1. hobbies and interests
2. needlework

2
The Carolinas
The Country Register of North & South Carolina
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The N. & S Carolina Country Register
is published by:
The Deadline for the May-June
Issue is April 1st for Ads & Articles
Our feature articles will focus on
Get Outside! Gardening and Outdoor Projects!
Cover Art
“Spring Season” by Mary Beth Baxter
“Spring Season” on our cover is dedicated to the memory of its artist, Mary Beth
Baxter, whose beautiful life was cut short by her untimely death in 2011. However, her
artwork lives on, appreciated by people all across the US.
Mary Beth’s folk art career began with her first
crayon. She recalled, “I can remember as a six year old
that I excelled in everything artistic. It didn’t matter
the time or place—from a large abstract painting to an
early bride’s box—the use of color and shape came as
second nature to me.”
From those early experiments, Mary Beth
developed into one of America’s premier folk artists
after graduating from Penn State with a degree in Art
Education. A 30-year hobby of antique collecting laid
the groundwork for painting and designs in her unique
style.
Mary Beth’s artwork, home and gift shop—both on Cape Cod—were featured in
many national magazines. The impressive portfolio she created over the years made
her venture into the licensing of her artwork an easy transition. Her family still lives
on Cape Cod and remembers her life being centered around her daughters, son-in-law
and grandchildren. Love and family and reverence for America were central themes
of her artwork.
For information on licensing Mary Beth’s artwork, contact Linda McDonald, Inc.,
at 704-370-0057 or email [email protected].
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* Massachusetts-RI: Michael Dempsey, 10213 Fanny Brown Road, Raleigh, NC 27603, 919-661-1760
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* Nevada (N): Betty Fassett, 26941 Cabot Rd., Suite 132, Laguna Hills, CA, 92653, 800-349-1858
* Nevada (S): Glena Dunn, 4568 Carol Circle, Las Vegas, NV, 89120, 702-523-1803
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* New Jersey: Merle and Gail Taylor, P.O. Box 594, New Market, MD, 21774, 888-616-8319
New Mexico: Jan & John Keller, 16755 Oak Brush Loop, Peyton, CO, 80831, 719-749-9797
* New York: Dave & Amy Carter, P.O. Box 365, New Market, MD, 21774, 866-825-9217
* N. Carolina: Barbara Stillman and Lolly Konecky, 515 E Carefree Hwy #1128, Phoenix, AZ, 85085, 602-942-8950
* North Dakota: Dee Sleep, 10563 Chicken Creek Road, Spearfish, SD 57783, 605-722-7028
* Ohio: Barb Moore, P. O. Box 37, Cable, OH, 43009, 937-652-1157
* Oklahoma: Lenda Williams, P.O. Box 32581, Oklahoma City, OK, 73123, phone/fax 405-470-2597
* Oregon: Barbara Stillman and Lolly Konecky, 515 E Carefree Hwy #1128, Phoenix, AZ, 85085, 602-942-8950
* Pennsylvania: Dave & Amy Carter, P.O. Box 365, New Market, MD, 21774, 866-825-9217
* Rhode Island: Michael Dempsey, 10213 Fanny Brown Road, Raleigh, NC , 27603, 919-661-1760
* S. Carolina: Barbara Stillman and Lolly Konecky, 515 E Carefree Hwy #1128, Phoenix, AZ, 85085, 602-942-8950
* South Dakota: Dee Sleep, 10563 Chicken Creek Road, Spearfish, SD 57783, 605-722-7028
* Tennessee: Chris & Kelly Kennedy, 5804 Whitrose Way, New Market, MD 21774, 443-243-1118
* Texas: Lenda Williams, P.O. Box 32581, Oklahoma City, OK, 73123, phone/fax 405-470-2597
* Utah: Daniel & Stacy Tueller, 153 S 2050 W, Provo UT 84601, 801-592-8498
Vermont: Chris & Kelly Kennedy, 5804 Whitrose Way, New Market, MD 21774, 443-243-1118
* Virginia: Dave & Amy Carter, P.O. Box 365, New Market, MD, 21774, 866-825-9217
* Washington & E. OR & S. ID: Barbara Stillman and Lolly Konecky, 515 E Carefree Hwy #1128, Phoenix, AZ, 85085, 602-942-8950
* West Virginia: Dave & Amy Carter, P.O. Box 365, New Market, MD, 21774, 866-825-9217
* Wisconsin: Scott & Jennifer Hughes, P. O. Box 276, Altoona, WI, 54720, 715-838-9426
* Wyoming: Dee Sleep, 10563 Chicken Creek Road, Spearfish, SD 57783, 605-722-7028
CANADA
* Alberta: Ruth Burke, P.O. Box 97, Heisler, AB, T0B2A0, (780) 889-3776
British Columbia: Bryan Stonehill, Box 1338, Summerland, BC, V0H 1Z0, 800-784-6711
* Manitoba & Saskatchewan: Scott & Marj Kearns, Box 850, Kipling, SK, S0G 2S0, 306-736-2441
Ontario: Laurie Holcombe, 166-B Craig Henry Drive, Nepean, Ontario K2G 4M7 613-864-8667
Index for March-April 2014
Summerville, SC • Bluffton, SC • Jerfferson, NC ..........................3
Gafney, SC • Campobello, SC ....................................................4
Toccoa, GA ................................................................................5
Special Events ............................................... 5, 6-9, 11, 13, 14, 16
Jacksonville, NC • Goldsboro, NC • Wilimington, NC .................6
Antiques, Primitives & Vintage .............................................7-10
Lowell, NC • Raleigh, NC .........................................................11
Wendell, NC • Sanford, NC ......................................................11
The Country Register ..............................................................12
Charlotte, NC ..........................................................................13
Flat Rock, NC...........................................................................14
Special Services .................................................................14-15
Virgina • West Virgina Events ..................................................16
Welcome to the March-April issue of The Carolinas Country Register.
This issue we have a special Antiques, Primitives and Vintage section
(starting on page 7). We hope you enjoy our March-April issue, Sit down
with the paper and a read about some of the great shops in your area.
Happy Spring!
The Carolinas Country Register Staff
Barb, Lolly, Patty, Phyllis, Kayce & Nancy
THE COUNTRY REGISTER, Months of March-April 2014.
THE COUNTRY REGISTER is published every other month. Copyright 2014.
Reproduction or use, without permission, of editorial or graphic content in any manner is prohibited
by law. 515 E Carefree Hwy, #1128, Phoenix, AZ 85085. Subscription price: 1 Year, 6 Issues, $18.00.
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THE COUNTRY REGISTER is registered as a business trade name and also a trademark in the State
of Arizona.
Disclaimer
Articles published in this newspaper, which are contributed from an outside source, express the
opinions of their authors only and may not express the viewpoint(s) of the management or staff of
The Country Register. Such articles that are accepted for publication herein may be edited at the sole
discretion of the publisher.
Responsibility for products advertised in this newspaper lies with the advertisers themselves.
Though The Country Register will not knowingly publish fraudulent materials or fraudulently obtained materials, we are not liable for any damages arising from the purchase or use of products advertised herein. Notification regarding any consumer complaints related to merchandise purchased
from our advertisers would be appreciated and would assist in our efforts. Copyright © 2013 by The
Country Register, 515 E Carefree Hwy, #1128, Phoenix, AZ 85085.
The Country Register is a United States and Canadian network
of independently owned and published specialty newspapers for the
consumer who enjoys outstanding shopping, events, day & overnight
excursions and specialty classes.
The Country Register provides targeted, effective, and affordable
advertising for the promotion of Specialty Shops
Barbara Floyd,
The Country Register Founder
[email protected]
www.countryregister.com
March-April 14
Summerville, SC • Bluffton, SC • Jefferson, NC
Colorful Barn Quilts Are Found
Along the American Quilt Trail
by Suzi Parron
The colorful painted quilts that appear on barns and other buildings are more than just attractive additions to the byways of
rural America. They are part of the American Quilt Trail, a network of over one hundred and forty such outdoor ‘quilt museums’
that can be found from coast to coast and across Ontario, Canada.
Barn quilts are often replicas of family quilts, fashioned on
boards rather than with cloth. While cloth quilts are usually made
up of a series of squares of the same pattern placed together, a barn
quilt is almost always a single square so that it can be seen from a
distance.
The first barn quilt trail was created in Adams County, Ohio.
Resident Donna Sue Groves wanted to honor her Appalachian
heritage and her mother’s quilting by decorating their barn with
a replica of a quilt square. Instead of creating a personal tribute,
Donna Sue brought the idea to her community, and a committee
of interested individuals and organizations was formed. The first
quilt square, an Ohio Star block, was mounted in 2011 on a public
building near the Groves farm. Soon, twenty barn quilts were
sprinkled throughout Adams County, Ohio, as a sampler for both
Spizorinktum, Avery County, NC
locals and visitors to enjoy.
The barn quilt concept spread quickly, as neighboring counties in Ohio saw what had been created in Adams County and
created their own quilt trails. For several years, Donna Sue worked with organizations in Ohio and Tennessee and Iowa to foster
the growth of new trails. She also served as advisor for dozens of individuals who were either creating a painted quilt for their
own property or planning a quilt trail in their community.
Once quilt trails had been established in several states, the movement blossomed. Travelers saw barn quilts in other states
and brought the idea back to their communities. News articles about quilt trails
inspired community leaders and concerned citizens looking for a way to energize
their communities.
Quilt trails are created by quilt guilds, civic groups, local arts councils, 4-H clubs,
school groups and other organizations. Most are a countywide effort, which allows
for a distinct trail in a single area and creates local pride in the project. Though
locally born, many quilt trails rely on the
expertise and best practices of those who
came before. Quilt trail organizers routinely
travel to nearby counties and states—either in
person or via phone and email—to lend their
advice to eager barn quilt painters.
To date, about one hundred and forty
communities across the country have created
their own quilt trails. Many supply a driving
map that guides travelers along the way.
Blue Moon Ridge, Ashe County, NC, Created In addition to historic barns, the route may
include fairgrounds, family-owned businesses
by Quilt Square Girls
Continued on page 4...
Upstate Heritage Quilt Trail
Goes Through SC Scenic Beauty
by Cynthia Leggett
Crazy Quilt, Double Wedding Ring, Rocky Mountain Road, Grandmother’s Flower
Garden, Carolina Mystery, Churn Dasher, President’s Wreath, My Blue Ridge. These are
just a few of the quilt block patterns to be found on the Upstate Heritage Quilt Trail of
South Carolina (UHQT).
