Jan’s Quilts “Sunday’s Best”

Jan’s Quilts 100 “Sunday’s Best”

Originally uploaded by Q_uilted T_hrifted

My inspiration for the quilt in my previous post is from Jan.

Photo taken June 23 2009 by the Tuesday quilt group to document Jan’s quilts

I like that Jan put small buttons and other embellishments on some of the women. I also like the simplicity of her quilting design on the alternate blocks. Jan used the same fabric on her background blocks. I am going with a scrappier look.

Jan also used the same black for the body color and I am using as many shades as I can find. More like all the family members in my family.

Here is the label on Jan’s quilt. She names this quilt “Sunday Best” Jan named every quilt she ever made.  See more buttons on the green dress in the above picture. Jan’s signature for her quilts was her strip bindings.

Sunday Best

When I made this quilt I saw little girls

all dressed up in their very best for Sunday

School. The pattern is a variation of the

old TIN MAN block. My inspiration was

an antique quilt top I saw at Houston many

years ago. The owner was gracious enough to

let me photograph it.

Janice 2005

The label above says SOLD FOR $9000.00 Houston Quilt Show 1999.

After Jan died the women in our Tuesday Quilters group were able to select a few of her quilt items.  I wrote a post on it back at that time. In going through some of the fabrics I selected I came across some of Jan’s orphan blocks from this quilt. They are just slightly smaller than my block size.

Photo taken Sept 8 2012

I could put a coping strip around Jan’s block to bring her block up to the size of mine or I could use it on my label on the back of my quilt.

It’s all about memories today isn’t it.

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Jan’s Quilts

Jan’s Quilts

Originally uploaded by Q_uilted T_hrifted

When Jan first joined the Babe’s we had a plaid exchange. I have a pattern I wanted to use the plaids in. My plaids were sewn together but then they were supposed to have green plaid trees all around the perimeter. I started collecting green plaids just for that purpose. The quilt was set aside and never touched again. Every once in awhile I come across the sewn squares. I like what Jan did with the bears and trees. I also like the label. Jan loved to name her quilts. She put a lot of thought into the naming of them.

Jan’s Quilt – Merry Christmas 2009

Jan’s Quilts 118

Originally uploaded by Q_uilted T_hrifted

I’d like to take a moment to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas!
It’s been a good day.

Here is a link to my Flickr set that contains over 30 different quilts that my friend Jan made before her death this past year.

Home with a sick child day…

Jan’s Quilts 47

Originally uploaded by Q_uilted T_hrifted

I’ll be busy today being Mommy to a very sick child as soon as he wakes up.

We need a little sunshine in the form of a quilt today because I have one little guy who is running a very high fever. He’s still sleeping in our bed after climbing in at 1a.
It was one of those nights were he tip toes in the room and his shirt is soaking wet from the fever breaking. We changed it and let him climb in with us. Sometimes it’s the only way you get any sleep.

Daddy and I had a cup of coffee this morning before he was off to work. I went to feel the little one’s head and it is hot again.  Oh yeah…I suppose I better go call the school. Good thing I remembered! 🙂 You get so caught up in the moment.

10a

School was called and you know what she said “give us a call back if he get’s diagnosed with something”. I remember when my older son was in elementary school they sent a note home to advise us when someone had chickenpox in the classroom. I haven’t seen anything like that this year. An automated message did call before the school year started to let us know the children would be washing their hands when they came in the building each day and asked us to have them wash their hands immediately upon coming home. Our son does this each day without even being asked to. He immediately goes to the bathroom and washes his hands…..with soap. They apparently are getting the message across. At least to one child!

He has eaten a corner of toast and taken a spoonful of Ibuprofen. He is tucked in bed watching Ch 2.  We are going to do a crafting project today if he feels well enough. A load of dishes are soaking in the sink. One section of counter top is cleaned off! How is it things get so out of control? I have to plan the boy scouts night tonight. Dad may be staying home with a sick child while mom is out scouting! Off to finish the dishes!!!!

Of course I called Grandma too. To let her know her Grandson is sick. She is in the middle of a home perm. She said it saves her 50 bucks. She’s right!

Lunchtime of Campbells chicken noodle  soup and peanut butter crackers and then a game of Junior Monopoly. Mommy won and that didn’t go over too well.

A little pouting so off to bed to read a story.

The Last Of The Wizards by Rona Jaffe.

