Dry Gulch or Box Canyon????

From my window seat in the engine, the tracks ahead look uncertain. A natural condition of the route perhaps...or maybe just that what our train contains is too meager an offering. I had hoped when I created this blog that it might enjoy the kind of journey of the true Orphan trains. Enough content to be necessary, a job being done, satifying results. I'm not very sure anymore that there is enough interest to warrent keeping this blog going. Some of us, like Tonya, myself, Bonnie and a few others have an endless fascination with the unique style, maverick approach, and 'make do' attitude of our ancestor quilters.
And I don't mind at all, taking time from my quilting and sewing to find, scan, crop and post OLD orphan quilts, occasionally. I love hearing from those of you that know of an orphan top or quilt to share with ALL. Sometimes I come across the orphan you are creating(by accident), and if possible it appears here for all to enjoy and learn from.
I am NOT, however, going to scour alleys and byways, and dark corners of world, nor dig in your closets to find an orphan. If you have them, or are paricipating in the challenge, or have made an orphan block quilt in the past, I occasionally need to get an email(like the one from Lucy yesterday) saying that you'd like to share it. If not, then I'm afraid our Orphan block train is running out of fuel to continue it's journey. It could be that it will just sit here in a dry glutch or box canyon, unable to move forward. It's up to ALL of us,not just me. Lately there have been NO comments about anything. And while the readership holds at about 150 a day, it's hard to tell if ANY interest in Orphan block quilts remains. We are coming into autumn here in the Mid-West Uunited States, and being an October child, it's my favorite season. If there is NO continuing interest, I'll just park the train here in dry country and move on to other things.
The pictures today are of: #1 a string quilt from Pennsylvania, Mennonite, late 19th century- 27" X 39". The other vintage quilt is also from Pennsylvania, Mennonite, late 19th century, 41" X 54". Both are in a book called Small Endearments by Sandi Fox. Published 1985 & 1994. The two pictures of modern quilts are:first-one of my many Mile A Minute quilts. Second-the newest Orphan block quilt. I did some monkeying around with the Bento Box 'idea', combining them in a couple of different ways..liked NONE of it, including the bright flannel. So, it's now officially ready for a border and tying. It will go off to one of the younger grandsons. It was all in a day's sewing!

Rolling along towards Labor Day....

September 1st-1867....saw geese heading south this morning from the window of my engine. Looked up at just the right minute! Seems a 'mite early, but the critters seem to know. So far no snow in the flatlands. We'll probably see Colorado before the day is over, and snow in the passes. Warm as toast, sittin' here, heading west. The boiler keeps all of us up here in the engine warm as can be. Conductor says the passenger cars are a comfortable temperture. Children seem to be handling the trip pretty well so far. Had 6 taken off at our last stop. Does a body good to see them youngen' gettin' a chance with a home and family. I never mind "these" runs too much, Rev. Loring is a mighty fine man and a prompt payer. Crossing up ahead, time to blow that whistle...
and so it goes...watching from the river bank or school window was far more exciting than being on the train. No need to wonder if the train stopped for the Sabbeth or for a holiday such as Labor Day. The celebration of Labor Day wasn't a holiday as yet, back then. And time was money, the train 'rolled' every day!
We have an orphan block quilts top from Sue of "From the Magpie's Nest" today.
This cute little Houses quilt is the one that Sue built.. She's expecting a new grandbaby.What a perfect quilt for that special child. Way to go Sue!!! This is #2 or is it #3??? And last but NOT least is this great(FINISHED) quilt that belong to Sio of "Scraps and Threadtales". It's one she purchased(lucky her!) and uses on her bed. It was built many, many years ago, using orphan blocks with a wide variety of vintage(to us) fabric. The display of fabric is part of the charm in my opinion. The quilt could be said to be more about "parts" than "blocks"...but it works and it's a terrific orphan quilt! Thanks again for letting us enjoy it Sio!!

Cleaning Surprises.....