The quilt trail movement began in
Adams County, Ohio, in 2001. Donna
Sue Groves, a Field Representative
with the Ohio Arts Council, decided to
decorate her family’s barn with a quilt
square pattern to honor her mother and
five generations of family quilters. Today,
over 6,000 quilt blocks in 47 states can
be found throughout the United States.
The movement came to South
Carolina in the spring of 2009 when a
group of volunteers embraced the Quilt
Volunteer Pam Latour works on a quilt square.
Trail concept. They expanded the idea to
include not only barns but also homes, historic and public buildings, destination venues
and businesses to preserve the area’s heritage and increase its visibility.
Through alliances with the Mountain and Lakes Convention and Visitors Bureau,
Oconee Parks, Recreation and Tourism, Lake and Mountain Quilt Guild and other local
groups and agencies, the foundation was laid for a quilt trail. A donation was made for a
training workshop led by Don and Sara Hart of Kentucky, who had experience in the quilt
trail world. About 23 volunteers were trained on how to draw, tape and paint quilt blocks.
With a goal of completing 10 quilt blocks for Oconee County, SC, the first year ended
up actually netting a total of 33 quilt blocks and was inaugurated at the 2010 Lake and
Mountain Quilt Guild show. From there, the Quilt Trail grew and spread into Anderson and
Pickens Counties. Today, there are 125 quilt blocks spread over 3 counties with 15 more
currently in production.
The Upstate Heritage Quilt Trail is an all-volunteer effort. Those behind this project
are an interesting lot with a variety
of talents and interests. There
are quilters, non-quilters, artists,
engineers, teachers and folks from
all walks of life bringing their talents
to make this project work.
The trail works collaboratively
with many organizations, businesses
and individuals in Anderson, Oconee
and Pickens Counties. Community
organizations or groups, as well
as individuals who sponsor quilt
blocks, are often very involved in
the production.
Each quilt block on the Trail
begins with a fabric quilt. Some are
Hanging a finished quilt square.
threadbare heirlooms and others are contemporary works of art. The quilt usually has some
historical connection with the sponsoring family or organization. The story about each quilt
panel can be found on the UHQT website.
The Upstate Heritage Quilt Trail leads you through a countryside of natural beauty—
Continued on page 4...
3
4
The Carolinas
Gafney, SC • Campobello, SC
Quilting with Barbara
Challenge of Choosing Colours
by Barbara Conquest
Since 1995
a fun place to shop!
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305 Depot Street, Campobello, S.C. - 864-468-5200
Downtown Campobello: turn off Hwy 176 onto Depot Street at the blinking light
American Quilt Trail, continued from page 3...
and local libraries.
The quilt trail movement continues to expand, with dozens of new groups poised to
begin their work as spring weather arrives. The simple
concept that began in Ohio with Donna Sue Groves’
passion and creative impulse has become the single
largest public arts movement in our nation’s history.
Suzi Parron is a resident of Stone Mountain,
Georgia, and has lived in the Atlanta area for 35 years.
Her love of travel led to her discovery of a barn quilt
trail in Kentucky in 2008, and barn quilts have been
her passion and life’s work since then. Her book, Barn
Quilts and the American Quilt Trail Movement was
written in cooperation with quilt trail founder Donna
Sue Groves and published in 2012. A second volume
has been commissioned so Suzi is now traveling full
time in a converted bus/RV with Glen and their dog,
Gracie, speaking with quilt guilds and visiting the quilt
Trout, Yancey County, NC
trails along the way. This year’s travels will take them
from Georgia to California, as Suzi continues to seek out the rich stories to be discovered
while following the quilt trail. Suzi’s book is available from your favorite bookseller. For
an autographed copy, visit www.barnquiltinfo.com. Also available are her Barn Quilt
Calendars at her website and Amazon.com.
In November, Suzi Parron will give her entertaining and informative presentations
about barn quilts and the quilt trail at several locations in North and South Carolina:
November 6, 1:30 p.m., in Boone, NC, sponsored by Mountain Laurel Quilt Guild;
November 11, 7 p.m. in Landrum, SC, sponsored by Landrum Library; November 12,
10 a.m. Fountain Inn, SC, sponsored by the Busy Bee Quilt Guild; and November 13,
7:15 p.m., Greensboro, NC, sponsored by Piedmont Quilters Guild.
Heritage Quilt Train, continued from page 3...
with its lakes, mountains, scenic rivers, waterfalls, historic homes and towns—to a variety
of unique historical sites, museums, parks, shops and galleries. You can add to your fun by
stopping along the way to enjoy dining and
specialty shops.
Today, the UHQT production team is
busy helping other communities in South
Carolina develop their own driving and
walking trails of quilts, providing workshop
and consultation on how to get started. The
production team can often be found painting
a quilt block for visitors from afar who do
not have a trail in their area. In addition, the
UHQT is involved in collaborative tourism
Volunteers with a finished barn quilt block.
efforts in the area and works closely with
local groups and quilt guilds to promote quilters and display their work throughout the
community.
For more information, visit the Upstate Heritage Quilt Trail online at: www.uhqt.org.
You can use the interactive map to plan a self-guided tour or contact the organization
for personalized suggestions. Every quilt tells a story and every story leads to discovery.
Upstate Heritage Quilt Trail is also on Facebook or you can email: [email protected] or call
864-723-6605.
Cynthia Leggett is a volunteer with the Upstate Heritage Quilt Trail. She writes the
stories about the quilts on the Trail, their pattern histories, the people who originally
created them from fabric and thread, and perhaps a bit about the region. She retired to
South Carolina after 30 years as a writer of technical, consumer and industry education
materials for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Protein Packed Pancakes
Courtesy of CooksRecipes.com
Serve these hearty egg and ricotta cheese pancakes with your favorite syrup or preserves,
and/or toppings such as raspberries, strawberries, sliced bananas and chopped pecans. This
is an ideal pancake to serve as the entrée for any meal of the day, from breakfast to supper.
6 large eggs
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons melted butter or vegetable oil
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cooking Directions:
Beat eggs, cheese, flour, oil, baking powder, salt and vanilla in large bowl until blended.
Heat lightly greased large nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat until hot.
Spoon 1/4 cup portion of batter (1 tablespoon for silver
dollar size) into skillet; cook until golden brown, turning once.
Makes 12 pancakes or 48 silver dollar pancakes; 4 servings.
While looking out the window at bleak fields of brown grass with patches of snow and
leafless trees against a cloudy sky in late January, I began to think about colours. Warm
colours! Bright colours! Any colour! Contemplating the lack of it outside inevitably led me
to think about colour in relation to quilts I have made and intend to make.
Many quilters say their first and foremost quilting problem is choosing fabric, which
really means they have trouble choosing colours. That isn’t surprising, taking into account
all the choices available. First to consider is personal preference. Even very young children
have their favourite colours, often choosing the same crayon time after time. Children who
consistently choose dark sombre colours are of some concern to child psychologists. It
is common for beginning quilters to use only their favourite colours and why not? If it’s
comfortable, go for it! But eventually, after realizing all their quilts are very similar, they
are ready to expand their choices.
One starting point involves using as a basis for choice the colour wheel we all learned
as children: pure red, yellow and blue are the primary colours, and all others on the wheel
are a mixture of those colours with black and white added in various amounts to produce
tones and tints. But even here there are choices. There is more than one colour wheel.
Fabric dyers, photographers and others use the Ives colour wheel, where magenta, yellow
and turquoise (cyan) are considered primary colours, and orange, violet and green are
the secondaries. This change in orientation can be a little confusing, since we were so
thoroughly taught the first, but the Ives colour wheel is worth a second glance; the colours
are bright and clear. Your colour printer cartridges use the Ives system. Looking at adjacent
colours (analogous colours), complementary colours and tertiary colours on either wheel
can be a source of inspiration. Several excellent books on colour for quilters are available.
Certain colours evoke differing moods and emotions. Blue and green, for example, are
considered to be calming and relaxing. Red and orange stimulate and agitate. (I wish I had
known that when we decorated our first child’s room in bright orange and yellow)! It is
no coincidence that so many fast-food places use red, orange and other bright colours in
their décor. They desire customers who eat quickly and leave—no leisurely lunches there!
Quilting is a highly-symbolic craft and colour is often used for symbolic purposes.
Blues, greens and browns frequently represent nature, peace, earth or sky, for example. Red
and black often symbolize blood, death or bravery, but red and pink can also stand for love.
However, colour as symbolism is culturally bound. In our society, white may represent
purity, but for some eastern cultures white represents death and mourning. Pastels are
considered “baby colours,” but who among us would present a baby boy with a pink quilt?
The significance of the number of colour choices mentioned above may seem daunting
to a new quilter, but making these choices soon becomes second nature. Eventually we
learn that even colours we once considered unspeakable ugly have their places in our
quilts, even if only to contrast with or draw attention to our favourites.
So we’re back where we started: choose the colours you like, but enrich the experience
by keeping in mind some of the underlying principles of the craft. After all, it’s your choices
that make your quilt unique to you.
Barbara Conquest writes her column from Blue Sky Quilting in Tofield, AB. ®Copyright
Barbara Conquest.
Dessert Word Scramble
Unscramble the words. Key is below.
March-April 14
Toccoa, GA
5
Building Harmony
The Great Beaver Debate
by Jeff Cappis
I love the serenity of country living. Our acreage overlooks a fair size valley. On one
side of the valley are the acreages (including ours) and on the other side are a couple of
pastures where ranchers let cattle graze. In the middle is an environmental reserve and in
that reserve is a pond with a couple of beavers. Sounds nice right?
We love our wildlife out here. Most acreages have “No Hunting” signs. We hang
birdhouses and peanuts for the squirrels. When we see animals on our property, we get all
goofy and take pictures. We’re all transplants from the city with liberal live-and-let-live
attitudes.
The ranchers have a different attitude.
So, because of this, you can imagine the uproar when word got around that the county
was planning to remove the beavers from the environmental reserve. It seemed that the
beavers had blocked up a few culverts with their dams. This raised the water in the pond
that washed out the rancher’s road on the other side. He simply couldn’t get his cattle on
and off his property.
We had a community meeting. I call it “The Great Beaver Debate.”
We all met at the local fire hall. Inside, it had a long table with thirty or so chairs
around it. On one side sat the ranchers, on the other side sat the acreage owners, and in
the middle sat two scared looking representatives from the county. I felt sorry for the reps.
The tensions were beginning to rise
right away.
“We must protect the wildlife
in the area,” said the first acreage
owner to take her turn. “Besides,
that pond is their home. Who are
we to decide where they can live.”
“Why don’t we just relocate
the buggers somewheres else?”
responded a rancher.
The acreage owners grumbled.
He went on, “That’s humane.”
The owners growled.
