am going to hate sending those back to her.)

While writing this book, I learned a lot about the garment district that thrived here in Kansas City and about the people who worked in the factories and the people who ran them. I’m glad I get to share what I’ve learned and hope you will enjoy the stories and the quilts.

Click here for more information or to purchase the book.

There I was, just sitting at my computer, searching for antique quilts on eBay. Just looking, not wanting to buy – I might just find a little inspiration or a beautiful quilt to feast my eyes on. It’s most assuredly happened before.

I once came upon a signature quilt from the Civil War era. It was an appliqué quilt that was beyond wonderful. Everything about the quilt was breathtaking, from the color to the design to the stitching. It looked like it belonged in a museum. If not there, it should have been patterned for a book. I wanted to buy it but the $20,000 price tag was far beyond my reach. Still I dream about that quilt.

But I digress.

In the middle of March I saw an appliqué quilt top for sale. It wasn’t completely put together. The borders had all the appliqué work done but they had not been stitched onto the center of the quilt.

The description the seller gave said.  “Stunning 1930-40′s Hand Appliqued Tulip Quilt Top with Coordinated Borders  ~ Outstanding Quilt Top, the sewing is just beautiful, this lovely top consists of sprawling tulips with connecting leaves/vines, the main part of the top measures 57” x 73”, there are also 4 border pieces that appear complete, there is some pencil marking on the border I am uncertain if this is for quilting lines or for additional vines, but for the most part the border appears done, (you be the judge), the border pieces measure 11.4” x 68 (2 of them) and the other 2 are 11.5 x 94”.  The border pieces can be added or left off which ever the quilter prefers, but all of it is expertly sewn.  Minor quilting marker lines on top (would likely come off with light hand washing with wash cloth).”

There was much more the seller could have said about this quilt to entice buyers. She could have said it was made from a kit called May Tulips, designed by Marie Webster. She could have added that the May 1931 issue of Needlecraft magazine advertised stamped blocks for 25 cents each or one could order a complete kit for a double bed for only $3.65.

But I didn’t need the information about Marie Webster. I have two books that her granddaughters wrote about her that include patterns. I have read the books over and over and have drooled over the quilts time and time again. I love her designs. I want to learn to do needleturn appliqué and do it well. Her designs deserve to be done well if one is going to make a quilt from them.

One of the best things about Marie Webster’s designs, in my opinion, is the borders. She didn’t think she had completed her work just because the center of the quilt was done. She made her quilts look complete with her borders.

The pencil markings on the border the seller referred to are where the scallops are to be cut. The minor quilt markings she talked about were placement marks for the pieces. (See the photo on the right.)

Reverse side of quilt.

I bid on the quilt top. I put in what I thought at the time was my highest bid. I kept watching over the weekend. I was at my son’s house celebrating two of my grandchildren’s birthdays. I had to sneak looks at my iPad to see how things were going with this auction.

My son asked me if I would bid any higher than I had and I told him no. I didn’t know it at the time but that was nothing but a big lie. I was kind of in a bind when it came to increasing my bid though. The auction would be ending while I was driving home from Illinois.

Before I left Michael’s house, I added another $25.00 to my bid and told him that if I didn’t get the quilt for that, I would have to live without it. (Another lie.)

I stopped at a McDonald’s on the way home and checked eBay. No one had bid against me and there was about an hour left. I also had about an hour left on my trip before I would make it home. Before pulling out of the parking lot, I jacked my bid up higher.

I came racing into the house when I got home with about 10 minutes left before the auction ended. I checked again. Still no one had bid against me. We all know that means nothing. There is always the person who waits until the last few seconds to dive in and snitch the item you’re bidding on. And this time was no exception.

Eight seconds to go and I am still winning but my bid has jumped $35. Hah, you last minute sniper, you did not go high enough! The quilt is mine and for less than my first maximum bid. The other two were unnecessary, but you never know.

My package finally came in the mail and I got to see the quilt top up close and personal. The stitches of the woman that did the appliqué work are amazing. They are so tiny – what an excellent example of workmanship. I can only aspire to that degree of perfection.

I do wonder why the quilt was never put together and finished. All that work and no completed quilt. I wish I knew her story. Even more, I wish I could tell her that her quilt will be finished. Not only will it be finished, it will be treasured as well.