real cialis prices

real cialis prices

Monday, September 12th, 2011

Redwork angel pattern

This line drawing intended for outline stitch embroidery of an angel is from a vintage source and was originally an almost microscopic line drawing in a catalog full of thousands of patterns to order. The pattern that would be received by the customer (in the 1890s) could be traced to embroider in a 10″ x 14″ size.

Curvilinear lines always seem to add elegance to any design and I was attracted to this motif because of the angels sweet looking, placid face. This would be easy to embroidery using just the customary stitches of Outline Stitch embroidery.

The nice thing about hand embroidery is that it is a portable project that can taken along in the car or to any place you know you’ll have to wait awhile. With needle, thread, scissors, a pattern traced onto cloth and a small embroidery hoop, you’ll be ready to embroider at a moment’s notice.

This design would look very nice on a small pillow or as a motif to decorate an herbal sachet. It could be embroidered onto a tea towel, or into a framed holiday decor item. Everyone needs a guardian angel! I hope this angel design gives you a lot of joy and that you use it to create something special for yourself or to give as a gift.

Creativity: the key to happiness!

Patricia Cummings

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Saturday, September 3rd, 2011

Supposedly, children have no memory of anything much before the age of reason, seven years old, or so I have been told. That does not seem to be true with me as I vividly recall my mother teaching me to embroider when I was only five. She simply drew an outline of a bear on an old pillowcase and showed me how to do outline stitch embroidery with red thread (Redwork embroidery). When I’d finished that project, I asked for another one. So, she drew a raccoon on another pillowcase and I gave that finished project to my big brother, Jack, who was nine years my senior.

my mother - early photo (1930s?)
This is an early photo of my mother, long before I knew her.

Embroidery was a new found love. It was a great pastime because I seemed to contract one childhood disease after the other from mumps and measles to chicken pox and Scarlet Fever. Embroidery was something I could do while sitting quietly and “quiet” was probably the nirvana my mother sought at that time. She was a “nervous” woman. Her nerves might have been calmed down had she taken up quilting!

Jenny Gauthier with project
Jenny Gauthier, my mother’s friend, playing coy. This photo was taken in Manchester, NH, year unknown.

She made stabs at learning to knit and crochet because her friend, Jenny Gauthier, was a whiz at the “Popcorn stitch” and made lovely bedspreads. However, my mother excelled only in embroidery and otherwise had no needlework skills whatsoever, except for sewing buttons back on. Forget sewing machines. She had an aversion to machines of any kind and in her later years, did buy a microwave oven but then used it as a glorified “bread box,” so afraid she was to turn it on.

Lessons learned at an early age seem to “stick” and so it was with me and embroidery. Bureau scarves and doilies were all the fashion in the 1950s and were easily obtainable at the “five and dime” stores like Woolworth’s on Elm St. in Manchester, NH (long out of business!). When Crewel Embroidery became popular in the 1960s, I begged for kits, reveling in the bright colors of the thick wool yarns. I made a “Betsy Ross” Sampler in 1966 (that my son now owns) and also finished quite a few embroidered pillows. Years later, it is fun to reminisce about all of my needlework experiences and all of the many techniques I’ve used within the 55 year time span of my relationship with the needle.

Today, everything has to be quick and easy. Needlework, once a required subject in “Dame” schools and other schools is going by the by, if it is taught at all. Machines have taken over, not only in the industry but in home textile production as well. Those of use who have done hand work… forever, are now farming out our quilts to be long-arm quilted by someone else. Eventually, arthritis and carpal tunnel syndrome undermine the best of our intentions. If you have needlework skills and the chance to pass down those hand skills to a youngster, please do so. It will be a memorable experience and of lasting value, I assure you. In the meantime, have fun with your embroidery and quilts and I’ll see you next time.

My first book about Redwork was published in 2002 and is currently available along with the other books I’ve written. Now offered as e-books, they are easy to store and pages of designs can be printed, as needed, for projects.

Patricia Cummings

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Tuesday, August 30th, 2011

For those of you who love Redwork embroidery or think you might like to learn more about this Victorian technique, please visit my new yahoo group. Membership is free. This is a place to share photos of your work or antiques you’ve collected, ask questions, and/or be inspired by other collectors and needleworkers.

Redwork umbrella holder
An umbrella holder embellished with Redwork Embroidery from the Victorian Age.

Join us at today!