“Heck, in my day we’d just
shoot ‘em.”
The acreage owners went
berserk. There were insults flying
everywhere. The two county
reps began hiding behind their
briefcases. I have to admit, I even
took one step closer to the door.
Eventually someone suggested that we all walk down the road to the pond. Maybe it
would give us a new perspective. The battle moved out of the building and down the road.
When we all got down to the pond, the argument was still going.
“We have to get our cattle to market,” demanded one of the ranchers. “How you going
to get your cheeseburgers if we don’t?”
“I’m a vegetarian, you cow killer,” yelled back an owner.
As the fight went on, I looked back at the pond just in time to see two beavers swimming
with branches in their mouths. I could just imagine the conversation they were having:
“Look, there’s another bunch of humans over there. What a nuisance! They keep
wrecking our dams and moving us around. What can we do about those pests?” the first
beaver would ask.
“Heck, shoot ‘em,” would say the other.
“We can’t do that,” the first beaver would respond, “It’s their home, too. Who are we
to decide where they live?” (Personally, if our roles were reversed, I’d be rootin’ for the
first beaver).
Nothing has changed. The beavers just go about their business. Every year the rancher’s
road washes out; every year the county fixes it. Every year we have a meeting, every year
the owners protest and every year the county sends two different representatives. (The old
ones won’t come back.) To date, we’ve spent $1.5 million dollars keeping everyone happy
(including the beavers).
Oh yeah, this year the beavers plugged up another culvert that caused our acreage
driveways to wash out. Yup, I love the serenity of country living.
Copyright by Jeff Cappis. Email: [email protected].
Corned Beef-Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
Courtesy of CooksRecipes.com
This recipe for corned beef-stuffed cabbage rolls is a tasty way for using leftover
corned beef.
Ingredients:
10 cabbage leaves, blanched
1 pound cooked corned beef, roughly chopped
1 medium onion, quartered
1 stalk celery, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 large egg, beaten sightly
1 cup cooked brown rice
2 teaspoons spicy brown mustard
1 beef bouillon cube
1/4 cup boiling water
1 (12-ounce) can beer
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
Place corned beef in a food processor and chop finely, remove. Add onion and celery
and finely chop.
In a bowl combine egg, rice and mustard. Mix in corned beef, onion and celery. Place
1/2 cup of mixture on each cabbage leaf and roll up sticking in ends. Place seam-side down
on 13 x 9-inch baking pan.
Dissolve bouillon cube in boiling water, add beer and pour over cabbage rolls. Cover
tightly and bake 1 1/2 hours.
Remove from oven and reserve 1 cup of liquid.
Melt better in saucepan, add flour, stir and cook over low heat 1 minute. Add reserved
1 cup of liquid, increase heat to medium high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer
until thickened. Pour over cabbage rolls and serve with
additional mustard.
Makes 10 servings.
Fall Quilting Retreat Will Be Held
In Toccoa, GA, November 10-13
Quilting in Toccoa started in 1990 at the Georgia Baptist Convention Center in Toccoa,
Georgia. The original name was R&R Quilters Retreat and later Quilters Rescue Mission.
The retreat is held two weeks before Thanksgiving each year. The premise of this time
is to give the quilters a break before the holidays start. This year’s dates are November
10 – 13, 2014.
Classes are scheduled with excellent teachers offering a variety of quilting techniques.
If you prefer not to take a class, you can sew on your own (SOYO) with your friend or
guild. Most of the SOYO quilters request to be in a room with the same friends from year
to year. If a guild wants to sew in a room together, we try to accommodate them as well.
There are two traditions at the retreat each year. One is a block challenge. Each
participant receives the theme for the challenge and a small piece of fabric to complete a
12x12 block. Many blocks are turned in showing the artistic talents of each quilter. Also,
we make charity quilts with the participants sewing the precut pieces into blocks and these
blocks are sewn into charity quilts, which are given to the participants requesting them for
them guilds or local charity organizations.
We have a vendor at each retreat to take care of your fabric or notions’ wants and needs.
The food and accommodations are wonderful. Come join us and finish your UFOs or start
a new project. Enjoy the beautiful North Georgia Mountains, great food, make new friends
or meet your old friends. We also have door prizes and plenty of snacks.
If you have any further questions, please contact Frances Cranford at [email protected]
or 706-736-0250 706-691-7925. The website can be found at: www.quiltingintoccoa.com.
Giveaway Winners
We have two giveaway winners from our last issue. At Piece with Time: A Woman’s
Journey Stitched in Cloth by Kristin C. Steiner and Diane C. Frankenberger will be sent
to Carole Nasser from N. Myrtle Beach, SC. A $25 Gift Certificate to Find X Designs in
Sanford will be sent to Sheila Stevens of Sanford, NC.
Carole wrote, “I’ve often thought of writing to someone to tell them how much I enjoy
finding copies of The Country Register. My husband and I have been traveling south for
a number of years. When we stop at rest areas I also pick up copies. They always have
them at Welcome Centers. This year so far I have picked up copies from West Virginia/
Pennsylvania and Carolinas. I also get copies for a friend at home (Pennsylvania). We love
reading the articles, trying new recipes and trying some arts or crafts pattern. My friend is
a Master Quilter.”
We love to hear from our readers and so do our advertisers, so be sure to tell them how
much you appreciate their shops and that they bring you The Country Register each issue.
We are grateful to all the authors and publishers who provide the books for our drawings
throughout the year. Watch for more giveaways for 2014.
6
The Carolinas
Jacksonville, NC • Goldsboro, NC • Wilimington, NC
Tea for Two
Quilt Shows
March 8-22: Outer Bankers Community Quilt Show, Sponsored by Outer
Bank Quilters Art Gallery at Roanoke Island Festival, Park, Manteo, NC
March 21-23: Hilton Head Quilt Festival, Presented by Palmetto Quilt
Guild Hilton Head Beach and Tennis Club, 40 Folly Field Road, Hilton Head,
SC
March 28-29: Stitchin in the South, Presented by Foothills Piecemakers
Quilting Guild Pelham Road Baptist Church, 1108 Pelham Road, Greenville
SC
April 10-12: 3rd Annual Scenic Route Shop Hop – NC &VA
Ladybug Cottage, Wendell NC; Quilt Lizzy, Warrenton NC; Rose Patch
Creations, Crewe VA; Lib’s Place, Rice VA; Threads Run Thru It, Phenix, VA;
and Quilters Nook, Boydton, VA
Apr 18-19: Springtime In The Carolinas, Presented by Rutherford Quilt
Guild ICC Student Union/Gymnasium, Isothermal Comm. College, Spindale,
NC
Apr 23-Jun 22: ArtQuilts Whimsy! Page Walker Arts & History Center, 119
Ambassador Loop, Cary NC
“You should meet Randa,” said my friend. “Like you, she’s crazy about tea.”
When I phoned Randa a few days later, we hit it off and her bubbly laughter punctuated
our chat. She expressed eagerness to explore tearooms together, but I hesitated because of
my full schedule. She persuaded me and we agreed to carpool to a nearby tearoom.
Randa drove up and I hopped in to ride with her. As we chatted, I learned she not
only loved going out for tea but she possessed a wealth of tea knowledge and dreamed of
opening a French tearoom. We enjoyed our visit, but I still wasn’t sure I had time for a new
friendship.
Tea Adventures
Randa e-mailed suggestions for more tea adventures and gradually she worked her way
into my life. Over several years, we visited one tearoom after another together. I enjoyed
our long chats and learned about Randa’s challenges as a single mom who had raised two
daughters alone. As our relationship deepened, she began e-mailing prayer requests.
One day as we sipped tea in a Scottish tearoom, we learned both proprietors had undergone
kidney transplants. Then Randa casually mentioned she also had a kidney transplant.
That explained her hospitalizations between our tea jaunts. Yet Randa never complained.
She trusted God and her outlook overflowed with hope and joy, while her infectious
laughter enlivened every
conversation.
Tea Al Fresco
One summer evening, I
invited Randa to stop by for
tea and scones after work.
I set the teacart outside
for tea al fresco. She was
delayed so I made more
tidbits while I waited. By
the time she arrived, I had
prepared a full tea! Randa
laughed when she saw all
the goodies and enjoyed
every morsel. At dusk,
we moved inside to chat
A tea setting that includes my Romanian teapot. I created
and sip more Macintosh’s
Fancy tea, one of her this setting to go along with the ending of this tea column.
favorite blends. Our hearts were blending, too.
After she saw my tea collection, including the blue-and-white teapot from Romania,
she said, “I just bought a picture at a garage sale that would look nice in your home.” She
went to her car and lugged back a large, beautifully framed painting of a blue-and-white
teapot with background colors that matched my décor. As I leaned the painting against the
wall, she explained, “I was late because I stopped by a friend’s garage sale on the way here.
My friend had saved this picture for me, certain I would love it.”
“It’s beautiful,” I said, touching the walnut frame.
“I knew it didn’t belong in my home, but I bought it because I thought God has someone
else in mind.” She smiled. “Now that I’ve seen your home—I know it’s you!”
I had admired similar expensive artwork in shops. What a surprise that God delivered
the perfect picture right to my home. I felt like I had a personal shopper who knew what
delighted me.
Tea Friendships
Over the next year, Randa and I shared tea times whenever we could. Then I didn’t hear
from her for a while. When I phoned, I learned the sad news that my tea friend had passed
away. I miss my tea buddy, but I picture her healthy and happy in heaven—hosting tea
parties in her French tearoom.
I gave Randa a little of my time but she gave me much more through her courageous
example, cheerful heart and warm friendship. Now I realize that when God brings someone
unexpected into my life, He has a purpose beyond what I can see. And this time, part of His
purpose was to bless me with a cherished friend.
Treasured relationships can be formed in any season. This spring, let’s celebrate
friendship by inviting someone over for a cuppa’ tea. It’s easy to set a perky posy on a
tea table, add fresh blueberries to a packaged scone mix, and brew a pot of Earl Grey tea.
Won’t you join me?
Lydia E. Harris, Master of Arts in home economics, is blessed with five grandchildren,
aged from preschool to high school, and is the author of the book Preparing My Heart for
Grandparenting. Contact her at [email protected].
From Lydia’s Recipe File:
Friendship Fruit Bouquet
Add a special touch to your tea times with this bouquet of fresh strawberries.
You’ll need:
Fresh strawberries with stems, washed
One bunch of fresh parsley, washed
Leafy celery stalks (optional)
6-inch wooden picks or skewers
Sour cream
Brown sugar
Directions:
1. Use a drinking glass for a vase; fill it half full with water.
2. Place one-half bunch of parsley into the glass. Parsley height should be about three
inches above the top of the glass. If desired, also add leafy celery stalks for greenery.