Jan’s Quilts

Jan’s Quilts 065

Jean in our quilt group photographed Jan’s quilts and put them on a DVD for us.

She made this list of the quilts on the DVD. I will slowly add these photos to my flickr site.

Originally uploaded by Q_uilted T_hrifted

The Quilts of Jan Szulczewski – Plymouth, MN

(made between the 1980’s and 2009)

Photographed Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Large/Bed

1)      16 patch 30’s repros – Kit from Edyies

2)      9 Patch Babes exchange – With a Little Help from my Friends

3)      9 Patch With a Little Help from my Friends  1998 Babes block exchange

4)      Around the Twist – early 90’s?

5)      Black Ties – block exchange

6)      Block-of-the-Month

7)      Bow Ties and shirting – Block exchange?

8)      Buck-A-Block of the Month –

9)      Cabin Tracks – Babes Block exchange

10)  Campfire Memories IV – plaids

11)  Campfire memories -Signature Stars– (blocks won at Green Lake 1996)

12)  Charming ( Isn’t it?) 1999 ½ sq triangle charms

13)  Chimney   Sweep – Babes Exchange

14)  Christmas Braid – Green Lake Challenge with Jelly Roll or Charm Pack

15)  Christmas Stars – table topper 1996

16)  Churn Dash – Green Lake – with Pink

17)  Churn Dash Variation – tans  Buggy Barn

18)  Dad’s Cozy – flannels for Jan’s Dad

19)  Double 9 patch

20)  Drunkard’s Path- Bullseye  setting

21)  Evening Star – JJ Stitches

22)  Farmer’s Daughter – won blocks at WOW BOM 2002

23)  Fireside Cozy

24)  Flags – Block exchange

25)  Flannel and Chennile –

26)  For Heaven’s Sake – 1997

27)  Grandmother’s Flowers

28)  Green Work – 30’s repros  (9 patches)

29)  Indigo blue – Terrie Atkinson pattern – Green Lake block exchange

30)  Irish Chain red (w/toile)

31)  Jelly Belly – Babes exchange 2008

32)  Kaliedescope – Green Lake block exchange 2006

33)  Kansas Troubles – sampler

34)  LeMoyne  -plaids with rust/red

35)  Lost Socks

36)  Maple Leaves – Green Lake exchange

37)  Men at Work – Green Lake exchange

38)  Ocean Waves – With a Little Help from my Friends – Babes (pink)

39)  Old Glory –Flag on point

40)  One Patch King Sized 4” squares (red/toile back)

41)  Peter Paul and Jan – 2005 (Quiltsmart technique)

42)  Pineapple

43)  Prairie Stars – JJ Stitches – 2005

44)  Purchased in Rogers, MN

45)  Rail Fence  1  browns  c. 1980

46)  Rail Fence  2   Large – blue/red

47)  Red Squares  with Rick Rack Printed Border – Cabbage Patch Rose pattern

48)  Red, White and Blue and Bowties Too – 1992

49)  Row-by-Row 1999 Amish – Babes (Simple Gifts)

50)  Sew Many Santa’s Dec 1995 – Paper pieced Santa

51)  Slowest Turkey in Town – 2008

52)  Spools –  Green Lake block exchange

53)  Square in Square Red/white/blue

54)  Squares and  Plaids

55)  Strippy –pink 4 patch

56)  Strippy Repros -Kaye England

57)  Strippy Stars – red border – wall

58)  Sunday Best –  Tin Man – Houston

Wall Sized and Small Projects

1)      Bittersweet Basket

2)      Fall leaves – table topper

3)      Fall printed panel – wall

4)      Patches and Posies – 1996

5)      Patriotic Table Runner Red/white/blue

6)      Pine Trees – table topper Thimbleberries

7)      Raggedy Hearts  -Babes exchange

8)      Stars around floral focus – table top

9)      Tennessee Waltz

10)  Tisket  A Tasket

11)  Twilight – made for son Brian

12)  Wavy flags – table or wall

Vintage Quilts

1)      Log Cabin c. 1900 found in father’s home linen closet. She was going to use what she thought was a mattress pad to wrap a mirror. It turned out to be this quilt!