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Tuesday, June 21st, 2011

We visited a new-to us antiques shop last month and were greeted with the announcement that the shop was having a sale. Being a true Yankee, the word “sale” speaks to my thrifty nature. There were even deeper discounts in the basement. Well, there was nothing down there that I would remotely thing of toting home but on the partition of the stairwell hung two embroidered linens that had, as they say, “seen better days.” Barely glancing at them, I knew that I wanted to say them from being hung by a safety pin through a corner of both of them. They had words on them and I love textiles with words. I did not like the price, especially considering their condition: very dirty, musty-smelling (a sure sign of mold), and visible holes.

vintage linen towel
My textile “rescue” project. photo by James Cummings

When I asked if they were discounted, the store clerk’s friendly demeanor changed. They were hanging in the stairwell, and were not IN the basement itself, so no, the price stood as marked. I hedged. The price was too high for what they were. Seeing that I was about to change my mind, she made a counter offer; one that I could accept.

I spent time deliberating on just how I wanted to clean them. I thought of using my usual method of a mixture of soapy water created by combining Orvus soap and Ivory liquid dish detergent but I was out of both of those cleaning agents. These two linen textiles continued to sit there waiting for my attention until today. I reasoned that anyone else would have just thrown these out and that I’d take a chance and wash them with Cheer free and clear laundry detergent on the “hand wash” cycle of the washing machine and would rinse them twice, using a warm wash/ cold rinse cycle. When they were finished washing, I hung them outside on the clothesline. The sun seemed to bleach out some of the stains and when they were dry, I pressed them both with an iron on maximum heat (linen setting). They came out amazingly well. One of them already has areas that were “darned” in order to lengthen the useful life of this textile that was probably used to dry dishes.

I will not “use” the towels for anything other than to show you their photos. The other one is comical and was most certainly made by the same individual. I’ll post that another time. These both appeared to have been made from stamped designs. They are what one might call “quaint.” I guess I just like to rescue old textiles and “appreciate” them for what remains. In storing them, even though the sun and the heat may have killed all of the mold spores, I will keep these separate from the rest of my textiles and will wrap them well (just in case). Mold is an insidious problem. I don’t go out of my way to collect known moldy items. In this case, I made an exception. Hope you enjoy the photo!

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Tuesday, May 17th, 2011

A reader who identifies herself only as “Suzan” has sent photos of a “Mammy” quilt she made in Redwork. Here is one of the photos:

Mammy Quilt with words
A “Mammy” quilt with words: “Our Patchwork Heritage Strengthens Not Weakens.”

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Tuesday, December 21st, 2010

arpillera

real cialis prices in the form of a child’s backpack

This exquisite little embroidered and appliquéd textile is typical of those made with a Guatemalan woven-fabric background. I was delighted to see the scene which includes a flowering Saguaro cactus, an alpaca, flowers, and happy sun and drops of rain descending from a cloud. There is also a girl who is wrapped in cloth that has blue anchors on a white ground. For centuries, the anchor symbol has stood for Christ himself, among Christians.

Indeed the women who make small wall quilts with similar (raised) figures may feel in need of real cialis prices from above. You see, many of their husbands are among those taken away during the night, never to return home, imprisoned and tortured for their political beliefs. There are so many of these kidnappings, the men are referred to simply as “los desaparecidos” – literally, “the disappeared ones.” The women are left to eek out a meager subsistence through their needlework. Ironically, with needle and thread, they always “paint” a picture of earth as a happy place with gardens, trees, and the perpetual sun, as well as people and animals.

I came across this example in an antiques store (although it is NOT an antique) and count myself lucky to have found it. I treasure products that show the resourcefulness of women in the face of almost unsurpassable adversity. This item seems to have never been “used.” For now, I will collect it, pondering every stitch in full appreciation of this piece of folk art.

Pat

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Tuesday, September 28th, 2010

During the early 1990s, as a member of Area 2 of the Northern New England Chapter of the Embroiderers’ Guild of America, I prepared a series of five monthly lectures that centered on the culture, history, and needlework techniques of Japan. One type of stitching that was new to me, at that time, is called “Sashiko.” This type of needlework had its roots in the utilitarian need to mend and reinforce everyday clothes by using a large running stitch. Soon, Japanese women were creating family crest designs, depictions of cranes, and foliage like Ghingko leaves and Cherry blossoms. Typically, thick white thread was used on an indigo background because cloth dyed with indigo was the material from which laborers’ clothes were made.

Within the last 20 years, Sashiko has seen a tremendous revival due to the number of books that have been written about the technique. Perle cotton #8 is the preferred thread. The challenge is in finding a needle with a large eye that will accommodate the thread and feel “just right” in the hand. , who is based in North Carolina, is a Sashiko teacher who is working with the Colonial Needle Company to offer a Sampler pack of needles, specifically geared toward use in stitching Sashiko designs, as revealed yesterday on Pat Sloan’s “creativetalk” Internet show: . The needles should be on the market soon.