3. Poke each strawberry onto a skewer with the pointed end of the berry up to look like
rosebuds.
4. Arrange the “rosebuds” in the glass at varying heights to make a bouquet. The posies
can stick up above the parsley or nestle in the greens.
5. Add enough strawberries for two people to share. For a larger group, make several
posy bouquets, or make individual ones for each place setting.
6. Serve sour cream and brown sugar in small dishes for dipping. Strawberries taste
delicious dipped into sour cream and then brown sugar.
Variations:
More dipping ideas: Serve strawberries with whipped cream, sprinkles, chopped nuts,
coconut, mini-chocolate chips or melted chocolate.
Fruit flowers: If desired, add additional fruits on picks to the bouquet, such as melon
balls or grapes.
March-April 14
Antiques, Primitives & Vintage in the Carolinas 7
Lagenlook Is Free-Spirited Fashion,
Finds Home in Antique Faire World
by René Groom
Lagenlook continues to find a home in the U.S Antique Faire world. In large part due to
the famed Robin Brown of Magnolia Pearl fashion out of Texas, who has been supplying
Faire goers at Round Top in Texas for a number of years. Rarely can one attend an antique
faire across the U.S anymore and not see someone, or a group of
someones, dressed to the nines in this fun loving, chic, free-spirited
fashion.
Coined “Lagenlook” in Europe, the word means “the layered
look.” Usually crafted in vintage linens of cream, white and black
or vintage lace and tatting—some with clean seam lines and some
with a tatted edge—this fashion has been described as a cross
between romantic Victorian and steampunk with a splash of Gypsy
for good measure. The uber-feminine look is often times balanced
out with chunky boots or even vintage cowgirl boots and belts.
The ability to layer the clothing is truly an art form, which is
certainly made easier with the foundational pieces of lightweight bloomers, long- bodied
tank-top shirts and shorty jackets. Unique looks can be created by combining different
shades of creams and white and mix and matching lace patterns.
While Lagenlook has been around for generations in Europe, often times those looks
were more Victorian and confining. But, designers like Magnolia Pearl, Paris Rags, and
Ivey Abitz has found fun and unique ways to loosen up the corset by bringing the once
undergarments out, exposing them for the beautiful coverings that they are.
It has been said that this particular look has to have a special person to carry it off. But,
in truth, there is so much that is precious about this particular style that I think anyone
could adapt parts of it into their every day wardrobe.
If one is looking to create this look for themselves, their best bet is to find costume
patterns for steampunk, Victorian, and Gypsy wear and go from there. If you are looking to
buy pieces to add to your wardrobe, you can check out MettaMarie, Ivey Abitz, Magnolia
Pearl and Paris Rags on the Internet or on Facebook.
René Groom is a freelance writer and public speaker who loves to share her adventures,
misadventures and the amazing people she meets down life’s dusty trails. She and her
husband, Tom, make their home in Prosser, WA. She is the mom of four amazing men. Some
of her stories can be found at www.adventureswithdusty.blogspot.com.
On the Second Day of Spring
by Kerri Habben
There are places inside where it is forever spring.
I always value the new leaves. Every year, I savor their arrival, their velvety texture and
their true greenness. This year I especially treasure them because I have a promise to keep.
On the second full day of spring eleven years ago, my mother and I drove to a small
town about sixty miles outside of Raleigh. In the nineteenth century, Cameron was known
as the dewberry capital of the world for the fruit that came from the area. The railroad
was the town’s lifeline. As times changed, Cameron eventually evolved into an antiques’
Mecca.
On this second full day of spring, we walked into Miss Belle’s Tea Room and there
we found Miss Isabel. She sat in what was once her grandmother’s parlor, playing the
Tennessee Waltz on the piano. Isabel welcomed us, and before long, we learned she and
I had both graduated from the same women’s college—only about fifty years apart. She
began to tell us about her town and of her family who had lived in the area for generations.
She told us stories of her childhood, of her grandfather who built the house we were in and
of his store just down the hill.
Isabel’s husband had passed away three years before and my dad had died two years
before on the first full day of spring. Thus, meeting Isabel on a very early spring day
soothed the latent sadness and brought a new kind of smile.
Not just anyone could have done what Isabel did for us that day or in the years to come.
What she gave us was the exact same gift she gave everyone she met. She gave instant
and unconditional love. She gave you the feeling that you were valued exactly as you
were, without changing a single thing about yourself. She made you believe that you had
something special to offer the world.
You could talk together endlessly, yet forever wouldn’t be long enough. Isabel drove us
through her town and environs, showing us every church and sharing stories of her friends
from each one. She played the piano in her church, the Presbyterian one nestled within a
grove of pine trees and flanked by the cemetery.
She wrote evocative poetry, describing years gone by and also her present daydreams.
She showed us her husband’s grave, its marker engraved with an engine honoring his years
on the railroad.
One day she asked me, “When I’m gone, will you spread leaves across my grave?”
I promised her I would.
This past January, we all gathered in the sanctuary of Isabel’s church. As we walked the
short distance to her grave, I clutched a cluster of pin oak leaves and pine straw. I wistfully
contemplated my offering as a minister sang It Is Well With My Soul.
Isabel’s winter arrived, but thankfully it was not a long season. At least not compared to
all the other passings of time that comprised her joyous life of 90 years. Isabel never said
what kind of leaves she wanted. I believe, though, that she would like new, velvety ones
with a fresh and genuine greenness.
This spring, Mom and I will return to Cameron. Miss Belle’s is now just a house, the
piano quiet. The land will smile in a different way for it has lost one of its beloveds. But we
will remember and our new leaves will land upon the soil.
There are places inside where it is forever spring.
Kerri Habben is a writer, photographer and historian living in Raleigh, NC. An avid
crocheter and knitter, she learned these skills from her grandmother and mother. She
donates many of her yarn creations to those in need. A published writer for nearly twenty
years, Kerri is currently gathering a decade of essays into a book. She can be reached at
[email protected].
8
The Carolinas
Antiques, Primitives & Vintage in the Carolinas
Springtime in the Country Shop Hop!
Will Have Fun, Food, Prizes, March 14 & 15
It’s Spring and that can only mean one thing—it’s time to go shopping!
On Friday and Saturday, March 14 and 15, three shops—one in Shelby and two in Vale,
NC—will join forces and bring you Springtime in the Country Shop Hop. Mark your
calendars so you can be sure to enjoy two full days of Spring Shop Hop, hours are from 10
a.m. to 5 p.m.
These three shops will bring you a shopping experience you won’t want to miss.
Country Heart
First on the list is Country Heart, a country primitive shop that opened its doors in
Downtown Shelby in May 2009.
Owner Ann Finnigan is no stranger
to selling her favorite things. She
began painting and crafting in
the late 70s doing shows from
Charlotte, NC, to Slidell, LA.
Country Heart is filled to the
brim with antiques, home décor,
primitives, handmade items and
more. Ann also has booths with
many of her antiques and craft
items at the Catawba River Antique
Mall in Belmont, NC, and The
Depot at Gibson Mill in Concord,
NC.
Located at 14 W. Marion Street,
Shelby, Country Heart is open Wednesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on
Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, call 704-487-6234, visit Country
Heart on Facebook or go to: www/countryheartantiques.blogspot.com/
Ful O’ Bright Ideas
Ful O’ Bright Ideas is located at 2868 Ledford Road in Vale. Call 704-462-1365 for
more information or find Ful O Bright Ideas on Facebook.
Splinters and Rags
The third shop is Splinters and Rags in Vale, specializing in early American style
decorations ranging in everything from handmade baskets to Amish-made furniture.
Owner Diana Gaines began creating back in the
1980s and soon was exhibiting in major shows
in the Southeast. Her wonderful handmade items
are sold in hundreds of stores as well as several
catalogs and museums.
Nestled in an old general store, there is plenty
of room for Diana’s workshop along with the
large retail space. In addition to featuring ‘Made
in America’ items, the shop is beautifully accented
with new home décor and incredible primitives
and antiques from the Amish country.
Located at 5865 Highway 27 West, Splinters
and Rags is open one weekend a month. For
more information, call 704-276-1644, email
[email protected] or visit Splinters
and Rags on Facebook.
Each shop—with its own distinctive style and
offerings—will be ready to cure your cabin fever
during the Springtime in the Country Shop Hop.
Owners Ann, Diana and Darrell appreciate the
support of everyone who comes to this event and would like to remind you to mark your
calendar for the Southern Christmas Show on November 13-23, 2014, in Charlotte. All
three will have their booths filled to the brim for the Holidays!
Next on the Shop Hop is Ful O’ Bright Ideas
in Vale. Shop owner Darrell Fulbright has been
passionate about primitive and country décor since the
age of 15. Customers visiting his award-winning booth
at the Southern Christmas Show urged him to open a
store so that they could shop more often than just once
a year. Ful O’ Bright Ideas now offers customers a
chance to shop during events scheduled throughout the
year with a wide selection of primitive goods, antiques
and handmade in the USA items.
This is a family business with Darrell’s mom and
dad, Donald and Evelyn Fulbright, playing a big part
by helping with the events and offering their own
handcrafted items. Darrell also has booths at The
Depot at Gibson Mill and Catawba River Antique
Mall.
The Rusty Bucket in Historic Apex, NC,
Helps Create Warm, Cozy Country Homes
by Nancy Williams
In 2004, when Pam and Mack Thorpe realized their dream and opened The Rusty
Bucket in historic downtown
Apex, NC, they had a vision
of an old country store from
long ago that people would
walk into and feel welcome
and comfortable. And the two
wanted to provide all of the
furnishings and accessories
that would help create warm
and cozy country homes.
Now, 10 years later, it’s easy
to see that Pam and Mack
have succeeded beautifully!
From the fully restored
1930 Model A truck that is
often parked outside to the
covered porch built from
the wood and tin of an old
tobacco barn to authentic
aged barn wood floors that welcome you with a creak to the warm glow of the fireplace
in the back corner Keeping Room, they all come together to provide you with a shopping
experience that you won’t find anywhere else in the area.
The Rusty Bucket carries American Country, with a mixture of old and new. The
store is packed with: American country, early American, primitives, folk art, antiques and
reproductions, candles, tarts and warmers, lighting, signs, wall art by Billy Jacobs, tinware,
locally made handcrafted one of a kind stitchery
and dolls, hand painted gourds, barn stars, NC
food products, birdhouses, horsehair pottery,
handcrafted jewelry, wingback chairs, settles
and upholstery fabric by Dunroven House
and Lancer and rockers by Troutman Chair,
of NC. Painted pine furniture can be custom
made without the custom price and there is
seasonal decor. Home makeover consultations
are available.