You just never know what will 'turn up' when you clean. I spent a portion of Saturday cleaning my laundry room. I have a bookcase that just fits between the edge of the washer and the sliding door for the water heater. It holds all sorts of things, including stacks of old quilt magazines...really OLD magazines. This particular one is from Jan/Feb of 1992..not so old..*VBS*
I began browsing through it because it features ALASKA quilts. Our friend and fellow passenger Michele, from With Heart and Hands, A Quilting Journey, is on her way to Alaska this week. Her mom is celebrating her 85th(I believe)birthday. I had forgotten what might be in THIS issue, so I looked. And to my surprise look what I found...
Joe Cunningham and Gwen Marston were still together in 1992, and still quilting together. Their column was a regular monthly feature in Lady's Circle Patchwork Quilts. And very good articles they were! I know Tonya of Lazy Gal Quilting is a fan of those old articles also..*S* And then there were the quilts...and to my suprise...an orphan. Hidden right there in plain sight...LOL The maker of this little quilt calls it "Third Generation Pot Luck". Debbie Coate's quilt is made from an assortment of blocks that span 3 generations of her family. She got the idea in a class she took from Judy Hopkins, an Alaskan quilter and teacher.
The little article which accompanies the quilt says, "It was necessary to use leftovers carefully in Alaska....all kinds of leftovers The cupboards in the picture were made by Mrs. Eliza Beth Anderson from old packing crates she saved, while Debbie made her quilt from an assortment of leftover blocks." We, who are taking part in the Orphan block challenge, are carrying the torch forward...continuing the tradition of using the leftovers carefully.

Riding the rails....

A steady clicky-clack of the rails is all we hear in the growing darkness of this summer night. Our train continues it's long, long journey from New York to California. Up and over the mountains and across the broad flatlands....rolling onward.
Tonight we glimpse another stranger among us....an older orphan, from where we do not know. It made it's daylight appearance at the Sisters, Oregon Annual Quilt Show. Hanging in all it's proud glory amidst the roses and morning glories, Baltimore Beauties and Dresden Plates. A Quilt with No Name. Our friend Holly, of And Sew It Is, snapped it's picture because it reminder her of Finn...*VBS* Dear friend Holly..*S*
Yes, it is very much an orphan guilt and a good one. It looks to be mellowed by the years, and one has to hope that it bore the years in use by someone who loved it. It was offered up for the "show" by someone, and that is a good sign that all is well with this Orphan....a happy ending. Something to smile about indeed *VBS*

A quilt from the past, called Fragments....

and sometimes, it seems like that is what there is. Fragments, parts of things, pieces and bits, driftwood and debris floated up on shore. To some, it's trash. Garbage, a nuisance, something to dispose of...including children and animals. Of no worth. How sad that the world has come to a place of such affluence, that it can so easily discard things at a moments notice and without a second thought. Someone inherited these blocks and scraps, and took the time to make something useful and beautiful, something of value. First it was leftovers, parts. Today it is a treasure! One never knows, does one??? I give you lyrics of a song, I've never heard, but I would love to. It came email today from Michele of hearts-n-hands, a quilting journey. Her link is on my sidebar at Pieces.

Orphan Train
lyrics as sung by Lee Ann Womack
Come all you broken hearted, come and lay your burden down
Come kings and queens, come royalty surrender up your crown

Come empty-handed come with nothing of your own to claim
Come naked, poor, come like a child to ride the orphan train

Chorus: Come ride, ride on the orphan train
Put your ear to the track, you can hear your name
Come ride, ride on the orphan train, it'll take you all the way home
The way is narrow, it is steep that brings you to the door
But love awaits there to embrace your heart forevermore
(Repeat Chorus)

Come you abandoned, you forsaken
Friendless and alone, come refugees left homesick for
Some place you've never known
Here princes, paupers, criminals and saints are all the same
No more or less than God's beloved child aboard this train

(Repeat Chorus twice)

It'll take you all the way home
It's gonna take you all the way home


-- I'm sure the composer had Heaven in mind, while speaking of orphans and abandoned and unloved, but the all encompassing the 'concept' of riding the orphan train truly is...how orphaned and abandoned(in many ways) one can be. Awareness is the beginning...it may not be the answer, but it opens the door.