I hope to do more Sashiko embroidery in the future. Sometimes called the “Big Stitch” technique, it is very enjoyable. Here is a sample of a miniature quilt I completed some time ago. The alternate blocks are fish “batik” fabirc and the border is a Momen House (Japanese) print, the gift of a friend.

A Taste of Japan Sampler Sashiko quilt

Quilt made by / photo by

Last week, Jim and I visited a display of quilts by a New England quilt artist who came to this country from her native, Tokyo, Japan, twenty years ago. She incorporates Sashiko into all of her work, and certainly utilizes more colors than just white. I would happily provide a link to her website(s) but I have subscribed to an automatic alert system that indicates when a site has been hacked and is considered dangerous because of a potential virus transmission. I was unable to access her articles or her ordering page for kits. I have alerted her and when the coast is clear, I will post a link at that time. By the way, her work is lovely.

If you are looking for a new-old technique, Sashiko might be just the type of embroidery you’ll love. Personally, I love Japanese design. Although I own a huge stack of books on the subject, I will recommend one that was published not too long ago and is sure to be available.

Enjoy the day!

Pat

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Wednesday, September 15th, 2010

Someone from Rhode Island sent me a package of unusual items about a year ago. They are long, embroidered strips, some of them perhaps intended as a trim for something, but for what?

Trim or tie?

We wonder if this was intended to tie something else together or as a trim?

hand towel tie

The second one says “Hand towels” in German and appears to be a band that is tied to hold a pile of clean hand towels together (but why?).

If anyone is familiar with these objects, we would love to hear from you. Either leave a comment or write to me directly at: pat at quiltersmuse dot com

Patricia Cummings

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Sunday, April 11th, 2010

Bluework piece

Antique Bluework block in question

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real cialis prices

Thanks for solving the mystery, Sylvia! Intrigued, I have ordered a copy of Rose Lea Alboum index that documents the patterns sold by the Rainbow Quilt Block Company. Rose single-handedly has documented thousands of quilt blocks that are available in various volumes. I own herreal cialis prices, and real cialis prices, but there are others!

The source of that Bluework block has been elusive. Sandra Munsey shared the block that is published on my website and in an article for real cialis prices magazine a few years ago. In the interim, Helene A. Middleton of Oregon sent a photo of a whole quilt with 9 large blocks of this same design. Here is a link to the file about .

A series about Bluework that I wrote was published in September and November 2007 in .

Have a great week!

Patricia Cummings

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Sunday, February 7th, 2010

If you like to trace designs for hand embroidery, Artograph Light Boxes are the way to go. I love mine. I have had it for years, and it is so handy and lightweight to carry to classes for demonstration purposes. I thought I’d mention it because I am such a happy customer!

In fact, I was using it today to trace a drawing of my granddaughter onto fabric for the purpose of hand embroidery. I don’t know what I’d do without it. With its 18″ expanse, there is room enough to tape down just about any paper design, lay the fabric over it, and trace with a Pigma Pen. My stitches cover the permanent pen lines, and should the embroidery ever get damaged, there is a “record” underneath of my original intent. Yes, I’ve been a happy customer for years now, and highly recommend this system for preparing designs.

Learn many other tips, as well as instructions for doing Redwork Embroidery in my e-book, real cialis prices. Please see our home page.

Patricia Cummings

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Wednesday, January 20th, 2010

CD cover

real cialis prices is currently available to acquire as a pdf file written to a CD disc that is easily inserted into a computer’s hard drive and read on any computer. We first published this as a wire bound book in January 2006 and received wonderful reviews at that time. There are 147 pages and 165 images (including photos of finished items and design patterns that you could re-create with needle and thread).

This book covers a wide variety of topics related to Redwork motifs and their usage in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Please visit the home page of our website for more details.

Patricia Lynne Grace Cummings and James G. Cummings
Quilter’s Muse Publications
Concord, New Hampshire

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Thursday, December 31st, 2009

Within the last two years, we have been documenting, cleaning, photographing, writing about, and publishing items from the Lewis family collection that represents at least four generations of needleworker/quilters who also worked in other media such as rug hooking, filet crochet, and the latest techniques of their day. Represented are the three most recent quilt revivals: the 1880s, the 1930s, and the 1970s.