There are 1850s handcrafted reproduction
appliances by Elmira Stoveworks, and it’s not
surprising to find cookies being baked in the
reproduction 1850s stove in the back along
with hot cider in the winter and lemonade in
the summer, free for the sampling. There’s
even an old-fashioned candy counter.
Pam and Mack take monthly “picking trips”
looking for “the unique, the incredible and the
inspiring,” all those one of a kind treasures—
including American Country, primitive and
antique finds—that fit so well in The Rusty
Continued on page 10...
March-April 14
Antiques, Primitives & Vintage in the Carolinas
9
10
The Carolinas
Antiques, Primitives & Vintage in the Carolinas
Rusty Bucket, continued from page 8...
Book Review
“Pluck, Perseverance and Paint”
Shows Updated Apex History
The updated version of Pluck, Perseverance and Pain, Apex, North Carolina: Beginnings
to 1941 brings pride to those who trace their roots to Apex’s beginning as the “Village of
Log Pond”—a small southern railroad and farm community—and to those who now make
up the eclectic metropolitan community
that Apex has become. Warren Holleman
and Toby Holleman are the authors.
The book comes alive with a renewed
energy in its coffee table format. It’s fresher
with newfound and updated facts plus an
increase in photographs, maps and diagrams
that tie back to the history, heritage and
remembrances of the townspeople.
First published in 1973 at the time of
Apex’s Centennial Celebration, Pluck,
Perseverance and Paint has been expanded
to five times its original length with 340
pages and 160 photographs, maps and
illustrations. Some material had been
previously unpublished. The book’s title is
drawn from Apex’s first motto, describing the virtues of her early citizens and the tools
required to turn a swampy “Log Pond” into a bustling community.
Pluck, Perseverance and Paint covers not only early Apex but also all of western Wake
County prior to World War II. The new edition
presents histories of the Apex area regarding
slavery, the Civil War, Reconstruction, the
Roaring Twenties and the Great Depression.
While learning about Apex’s bygone days,
readers will also learn about the history of
central North Carolina, the South and the entire
United States during this formative period for
our nation. Because the book is written with
both intelligence and wit, the reader will be
entertained as well as informed.
About the authors: Warren Holleman is
Apex Planter’s Warehouse, c. 1915.
Director of the Program on Faculty Health at
Elizabeth Reid Murray Collection,
The University of Texas at The University of
Olivia Raney Local History Library.
Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston,
and C.P. “Toby” Holleman is Associate Conference Minister for the Penn Northeast
Conference of the United Church of Christ.
Copies of this newly revised and expanded book are available at The Rusty Bucket
in Historic Downtown Apex. You can also find more information by going to Pluck,
Perseverance and Paint on Facebook.
Book Giveaway! Enter to Win!
One lucky reader will win an autographed copy of Pluck, Perseverance and Paint by
Warren Holleman and C.P. “Toby” Holleman, and donated by The Rusty Bucket.
To enter the drawing for this book, send an email to: [email protected]
and put “Apex Book” in the subject line. Don’t forget to include your name, address and
phone number. Or you can send a letter or postcard to: The Carolinas Country Register, 515
E Carefree Hwy, #1128, Phoenix, AZ 85085.
The drawing will be held on April 1 and the winner will be announced in our May-June issue.
Bucket. They also go to market and rely on local crafters to help keep the store’s offerings
fresh and interesting. When the Thorpes are away, they have several great people that they
can depend on—Debbie, Jennifer and Kris—to make customers feel welcome.
Pam says, “Back when the
economy started to slow down,
we started seeking out local
craftspeople—stitchers, quilters,
folk artist, furniture makers. Over
time, we found more crafters
around the country that we rely on
to provide us with one of a kind
exclusive items that our customers
are not going to find at any other
shop in town. While we have to rely
on some imports, it’s our goal to
carry as much “Made in the USA”
as possible.”
Back in the mid 1980s, Pam fell
in love with primitives—first for
their durability with two wild little
boys and then for the simplicity.
Her first real primitive was an early 1800s farm table (that she still has) and she would sit
at that table and wonder who had sat at it before her and what their lives had been. She
was hooked. Facing a forced career change, Pam decided to follow her heart and Mack
followed her passion and made it his, also.
Pam explains, “We started looking for a place to build our dream and fell in love with
Historic Downtown Apex. The town is known
as being one of the most intact railroad and farm
towns in the state. At the time we moved here
ten years ago, there were still some boarded up
buildings but what was here was charming. In
the past ten years, those boarded up buildings
have been renovated, shops and restaurants have
moved in and the downtown is thriving. Just this
past fall, Apex was named by CNN and Money
Magazine as one of the Top Ten Places to Live in
the country and the Number 1 in North and South
Carolina. Our downtown and the festivals that
the town and merchants orchestrate are a large
part of that popularity.”
The Thorpes are proud of two honors they
have received since they opened. In 2007, they
were selected as Country Business Magazine’s
“National Retailer of the Year,” and the Apex
Chamber of Commence selected The Rusty
Bucket as their “Small Business of the Year –
2012.”
One of the more exciting things happening for the shop right now is that a local
filmmaker is producing a TV show targeting kids in the 3-14 year old range. It’s a timetravel show where kids living in the fictional town of Peak City (aka Apex) find out from
their grandfather—who owns The Rusty Bucket general store—that their destiny is to
travel back in time and keep history on track. The show is licensing the store’s name and
will be called “History’s Heroes—The Rusty Bucket Kids.”
Pam invites you to come visit their
store—they’re waiting to make you
welcome. She says, “We feel so blessed
to have this shop and the customers who
have become our extended family. We
want our customers to be happy with
their purchases, experience and us.
We have a ‘no questions asked’ return
policy. Our sign over the front door says
‘Enter as Strangers, Leave as Friends’
and we truly mean that!”
The Rusty Bucket is located at
104-A N. Salem Street in Apex. For
more information, call 919-290-2575 or
email: [email protected].
Check out the store’s interesting website at: www.therustybucket.biz to stay updated and
to find out what it means to be a “Buckethead.” You can also “Like” them on Facebook.
34th Annual PeakFest
Celebrating the Peak of Good Living
Saturday, May 3, 2014 9am-5pm
Historic Downtown Apex
Salem Street in historic downtown Apex will come alive during PeakFest!
For more than 30 years, this arts and crafts festival, has brought families
together for a day of fun. This public event will include live music all day,
artist of every kind (jewelry, pottery, watercolor and acrylic), a BMX show,
skateboard demonstrations, entertainment for the kids, food that you will
find at the fair and so much more. The Rotary of Apex is hosting a pancake
breakfast between 7-10 am at the Fire Station in Downtown Apex. Tickets
can be purchased at the door.
Apex Ranks #9 Best Place to Live in America!
Apex has ranked high on ‘best places’ lists issued by nationally recognized
publications like Money Magazine, and by consumer advocacy and real estate blogs
with growing credibility, such as NerdWallet and Movoto.
There are many good reasons that Apex is known as the Peak of Good Living.
And they all add up to the #9 spot on the annual Money Magazine “100 Best Places
in America to Live” list. The list ranked 50 communities with 10,000 - 50,000 in
population that offered the best combination of strong job opportunities, great schools,
low crime, quality health care, plenty to do, and a true sense of community.
March-April 14
Lowell, NC • Raleigh, NC • Wendell, NC • Sanford, NC
11
Ladybug’s Cottage in Wendell, NC
Is a Spacious Shop with Down-Home Appeal
by Nancy Williams
Relocated in March 2013 to Historic downtown Wendell, N.C., Ladybug’s Cottage is a
spacious fabric shop with a staff that provides
a friendly down home, casual feeling. It
carries quality cotton fabrics used not only in
quilting but also in crafts, apparel and other
sewing projects. Shoppers will also find a
large selection of notions, patterns, threads,
cutting and measuring tools, pins, buttons,
zippers, books and more.
Instructional classes and clubs are offered
each month in a cozy atmosphere and
customers can browse the quality handmade
crafts for personal or gift purchases and
choose whether to sign-up and register for a
class or a club meeting. Ladybug’s Owner Joyce Barrow takes pride in being able to serve
customers on a personal level and help them achieve a perceived goal on their particular
project.
A new Rewards program went into effect on February 1. Once your name is in the
store’s computer system, your purchases are recorded and when they reach $100, a $10
reward kicks in! Also, Ladybug Shopping Bag Days are offered again—just show your
Ladybug Shopping Bag to the cashier at checkout and receive a 10% discount on all nondiscounted merchandise during two special days each month. Fat Quarter Fridays discounts
are also available.
If you are not able to shop in person, visit the shop’s website for all its offerings and
place your order by phone to have it shipped.
With its 2014 Quarterly Challenge Ladybug’s encourages customers to donate kidfriendly fabric pillowcases for ConKerr Cancer, which picks up the pillowcases dropped
off each month to distribute to UNC’s Cancer Hospital, Duke’s Children’s Hospital and
The Ronald McDonald House. Visit www.conkerrcancer.org for more information or
downloadable pillowcase patterns. Lap quilts, senior bibs/aprons, walker/wheel chair bags
or pillowcases are also needed for local nursing home residents.
Ladybug’s Cottage originally opened on March 3, 2010 in Knightdale. While Joyce
was vacationing with her daughter, Rose Crowder and her family, Rose expressed a desire
to open a craft consignment store. Joyce had been complaining for some time about how
she had to drive quite a distance every time she needed fabric or notions to finish a sewing
project. Having a background in
management and no luck with
job hunting, Joyce proposed
they open a fabric shop with
consignments—that way they
both would have their niche.
The inspiration to call the
shop Ladybug’s Cottage came
from Joyce’s nickname, Ladybug,
combined with the cottage feel
of the shops in the coastal town
of Swansboro, NC, where they
frequently vacation.
There have been many
persons involved in Ladybug’s
success. Joyce’s husband, Ken, can be found helping out at shows, being handyman, lending
financial support while sharing her with the business. Rose comes in to offer assistance
whenever she can—she is a full time wife, mom, nanny and student! The website design is
just one of her many talents. Rose is also one of Ladybug’s instructors as well as the Kids
Club coordinator.
Quilts from Carol Gates, Laura Miller and Sharon Powers adorn the walls and they
share their varied and many talents in the classroom along with Joyce’s sister, Dottie Vester,
who contributes her stitching and sewing talents. Joyce enjoys teaching basic apparel,
sewing, beginner quilts and purses. She has also designed a few patterns (sold exclusively
at Ladybug’s) and enjoys helping students create masterpieces of their own.
