Treasures in the Trunk

Elizabeth Hake Quilt

Back of Quilt
TEA COSY

I was very excited when Lizzie rang to so say that her mother was moving house and she had all granny Hakes textiles and wasn't sure what she should be doing with them and was I willing to take a look . Willing to have a look- well that was a silly question!

I drove to Wiltshire and collected the trunk , Yes It really was a trunk and it was an Aladdin's cave of all sorts of textiles, Lace, Dresses that she had worn as a child with the laundry mark in it EFB. Elizabeth Forbes Burnet.

Their were 3 quilts- sadly only one of Elizabeth's, she only made two and they were identical for twin beds. The only other quilted item was a tea cosy.

The quilt was a printed design in the centre and a cream almost tea dyed plain border. She had quilted over the whole quilt. If anyone does have the book you can see her head at the frame quilting in diagram 48. The one I saw must have had bleach spilt on it at some point. It had the embroidery mark EH in the corner of the back of the quilt.The other perfect quilt was with Lizzie's mother.

Also in the trunk were 2 Silk patchwork quilts and two cushions that again were very fragile. These were not marked but the fabrics looked very early. I will post pictures of these in my next post.
Till next time.

Elizabeth Hake

This is Elizabeth Hake in her debutante's dress which she would have worn to be presented at court.


Today I am going to tell you what I know about Elizabeth Hake who wrote English Quilting Old & New.
For several years I worked with a lady called Lizzie Smith. When I started my quilting life she told me that her granny wrote a book about Quilting and shortly afterwards gave me her book. Lizzie Smith was before her marriage also called Elizabeth Hake.
The following information was giving to me by Jean Hake her daughter-in-law and Lizzie gave me some stories too.
Elizabeth Forbes Hake was born in London in 1890 to Sir Robert and Lady Burnet. Sir Robert was Physician to the Royal Household which at the time was King George V this allowed her to meet and entertain many distinguished politicians and leaders of the day.Much to her regret she never went to School , but was educated by governesses who must have found her shining intelligence a joy. She went to finishing school in Dresden( Her French and German were faultless).
She enjoyed telling her grandchildren about the handsome young Prussian officers who used to tickle the back of the necks of young ladies sitting in front of them at the Opera!
She married Guy Donne Gordon Hake( Who came from a distinguished artistic family )in 1924.
Guy was an Architect. They spent their holidays at a family house called Stoke Hayes in Yarcombe Devon and it was here that Elizabeth Hake's interest in quilting grew.
Among other things she was a superb needlewomen and she became intrigued when a friend asserted that there was no indigenous quilting in the West Country.
Her subsequent research on the subject resulted in a book entitled English Quilting Old & New first published in 1937. Her husband did all the illustrations.
Lizzie told me another one of Granny's stories that one of the Governess asked permission for a day off, which was granted and she took herself off to Epsom Downs on Derby Day and threw herself in front of the Kings horse. Turned out she was a suffragette called Emily Davison . She died 4 days later of her injuries. I suppose that was one way the children got out of school until a new governess was apponited.
Elizabeth Forbes Hake died in 1987 aged 97.

My next post will be on treasures in the trunk as I was fortunate that Elizabeth's textile's including quilts came into my possession for a short while.

Klosjes Gift & Postal Delivery

 

 

Klosjes this week 2 but they are not for me , Shame as I love the colour combination of these two that I have framed.
The ingredients were - Take one pine box frame from Hobby Craft-Paint in Farrow & Balls Off White No 3- back with linen, make two klosjes in Rouenneries fabric - sew on buttons and what do you have - One gift for a friend who I am off to visit in a couple of weeks.

I have also completed my Goose in the Pond that is now ready to go off to Rosemary at Frome Valley Quilting.

Then look what Mr Postie delivered. OMG it is just so easy to shop until you drop on the Internet.
I fell in love with this range of fabrics called Vanity Fair from Nancy Gere. I got them from Autumn Rose Quilting I have got to say the service was so efficient , they arrived in 4 working days. They also came straight through without being held up in customs which is a miracle. They are gorgeous and I have them on the table and keep walking past stroking them.
You may well ask what I am going to do with them - Well I have a few ideas up my sleeve but nothing concrete yet! You may just have to wait a while before you see a quilt emerging.

Lastly I spoke to Jo at Cowslip Workshops she mentioned that British Patchwork and Quilting magazine had written an article about her. What a good article it is too and richly deserved.
I also noted that in the section Wandering the Web they have picked Lori's blog as Blog of the Month. Well done to Lori-you are famous in the UK and you didn't even know about it.
Have a great weekend.

Klosjes and Quilt Barn Signs

Klosjes this week is 4 bring my total to 62

 

 

I noticed today on THE QUILT SHOW their was a bit about The Quilt Barn Quilt Trail and how it all started and has spread through several states in the USA.
I spotted a few when I was driving through Tennessee on my way to Paducah in April- The ones I managed to photograph were in Marion County, Kentucky.
I did photograph more but the barns were quite a way off the road and the photos haven't come out very well.
Isn't it a great idea, Imagine having a barn and being able to have a big painted quilt block on it. I have wondered what sign I would pick, At first I thought a basket block as I love basket quilts , Then I decided it would have to be the Pumpkin Seed as I have a real thing about Pumpkins.
Have a look at the story behind these quilt barn signs
What would you chose?
Sue

KLOSJES & GOOSE IN POND

I am very late with my Klosjes post -my Saturday has drifted into Monday but this weeks total is 3 bringing the grand total to 58.
Today I decided to lay them out to get a feel for how it is going to look and I am pleased that it will have that old vintage look.
I also took Barbara Chaineys comment up about adding another border to the Goose in the Pond - So thanks Barbara It was a great idea and will finish it off nicely. I just wouldn't have thought of it so thanks to blogging world you get another person perspective.

Thought you might also like to peak at the herbaceous border garden. The delphiniums are now out and it is a pleasure to walk through this part of the garden- Notice I said walk and not sit. I must get round to trying my new deck chair out at some point.
Now will that ever happen.

Meet Beryl and Fred

Let me introduce you to Beryl and Fred, they are very old friends of my mother's and they are stopping in my guest cottage this week.

I had never meet them before this week , Not only are they a delight to have around but they are quilters. YES both of them.

Fred can't walk to far these days so when Beryl took up patchwork and quilting Fred followed suit- I have seen some amazing quilts from their Quilting Album and they seem to enjoy making charity quilts and small things for craft fairs to raise the odd pound or two. Their is a lovely photo in the album of Fred sitting at his frame quilting. Beryl's real love is applique.

They bought these two quilts to show me their work.The blue drunkards path is Fred's and the Christmas Applique is Beryls.

Aren't they great for a 77 and 81 year old - I love they have this shared interest especially as Fred is so disabled with his breathing and can't race around anymore.

So the morale of the story - Keep on stitching girls and BOYS.

Klosjes & Star Quilt

5 Klosjes for my efforts this week - But what I have been doing is making this little Star quilt which I have called Cappuccino Stars.
It has been made for a Oakshott Fabrics They sell lovely fabric's from Kerala in India and it is their intention to sell kits at the Festival of Quilts in August this year and my Cappuccino Stars will be a one that they will be selling.

Just have to quilt it and away it will go.

Now I am off for that lovely Cappuccino or is it a Latte.