I recently re-discovered a number of cartons/baskets/containers that contain textiles that I had not yet documented. I am not finished cleaning all of them yet but I found some interesting discoveries. At the moment, I have no way to share photos as we had to order a newer, compatible version of Photoshop, but at least I can tell you about some of the special “finds.”

1) A rayon, fringed square, probably a souvenir of World War II, with a U.S. Marines insignia on one corner. The father of the man who presented this collection to me was a Marine, as was he, himself.

2) A quilted potholder square, (4 patch), bound with a separate, muslin-color binding. I wondered if this was meant to be a potholder, as the batting is thin or non-existent, or if the item was the start of a potholder quilt.

3) A calico pocket, similar to those that drape over an armchair to hold sewing utensils. There is a “pocket” on each end. Inside the pocket is a card that says in old-fashioned Victorian print: “Merry, merry Christmas and a happy New Year too.” – (written as printed). The reverse side of the card has a hand-written message: “Eleanor – To add to your hopeless chest. – Mother” Somebody had a good sense of humor! A “hope chest” is the name given to collected textiles and household goods that would help a young lady set up housekeeping after marriage. We don’t hear the term very often, these days.

4) There is a 3-D Dahlia pillow made of a “fancy fiber” in a light orange color.

5) Pillowcases, woven in the round, are present in sets of two, each set embroidered with one of the family names, monogrammed, or embroidered. Round pillowcases are no longer sold. The bottom edges often sport crocheted edges, often in variegated thread colors.

6) There are bureau scarves, bridge sets, and piles of handkerchiefs. One that has yellow, scalloped edges was never used and had a small tag that said, “35 cents, Woolworth’s.”

I am left to wonder about some of the other items. I don’t know their potential use. One is a long, rectangular unit, folded in half, that has silk ribbon work on the top edge when it is folded in half, and ribbon ties. It is well-used, but for what purpose?

We have published aprons, potholders, (other) handkerchiefs, and quilts from this collection. It might have all gone to the dump had a family member not been so kind enough as to pass it all on to us, where it has found a broad audience of interested people.

Have a wonderful New Year’s Eve! We will leave the roads to the drunks and instead, we’ll be happily at home with our books, our projects, and our own company.

Happy New Year!

Patricia and James Cummings

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Monday, November 9th, 2009

antique bird drawing from my book - Redwork Renaissance

Antique bird drawing, one of many for Outline Stitch Embroidery (Redwork, etc.) from the e-book, real cialis prices, available on the Products Available page of website.

Who doesn’t thrill at seeing the first Robin of Spring, with its ear so finely-tuned as to detect worms just under the surface of the ground? Sometimes, like last year, Robins have appeared in my yard, while snow was still on the ground. Just recently, I learned that Robins are changing their migratory patterns. Some are remaining year round in heavily-wooded areas of New Hampshire.

We all love to see birds, and in New England, there is an abundance of them. My favorite bird is the Puffin, although I have never been to the rocky area off the coast of Maine where they live. I have just viewed them in videos and in photos. I remember seeing a picture of an outstanding quilt that depicts Puffins. The birds live in colonies, as do seals and sea otters. They travel together, as do Cedar Waxwings, another very social bird.

It is no surprise that photographers have wanted to capture the beauty of birds, scientists have wanted to study them, and the ordinary citizen has joined the Audubon Society to be with other birding enthusiasts. Some people decide to help the birds survive the winter by putting up bird stations. This seems like a wonderful thing to do, at first glance, but think again.

In New Hampshire, our state bird, the Purple Finch, has been dying off, perhaps due to the diseases they are picking up from other birds who visit feeding stations. Birds are not exactly clean creatures, especially while eating. Feeders pose a danger that are seldom or never washed or sterilized with Clorox bleach.

Authorities warn about the fact that outdoor feeders can and do attract Black Bears to yards, even in residential neighborhoods. Bears have a keen sense of smell, which is why they will tear their way into tents that have food inside, and will sometimes, even break windows to get into houses. I have not heard of that happening in New Hampshire, but I have seen videos of bears entering homes in Colorado.

Nature is always in a fine balance and whenever man inserts himself into the picture, changing food sources, or habitat conditions, there is always a price to pay. In the case of wild turkeys, just a few years ago, there were few of those in this state. They have made a comeback, due partially to restocking, and partially to no wolves or natural predators that can “take them,” except for man, in a limited turkey-hunting season.

The result is that we see turkeys in fields and by the side of the road, all the time. The other more serious result is that they sometimes fly in front of motorcycles and cars, unexpectedly, and in some cases, have caused fatalities.