Along with her instructors, Joyce has met many ladies who have encouraged and
inspired her to keep going when times are tough. They have been her cheerleaders and
inspiration—Marilyn Carpenter, Loni Dapp, Deb Shearin, Judy Cowden, Danielle Gregg,
Pat Benane, and daughter Jennifer Barrow, just to name a few.
Joyce’s goal is to have Ladybug’s Cottage continue to grow and be known for its fine
customer service and instructors. With this growth, she can hire additional staff of equally
fine qualities. She says, “Owning a successful business is a dream come true for me and I
enjoy coming to work every day doing what I love!”
Ladybug’s Cottage is located at 5 N. Main Street, Wendell. For more information, visit
the website at: www.ladybugscottage.net/, email: [email protected], call 919365-3636 or go to: Ladybug’s Cottage on Facebook.
Historic Quilts Will Be Featured At Vintage View Quilt Show in Raleigh
Quilting in the twenty-first century isn’t exactly how grandmother used to do it, but her
work will be honored in a special exhibit at the Vintage View Quilt Show, March 14 to 16,
at the Kerr Scott Building at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds in Raleigh. The show is
hosted by the Capital Quilters Guild and Carolina Longarm Association.
Visitors will enjoy the 450 quilts on display—including more than four-dozen vintage
quilts from the 1830s through 1940s—along with quilts completed in more recent years by
statewide quilters.
“The history of my great-great-grandmother’s (Mrs. Robert Gosman) 1890, handstitched, red and white quilt top did not end with her. She gave it to her daughter-in-law,
Elizabeth Jane Gosman. The folded top was stored and given to my mother. When she was
downsizing her home, it found its way to me. So in 1977, I added batting and a back and
hand-quilted it just as my great-great grandmother might have done,” said Jane Hall, an
internationally known author and award-winning quilter who lives in Raleigh.
Sherri Collette of Winston Salem had a similar experience. Her mother-in-law was
cleaning out and found a vintage quilt on an old iron bed frame in the back of her basement.
“It had lain there flat for 30 to 40 years. My mother and I believe that it was made from
a family wedding dress—mainly blue polka dot—not what we’re used to seeing these days.
It’s entirely hand-pieced and quilted. Some of the red fibers have disintegrated but we love
it all the same,” she said about her 2001 find. Sherri, who keeps the quilt showcased in an
old open wardrobe where she displays other family quilts, said she wanted to share it and
its history so people can see how quilting has evolved in more than a century.
Sherri, who operates Maxine and Me Quilting, added, “Unlike our grandmothers, today’s
busy quilters usually piece by machine and often quilt on home or longarm machines to
speed the process along.”
While many quilts are family heirlooms, often quilters find an abandoned top or quilt in
yard sales, consignment shops or thrift stores.
“The exact history of the 1830’s Tulip Appliqué Quilt that I’m showing is unclear. It
was given to me by Jean Petersen, former owner of Etc. Crafts in Cary. Jean purchased it
when she lived in the Midwest and brought it to Raleigh when her family relocated. It was
dirty and in disrepair. I restored it by repairing the holes, cleaned it and replaced the 92
tulips that were thread worn with 1890 reproduction fabrics. I saved one original bloom
that graces the back of the quilt,” said Janice Pope who runs Anything But Boring, a quilt
and handbag pattern company in Raleigh.
Quilts require many hours of careful cutting, stitching, pressing, quilting and finishing.
When one is found 50-100 years later, it is sweet for the finder to be able to connect to its
history and the maker’s incorporated love through an historic label. That is why quilters
have long been encouraged to record the maker, purpose of the quilt and date on it.
While initials were often found in quilts of the 19th century, in the latter half of the 20th
century, quilters turned to fabric labels added to the backs of quilts to record who made
the quilt and where she or he resided, to whom it was given and for what occasion. For
example: “By the Sea” a Wedding Quilt presented to Richard and Becky Jersey. Made by
Deirdre Jersey, Willow Spring, NC, March, 2014.
“Today’s labels are artistically drawn in permanent inks, or embroidered by hand or
machine. Many quilters incorporate their labels into the fabric back of the quilt because
they ensure longevity compared to labels that are sewn on and can become dislodged over
time,” Deidre.
Organizers of the Vintage View Quilt Show hope that the show will inspire current
quilters to do more creative work and entice people who appreciate the art form to start
quilting.
Show hours are Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Admission is $5.00. The Kerr Scott Building at the NC State Fairgrounds is located at 1025
Blue Ridge Blvd., Raleigh. For more information contact: [email protected] or
visit www.capitalquilters.org or www.carolinalongarm.com.
12
The Carolinas
The Country Register
The Way It Was and the Way It Is!
Reserved Seat
by James A. Nelson
International Quilt Study Center & Museum
Website Showcases Quilts and Quiltmaking
The International Quilt Study Center & Museum (IQSCM) in Lincoln is sharing its
collection with the world in a whole new way. IQSCM’s World Quilts, a website that offers
a global perspective on quiltmaking, recently launched “The American Story,” its first
module.
The website showcases the museum’s collection and hallmarks scholarly perspective
on the worldwide significance of quilts and quiltmaking. You can view “The American
Story” at worldquilts.quiltstudy.org/americanstory.
“We’ve created a clearinghouse of accurate and engaging information about American
quilt history by using our unparalleled collection, our more than 15 years of scholarly
research, our existing online resources and the resources of other important organizations,
such as the American Quilt Study Group, the Quilt Index and the Quilt Alliance,” said
Marin Hanson, IQSCM curator of exhibitions and co-editor of the project.
With more than 4,000 quilts in its collection–too many to show in any physical gallery–
the IQSCM values sharing quilts and their historical and cultural contexts with visitors
virtually.
The website moves existing quilt studies scholarship beyond disciplinary boundaries
to integrate quilts within a broader art and humanities context. It serves as an excellent
starting place for anyone who wants to learn about the role of quilts in American society,
past and present.
“This new website promises to be an important resource for all who desire to learn
about quilts—whether they are students, teachers, quilt makers, dealers, appraisers or
conservators,” said Lynne Z. Bassett, costume and textile historian. “I am very glad to have
this resource not only for my own education, but to point out to those who come to me for
information about American quilts.”
“The American Story” also offers a platform for the IQSCM to share new information
as it becomes available, making it a dynamic resource. Future World Quilts modules are
slated to cover other regions of the world.
This project was made possible thanks to the generosity of the Robert and Ardis James
Foundation and the support of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s College of Education
and Human Sciences, Department of Textiles, Merchandising and Fashion Design and the
IQSCM staff.
“Whether you’re a quilt history buff like me, or know very little about American quilts,
you’ll find riches on every page of IQSCM’s beautiful new website,” said Marianne Fons,
co-host of “Love of Quilting” on public television and co-founding editor of Fons &
Porter’s Love of Quilting magazine. “Wonderful visuals, solid, entertaining content and
links to fascinating extras create a trip around the patchwork globe every quilt enthusiast
should take.”
Enter to Win a $25 Gift Certificate
The Country Register is giving away one $25 gift certificate to be spent at a local
North or South Carolina shop. Use it to go shopping at your favorite Country Register
advertiser.
The drawing will be held on April 10 and the winner will be announced in our MayJune issue. The gift certificate will be mailed to the winner.
Entry Deadline is April 1 2014
(Names are not sold, given away or used for any other purpose.)
Drawing Entry Form
Name _____________________________Phone________________________
Address _________________________________________________________
City, State & Zip __________________________________________________
E-mail address: ___________________________________________________
I picked up this issue of The Country Register at _________________________
To enter, complete this form and mail to:
The Country Register, 515 E. Carefree Hwy, #1128, Phoenix, AZ 85085
(Photocopy of form is fine. Be sure to provide all information. One entry per person.)
Or email the completed form to: [email protected] and put “Win Gift
Certificate” in the subject line.
Please tell us about a local Carolinas’ quilt shop, antique store, gift shop, etc., that you
would like to see advertisng in The Country Register:
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We welcome your comments and/or suggestions about The Country Register. Include
a note with your drawing entry, send us an email or give us a call at 1-888-942-8950. We
enjoy hearing from our readers! See page 5 for the drawing winner this issue.
My grandfather’s rocking chair was made of oak. It was straight-backed without arms
and complete with a scruffy brown leather seat. On one side, where the seat met the back,
it was held together with bailing wire. This chair enjoyed a special place of honor in my
grandfather and grandmother’s home, a stately house with pillars on the porch and ivy
stretching across the front.
The chair sat in their living room close to a large black pot-bellied wood-burning
heating stove. No one sat in this chair but Grandpa. It was his and his alone. Sort of like
a throne, humble in its simplicity, in honor of all the labor he had performed throughout
his life, first as a farmer, then as a hard rock miner and ending up digging ditches for the
local gas company. All the jobs he ever had in his seventy-eight years were associated with
Mother Earth and a pick and shovel. Yet he always provided food, clothing and shelter for
his wife and twelve children without complaint,
often being away at the mines for months at a
time. He never owned a car and had little except
the simple pleasures of life and the love and
respect of his family.
Grandpa worked the mines in the Wallace
Kellogg area. Two of these were the Starr and
Galenia mines. It was a physically demanding
job and a rough place to live. Grandpa and
Grandma and their twelve children lived in an
extremely narrow canyon near the mines where
Grandpa worked. The canyon was so narrow
that when the daily train came into town, the
stores along the main street had to pull up their
store awnings. Years later, I would see pictures
and read stories about Burke Canyon in history
books.
I never ceased to wonder at the steel nerves
of this man. The soft canvas hat he had worn in
the mines would have offered him no protection in case of falling rock. The small carbide
lantern attached on the front would have produced very little light in the damp, dark
tunnels in which he worked. These mementos and others became my playthings while I
was growing up, as well as part of my fond memories of this man.
I remember so vividly as a child, watching him rocking in his chair at the end of the
day, the only time he had to sit in it. In the evening, the twilight shadows slowly crept
across the living room’s linoleum-covered floor eventually creating only a silhouette of
this kindly man, while the flames inside the woodstove, reflecting through its tiny window,
danced upon his weathered features. The crackling and popping of burning tamarack only
added to his mystique as he slowly rocked back and forth, causing the gold nugget on his
watch fob to glisten in the flickering firelight.
I always waited with anticipation for the slight squeak I knew would come from the
rocker’s wired joint as he competed his backward motion. In my mind, it added character
to his melodic rocking, wump-wump-squeak.
He never sat in his chair for long before Susie, his German shorthaired pointer who
never pointed at anything except her dog dish, would be at his side. She knew it was only
a matter of time before his hand would reach out and find her head with his soft touch.
This dog, which he often referred to as “that old pot hound” always looked up at him with
adoration and tail wagging, knowing full well she would be sleeping by his bed that night.
The only time his chair was moved was on Saturday night. He would take it to the front
room and set it next to a small table radio, encased in a beautiful maple cabinet. There he
rocked and laughed incessantly at the satirical humor of two of America’s favorite comedy
giants, Amos and Andy. The rest of the family ended up retreating to the living room so
they wouldn’t have to hear him say in his gruffest voice, “Shush now, I’m trying to listen.”
Before I was tall enough to reach the top of their back gate I would stand there looking
through the wire, watching for him to come home from work. I could see him coming
blocks away, walking briskly, his worn, shiny lunchbox under his arm. I eagerly awaited
his arrival since we had this little game we always played. I knew he had saved his dessert
from lunch for me, and as he came through the gate, I asked, “Did you save anything for
me?” He’d grin, look down at my outstretched arms and give me the lunchbox saying, “I
don’t know. You will have to look inside.” I opened the lid slowly, knowing full well the
desert would be there, and it always was. I learned later in life that Grandma packed two
desserts in his lunch when I visited. So he wouldn’t go without.
In the summer, he always wore a full-brimmed straw hat that came to a pointy peak on
top of his head. The green eyeshade sewn in front of the brim cast a soft green hue over
his eyes giving him a grandfather’s gentle look as we toiled together in his small garden,
while Susie lay nearby dozing in the sun on a pile of warm, soft dirt.
Most of all, I’m fortunate to have the memory of Grandpa gently rocking in his chair
with Susie at his side. He was gruff, yet gentle, and in his rocker, represented so much
more to me than just a grandpa. He stood for hard work and sacrifice for his family, not
to mention the great role model he presented to all of us. These thoughts are always
accompanied by a warm feeling whenever I see an old, straight-backed, armless rocker
with a brown scruffy seat. I really hope someday to find one with baling wire holding one
of its back joints together. It will happen.
We didn’t have many years together—he left us when I was twelve—but all of them
were packed with adventure and learning. We went on hunting and fishing trips and took
long walks and had long talks. Most were filled with grandfatherly wisdom and advice.
It’s unfortunate so many children grow up today without a grandfather’s strong influence.
Yes, I always puff up a little with pride as I remember the man I have always striven to
be like—my namesake, Grandpa Jim.
Jim Nelson enjoyed a career at the Spokane Review and retired in Spokane. WA. His
writings have been widely published in nationally known magazines, including five times
in Chicken Soup of the Soul books. His book, The Way It Was and The Way It Is, can be
found in the public libraries and school systems in Spokane. It is available for purchase
through Amazon.com and contains 46 nostalgic short stories. Jim Nelson enjoys hearing
from our readers and can be reached at 43 E. Weile, Apt. 214, Spokane, WA 99208. Jim
has been writing for over 50 years.
March-April 14
Charlotte, NC 13
Pieceing Life Together
Danger! Danger!
by Barbara Polston
Are your daily activities dangerous? You might think not, unless you’re a first responder
or employed on the bomb squad. I’m here to tell you otherwise! Danger, it appears, is truly
all around us.
I’m a writer and a quilter. Pretty safe activities, for the most part.
I can’t think of any injury I’ve sustained as a writer except for eye
and muscle strain from sitting too long in one spot staring at the
computer screen. I’ve had a few injuries quilting. I’ve nicked myself
with the rotary cutter and sewn through the tip of my finger. I’ve
been pretty lucky, though. I’ve never had to phone 911 nor have
anything stitched up. I have friends who have not been so lucky.
Because quilting has moved from the realm of leisure pastime
to profession, I wanted a new hobby. I settled on cooking. I’m
much better at savory recipes. I’m not much of a baker. I watch television programs about
cooking and, when the TV is on, it’s most often tuned to Food Network. I love watching
professional chefs create recipes, slicing and dicing with speed. I’ve tried to hone my knife
skills, following their examples. I’ve added several kitchen accessories, including a grill
pan, immersion blender, and small food processor. Love using them all.
I’ve been wanting a mandoline. Not the stringed instrument, but a manual device for
slicing foods quickly. I’ve watched the chefs on television make quick work of onions,
tomatoes and potatoes using this device. Finally, I made my purchase. A bit smug, the first
time I tried it, I ignored the safety warnings. The price paid, a fairly deep slice in my thumb.
The very next day, I thought I would get back up on the horse and try again. This time,
I followed all the safety precautions. The price paid? I sliced the fleshy tip of my middle
finger almost clean off.
Because my youngest daughter is a trained medical assistant, trips to the emergency
room were avoided. There is no evidence of infection; the cuts are healing nicely and it
appears that, given time, all will be well. However, my writing and quilting are much and
negatively effected. My right hand is only capable of hunting and pecking on the computer
keyboard. While I can sew on the machine, pinning is a challenge and hand sewing is out
of the question. Yes, it could have been much worse. I am looking for the learning and the
silver lining in the experience.
Jane Austen, in Persuasion, wrote, “An interval of meditation, serious and grateful, was
the best corrective of everything dangerous.” I’ve most seriously and gratefully chucked
the mandoline in the trash.
Barbara Polston an author, designer and award-winning quiltmaker. You can see
Barbara’s quilts, join her on Facebook, or book her class and lecture offerings at www.
barbarapolston.com. She was inducted into Arizona Quilters Hall of Fame in September
2013. Barbara, who has lived in Phoenix, Arizona, for over 28 years, is calmly quilting in
Studio Narnia. ©Barbara Polston, Phoenix, AZ, February 2014
Dream Again Tells the Story
Of Young Girl’s Journey on Oregon Trail
by Patty Duncan
Although cataloged as a children’s book, Dream Again by Dennis McGregor will be
enjoyed by readers of all ages as it tells the story of a young girl’s journey along the Oregon
Trail. Annie’s adventure begins as her treasured family quilt slips off a covered wagon into
the icy Deschutes River.
“The only thing Annie has to remember her family is a patchwork quilt made from their
worn-out clothes. She knew that quilt by heart and she loved every story it told in every
piece. In this way, her family was with her night
after night, mile after mile. It brought sweet dreams
from the hardships of pioneer life.”
Annie and her companion horse, Grace, leave
the safety of the wagon train and follow the river
for almost three weeks in search of her lost quilt.
Through her determination, Annie never loses faith
that she will be reunited with her beloved heirloom.
Author Dennis McGregor weaves the story
of this young pioneer and her dreams of a future
through his wonderful storytelling and beautiful
illustrations that brings the story to life in vibrant
color. He shares, “The story, set in 1845, was
driven by the notion that every antique quilt in
every home today would have some kind of story
to tell. I looked at my old quilt and wondered what
did this quilt go through over the last century and a
half before it ended up in my home?”
For his illustrations, Dennis used friends for models and Central Oregon’s landscapes
as backdrops. He explained, “I imagined the wagon floating in water and immediately
thought of a quilt falling from it. To see what the quilt would look like underwater, I asked
my photographer brother, Brent, to take some pictures. I dragged him up to Blue Lake and
he jumped in with his snorkel and waterproof camera. Many photos were taken as we cast
my quilt out again and again, reeling it in with the string we had attached.”
Dennis McGregor is a graphic designer, songwriter and musician who is best known as
an illustrator specializing in poster design. His definition of a successful poster is one that
people like enough to buy, frame and hang on their wall. He concluded long ago that if his
advertising posters didn’t get stolen from store windows where they were hung, he wasn’t
doing his job. Dennis now proudly adds “author” to his list of numerous accomplishments.
Dream Again, a 9”x12” hardcover book with 52 pages and 25 full-color illustrations,
sells for $29.95. To purchase this book, please visit www.dreamagainchildrensbook.com.
The Bulletin, Central Oregon’s largest paper, recently listed the book as one of the top ten
of the most popular media consumed by Central Oregonians in 2013.
Patty Duncan hails from Northern Virginia and now lives in Glendale, AZ, where she
spends lots of time spoiling her grandchildren. She enjoys quilting, photography, small
town history and is also an avid digital storybook maker. She works in the sales department
of The Country Register. Patty says, “As I get to know many of the authors of our book
giveaways, I find their back stories are often as captivating as the books they write.
McGregor’s thought process for both the story itself and his illustration are as interesting
as the author himself.”
Black Forest Brownie Jumble
Courtesy of CooksRecipes.com
This chocolate brownie dessert will bring to mind a classic cake with roots in Germany.
Ingredients:
1 (21-ounce) box fudge brownie mix
2 large eggs
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil or melted butter
16 chocolate cookie wafers, broken into large pieces
1 (10-ounce) jar maraschino cherries, drained and halved
1/2 cup chocolate chips
3/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
Mix brownie mix, eggs, water and oil in a large bowl until well blended. Spread batter
in a 13x9-inch greased pan.
Scatter top of batter with cookie pieces, cherries, chocolate chips and walnuts. Drizzle
with condensed milk.
Bake for about 35 minutes or until topping is golden. Let cool and then cut 4x4 into 16
pieces. Makes 16 brownies.
Note: If using a glass baking pan, increase cooking time
to 40 minutes.
The Carolinas
14 Flat Rock, NC • Special Event
Western NC Quilters Guild
Presents 2014 Show, June 13-15
Western North Carolina Quilters Guild in Hendersonville draws upon its rich 30-year
history of quilting to present its 2014 show, “A Garden of Quilts,” on Friday, Saturday
and Sunday, June 13, 14 and 15. The show will be at Blue Ridge Community College
Conference Hall, Campus Drive, in Flat Rock, NC.
Please join members of the Guild as they inspire and inform the community regarding
its rich quilting history in Western North
Carolina. Show hours are 10 a.m. to 5
p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 12 to 4
p.m. on Sunday. Admission is $5 and the
show is handicapped accessible.
Past year’s shows have included more
than 200 quilts made by guild members.
The quilts will be professionally judged
by National Quilt Association Certified
Judge, Lorraine Covington. In addition
to the beautiful displays of quilts, there
will be a presentation of quilt fabrics and
tools from the early years of the Guild to
the present. A quilt boutique, vendors and
raffles will also be available.
A highlight of this year’s Quilt Show
is the beautiful red and white raffle
quilt—Butterflies and Arrowheads. This
Raffle Quilt by Joanne Shafer
raffle quilt was designed and made by
Joanne Shafer with fabrics donated by guild members. The pattern was created on EQ7
with an adaptation of a block called Anita’s Arrowhead. It was beautifully machine
quilted incorporating butterflies into the design by Peggy McCaffrey and Pat Leitch of
Hummingbird Quilting, Brevard. Tickets for the quilt are available from guild members,
as well as at the show. The quilt will be awarded to the lucky ticket holder at the end of the
quilt show on Sunday.