In the dead of winter, we feed the birds with suet. When it is freezing cold outside, there is no chance of the animal fat becoming rancid, and birds happily utilize this food to help them keep warm and survive New Hampshire’s dire cold. As soon as the “bear alert” goes out, or as soon as the weather warms, that is the end of our bird feeding efforts. Birds are beautiful! I love them. To preserve them, it is best to leave them alone and let them feed on the natural seed pods and other forage they find for themselves.

In textiles, birds have been an endless theme of celebration in lovely old chintz fabrics and in more recent bird prints, as well as in Crewel embroidery kits, and in quilts, both antique and new. Have you made a bird quilt? If so, we’d love to see it! As birds are one of my pet subjects, I could say much more, but will leave you for now, with the suggestion of a book title that seems most interesting.

Patricia Cummings

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Friday, October 23rd, 2009

Half of my life, it seems, has been spent trying to correct other people in their erroneous, fallacious, and mythical statements about the “facts” surrounding textile and quilt history, including, but certainly not limited to, embroidery techniques such as Redwork. In these financially-trying times, it appears that unqualified people are willing to charge money to tell gullible buyers falsehoods. I refer to a new site that has come to my attention, but, alas, shall remain unmentioned by me.

The site owner has been writing about Redwork, among other topics. I cannot verify the truth about the “other topics” because I would have to pay quite a lot of money, per month, to access the files.

A friend sent me a brief “summary” of Redwork, according to the individual in question. It was described as “a quilting technique” (no, it is embroidery!) The person writing the short essay described Redwork and Bluework as being popular in the 1800s. (Bluework, and other colors seem to post-date Redwork for an obvious reason that any who knows anything about the topic would know).

If we loosely say “popular in the 1800s” that implies that we mean popular for 100 years, that is, all of the 19th century. Redwork was, in fact, popular AFTER crazy quilting. I think of Crazy Quilts as enjoying their most popularity in the 1880s, and Redwork as being most popular, beginning in the 1890s.

The writer stated that Redwork was done on muslin and white fabric. To tell you the truth, I wracked my brain trying to think of any WHITE fabric that I’ve seen in a quilt from the period when Redwork was most popular. She also states that Redwork was done mostly on small items (not necessarily a true statement), and that larger Redwork quilts had sashings. The only Redwork quilt I have in my collection that has sashings is from the early 20th century. In fact, the Redwork bedcoverings are most often tied, not quilted, so are not true quilts.

Sometimes, it is not what a writer says, but what he/she does not say. I could continue with my objections, inasmuch as I took issue with just about everything this person had to say. Make a mental note here. I have written five books on this subject.

I realize that there are hobbyists out there who want to move into the realm of being a “professional.” I will tell them one thing. They only make themselves look untrustworthy when “they” do not do their homework, are vague, and rely on hunches, rather than established facts. It is okay to make money by sharing what one knows, but for heaven’s sake, please make sure you “know” what you purport to know before spreading misinformation that makes my task of clearing up errors all the more difficult.

Greed does not do anyone any favors.

No one can prevent anyone from putting falsehoods or unsupported information on a website. Apparently, this is lucrative and money being money, that is the draw.

I will never ask you to pay to read my well-researched files online. They are shared freely because I believe that knowledge is a good thing, and because I am a teacher by training, temperament, and experience. “Knowledge is Power.” The truth, as I’ve said many times, will always stand. “B.S.” will always be what that is, a pile of trumped up lies that can easily be spotted.

By the way, if anyone wants to read some true statements about Redwork, you will still find real cialis prices information on my website. I have removed the three books that had been there for free access. Perhaps I should have left them longer so that my information, that is offered for free, could have been copied to a paid site. At least the person might have gotten a few more “facts” right.

As it stands, my 5th book, never online, is available in an e-book style, on CD, and is for sale of my Products Available page. For the most part, I do not get paid for my research, book writing, and web entries, unless I happen to occasionally sell an e-book. My labor is an extension of my compulsiveness to share information, and an example of my personal dedication to quilt history and world textiles. And, I would not have it any other way. There is a great deal of satisfaction in being a scholar and in having earned the title of “certified master craftsman in quilting,” one of only eight people in the country to have ever done so, as far as I know.

Have a great weekend.

P.S. For a great online paid site, I highly recommend “The Quilt Show” with Ricky Tims and Alex Anderson!

Patricia Cummings
real cialis prices look. For more information, you may want to consider purchasing my CD e-book: real cialis prices that does provide more specific information. It is listed on my on our website.

Best wishes,

Patricia Cummings

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