Looking ahead, upcoming events include WNC Quilters hosting the North Carolina
Quilt Symposium, May 28-31, 2015. The yearly three-day retreat will be held at the
Bonclarken Conference Center in Flat Rock. Approximately 20 nationally-renowned quilt
teachers will offer classes on May 29 and 30 to participants from far and wide. Registration
information will be available early in January 2015. There will also be a quilt show with
participants as well as vendors. (For information on the 2014 Quilt Symposium, “Stitchin’
in the Waves,” May 29 to June 1, in Wilmington, go to: www.quiltersbytheseaguild.org/)
The Western North Carolina Quilters Guild meets monthly in Hendersonville and is
dedicated to understanding and perpetuating the art and love of quilting. It is a group of
more than 200 men and women with skills ranging from beginner to professional. They
enjoy sharing information and helping one another as well as participating in community
charity projects.
Georgia Bonesteel, one of quilting’s true Grande Dames, was the first president and
continues to be an active member of the guild. Georgia is leading the Quilt Trails Program
in Hendersonville where quilt designs are showcased on area barns and businesses. Flat
Rock Playhouse will have the first quilt trail design displayed this year!
The Guild has progressed from its early days and tools for quilting to embrace the age of
technology with its website at: www.westernncquilters.org. There is also a new Facebook
page: www.facebook.com/wncquilters to provide program pictures and highlights. Natalie
Rockley’s prize-winning quilt from the 2012 Quilt Show is the cover photo and also
illustrates the theme of this year’s show, “A Garden of Quilts.” Please “Like” the page and
check back frequently for Guild updates.
Happy National
Quilting Day!
March 15th
see www.nqaquilts.org/nqd/ for more info
KISSed Quilts
We Can Do It!—Part 1
I was already scheduled to make my first visit to the AQS QuiltWeek® in Des Moines,
Iowa, last October so I could experience my quilt, ‘Rosie’s BOMb,’ getting juried into
the American Quilter’s Society show. What made the trip even more fun was getting
the phone call telling me that my quilt had won second place in Bed Quilts—Machine
Quilted!
This journey started in 2011 when I discovered a quilting skill
builder happening online but chose not to participate because I didn’t
think I needed to build skills—plus I had a busy schedule at the time.
However, near the end of 2011, I realized the We Can Do It! Skill
Builder Sampler Quilt Along (QAL), hosted by “Sewn by Leila,” was
using the iconic ‘Rosie the Riveter’ poster image as her blog button
for the project. As a female engineer with a can-do attitude, I relate to
Rosie and decided I had to jump in even though they were six months
into the QAL. Making a ‘Rosie’ quilt was a natural progression in my
thought process. It became an interesting challenge—one that made
me realize I still had a lot to learn.
Using my Electric Quilt 7 software to design a layout, which
included the Rosie poster as a center medallion, I chose colors that
would coordinate with the poster. I used colors within each block to
create a layout to frame and mimic the poster’s colors—blue/white
backgrounds in the top area, yellow in the sides and red at the bottom
(dark and ‘anchoring’ to the whole quilt).
Mid-year 2012, I was away from my long-arm for several weeks
while my husband took a job out of state. I worked diligently to catch
up on the QAL. Towards the end, I drafted the feathered star through
a paper piecing technique so no “Y” seams were necessary, and was honored to be asked
by Leila to draw up the butterfly pattern so that all followers could use the necessary
templates through an easy PDF download.
The whole idea of this QAL was to start out with basic techniques, building confidence
and moving on with more difficult ones. This included doing things improvisationally,
by Marlene Oddie
creating your own ‘crumb’ fabric and designing your own house block. I laid them out
in the quilt from start to finish, top row to bottom row, left to right. There were typically
about 3 blocks per technique.
Now I needed to create the poster on fabric. I tried a couple of times, after much
planning, to print it on an inkjet plotter on self-treated muslin. The ‘rinse’ process took
out all magenta and it looked quite ‘antique.’ The effect might
have been nice, but I had used such brilliant colors in the quilt, I
really wanted a brilliant level of color in the poster. I decided to try
spoonflower.com and got wonderful results.
My sashing details included finding a MODA fabric that had a
row of buttons. I fussy-cut many yards of it. Finding the red fabric
that reads as a polka dot but is actually various buttons was great
for the border since it tied in with Rosie’s headband so nicely. I then
added appliquéd rivets to emphasize the original concept of what
was going on with ‘Rosie’ in WW II.
The bottom of the poster needed to be filled in. I had found a
fabric with all the different quilt block names and terms printed on
it that seemed to be very appropriate.
In designing the quilting I wanted to be able to show my clients,
in one piece, different types of quilting. For example, one block
might have a background fill and the next one doesn’t. Some have
formal feathers, others open feathers. Others have an edge-to-edge
design within a block following the piecing as a registration guide
and some just ignore the piecing.
The border quilting was designed to look like polished steel and
I wanted the rivets themselves to have a movement about them. I used some kitchen tools
to help. (Thank you, Martha Stewart, for your rubber rings made to put around a rolling
pin to get consistent pie dough depth!)
Quilting Rosie herself was the biggest challenge. So grateful to find Virginia Graeves
Continued on next page...
March-April 14
Making Memories
Over Family Favorites
by Barbara Floyd
The last column I wrote was about cleaning out my cookbook collection along with
a drawing for a Susan Branch Cookbook, which was posted
on The Country Register’s company home page at www.
countryregister.com as well as in a number of Country Register
newspapers across the country. Every day now a few entries
come in for the cookbook drawing that will be held the end of
February. It is amazing to read of others’ interests and love of
cooking and collecting cookbooks.
Here is an entry that came from Anita Bell: “This is my
first time reading The Country Register (TN and KY edition).
I found my copy at a rest area and enjoyed it very much, as I
like all things domestic. I, too, collect cookbooks. So did my
mother. She probably had over 400 in her collection. Mother is
now in a nursing home with dementia, but she still talks about
cooking. When she moved, my brother and sister and I each
took some of her cookbooks for ourselves. We donated the remainder to the local library
for their used book sales. I tend to be sentimental so I took mostly ones I remembered
from my childhood. My favorite is The Mississippi Cookbook, a hardbound edition that
is literally in pieces. I have many memories of Mother studying that book for new dishes
in the 1970s. In fact, some of the recipes she found, I use today in my cooking. I keep my
cookbooks in a white wooden cabinet that my grandmother purchased upon her marriage
in 1920 as a 15-year-old bride. I think your idea is wonderful!”
And I just had to write back to tell her that I would probably be just like her mom
when my memory dims and be talking about cooking in the nursing home. No, I would
probably try and get into the nursing home kitchen and do the cooking! All kidding
aside, the kitchen used to be the heart of the home and so it is heartwarming to hear many
responses to a cookbook drawing that tell me for some people it still is.
This past weekend in Lake Havasu City, starting on January 9th, which was my
sister JoAnn’s 80th birthday, a group of 10 of the family (all cousins - three generations)
from AZ, GA, ND, CA and Canada spent four days together. I do like planning events,
especially surprises. Part of the fun was the food planning and preparing, much of it
ahead of time. I pulled out some family favorite recipes such as JoAnn’s Rum cake. She
also made a great carrot cake for years and years. (Some of you may remember that cake
from Gooseberries Tea Room when we first opened it. JoAnn used to make the carrot
cake and was a part time hostess.)
I did not have JoAnn’s recipe so I made carrot cake loaded with coconut, crushed
pineapple, walnuts and substituted half the oil for applesauce and, of course, cream
cheese frosting. Of the three cakes served on antique cake stands at a friend’s home on
the Friday evening, the carrot cake was voted best with the rum cake a close second and
the wine cake came in third. The wine cake tastes a bit like eggnog with the nutmeg in it.
Serious dents were put in all three moist Bundt cakes, ice cream and a few other goodies
by the twenty-four guests. A few family members did not like the loaded carrot cake but
the rest of us were glad to eat their share. My sister’s recipe calls for only the walnuts
and the shredded carrots.
Another family recipe, which everyone loves but I am afraid will die with my
generation, is our Danish grandma’s Floating Island dessert. I must admit, it is more
work than some desserts. There is the fluffy white egg whites folded into a thickened
lemon mixture and over that is served the thickened egg yolk, lemon rind, milk sauce
that you can’t boil and it takes forever to heat it to the point where it coats the spoon.
My Canadian cousin had just flown across country and landed in Phoenix to spend the
night with me. Tired as she was, she made the mistake of asking if she could help in the
kitchen. So, she got the job of overseeing this “coating of the spoon” job. What she failed
to realize is my gas burner and the short handle on the whisk was working together to
roast her whole right arm to well done.
When this dessert appeared for the family dinner the next night (at another friend’s
home in Lake Havasu), it created a lot of excitement. There was no problem cleaning up
the tad bit that was left over. I think the last time any of us had this dessert was at a family
reunion years ago. A newly tried cookie recipe for Baklava Cookies was also a big hit.
(Google it and see what you come up with. A buttery crisp cookie with lots of chopped
walnuts and a honey, lemony, cinnamon glaze—or write to me if you want the exact
recipe.) It is my thinking that family favorites from the past should not be forgotten, but
trying new recipes can add a lot to this thing called food, family and fun.
Check The Country Register’s company website homepage at www.countryregister.
com for another cookbook drawing to start in February. Winners will be posted there as
well as personally notified.
Barbara Floyd, Founder of The Country Register, The Antique Register of Arizona,
and Love of Junk, Walla Walla’s Vintage Market, resides in Phoenix, AZ, and still loves
the kitchen. She can be reached at barbara@countryregister and will soon celebrate two
years of semi-retirement.
We Can Do It, continued from previous page...
online—she provided me with some advice and gave me the confidence to move forward
with Rosie’s face, arms and blouse details.
(To be continued. In Part 2, I’ll tell you about my journey with the completed ‘Rosie’s
BOMb.’)
Marlene Oddie is an engineer by education, project manager by profession and now
a quilter by passion in Grand Coulee, WA. She enjoys long-arm quilting on her Gammill
Optimum Plus, but especially enjoys designing quilts and assisting in the creation of a
meaningful treasure for the recipient. Follow Marlene’s adventures
via her blog at http://kissedquilts.blogspot.com or on http://www.
facebook.com/kissedquilts.
Note: Modern block credits used in ‘Rosie’s BOMb’ include:
Breaking Out: Jennie Finch, Canandaigua, NY (generously sharing);
Starry Night: Faith @ Fresh Lemons (only for personal use); and Circle
of Geese: Beth McBride @ Piece by Number (see piecebynumber.com
for usage details).
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