2)      Carolina Lily – Wedding Quilt (family)  – purple applique, c 1930

3)      Dresden Plate c. 1930 w/ Prairie Points – poor condition

4)      Dresden Plate Coverlet

5)      Grandmother’s Flower Garden  Navy with red

6)      Baskets Yellow – Susie’s  Made by G’ma Frieda

7)       Comforter – purple medallion Tied  -No history

Here is a link to a set on Flickr Jan’s Quilts 2009

Saying Goodbye

Jan’s daughter invited the Tuesday quilter’s over to the house today.

Originally uploaded by Q_uilted T_hrifted

She wanted each of us to pick out some of her things. Her cherished items are kept by her daughter. She had tagged the items she was keeping or had moved them to rooms with closed doors. There would be items at the end of the day that would go to good will.  All eleven of us from the Tuesday quilt group went to the funeral. There were over 56 of her quilts over the back of the pews. They were all completed quilts. This was just some of the quilts at her house.  There are 3 times that many  and more that have been given to family and friends over the years. It was a beautiful service and well attended. I took photos with my cell phone but I need to get a USB cord to download them to my computer.

I think all of us except two were there this morning. Jan’s daughter had tagged everything she wanted to keep and asked us to take everything else. She encouraged us to take as much as possible because the rest was going to be donated.  The first thing I chose was the candle stick holders and this tied quilt.

I love this little mini quilt. I chose it  because I just started a Tied Quilt Flickr group and this will be an absolutely perfect addition to the pool.

I have loom sticks that go with these candle stick holders. These have been on Jan’s fireplace mantel in front of her favorite Amish portrait. The portrait had a yellow tag on it. We all hoped it would. Jan treasured that picture.

I left the other small quilts there for others to choose from. When I walked around again an hour later there were still some small quilts there so I chose another.

You won’t be surprised to know it is a sunflower quilt. I have it already up in my diningroom.

I did get a few pillows that will go well with some that I have collected over the years.

The quilt below these pillows is the Bulls Eye pattern. It is my quilt but there are many blocks of Jan’s and the other quilters in this quilt. It was one of our group projects one year.

We each made 12 blocks at least 10 times and then exchanged with each other. We ended up each having the same blocks in each of our quilts.

Everyone finished their’s off a little differently. Most of the other quilters sent their quilts off to a professional machine quilter to finish. Mine is still in the top stage in hopes I will find my quilting foot for my Bernina and get it done!

We all had so many country color tones in our stash I don’t think any of us had to buy fabric to do this project. It actually is a great project to use all your uglies because once it is all together it looks absolutely spectacular!

I just love these vintage pillows. I will photo the ones I have collected over the years and post at a later time.

**************************************** This little butterfly pillow is the size of my hand. What I like so much about it is that the back side is quilted as well as the front. This is how I think all quilted pillows should be.

I have 3 butterfly quilt tops I have collected over the years. I also have a number of vintage butterfly blocks and pot holders I have purchased from antique stores and thrift stores. Jan always had her pillows in large baskets in her livingroom. It made the room so cozy.

The largest item I have is an antique ironing board and iron. I told Jan’t daughter that if she ever wanted anything back I would have it there in a heartbeat.

The chair is mine but don’t they look just absolutely perfect together!!!

The lever on the iron seperates the handle from the base.

I don’t know how long Jan has had it or where she got it. Her daughter said  was back in the corner of the basement and had quilts draped over it. The first thing it did when I got home was start shooting some photos of quilts over the ironing board.

I walked into the bathroom in the basement and no one had taken any of the items.

My main bathroom has been cement board unpainted around the bathtub for 5 1/2 years. Really. It is a sad thing. We got stuck because we can’t afford to purchase tile and I am not certain how to finish the edge between the tub and the cementboard. Of course we don’t use the shower but I do use the tub.  Maybe now we will finish it off.

These items will look wonderful in a finished bathroom!

Sometimes I just can’t figure this computer stuff out!

Jan is the second quilter from our group to die of breast cancer. The founding member of our group Wendy died a number of years ago. I received a quilted Angel from Wendy one year for Christmas. Now I will have an Angel from Jan as well. They have both been Angels in my life. It is a comforting thought to know they are now guiding me from heaven.  Believe me I need all the guidance I can get.

Who knows sometimes why some things call out to us. This little jug did.

It has a cover and I think this week I will write down ways to be good to myself on little slips of paper and put them inside.  Every once in a while a reminder to be good to myself is important.

• Go for a nice long walk
• ride my bicycle
• write and draw in my journal
• get some hugs from my boys
• take some quiet time and sew….sew to classical music
• look at my favorites on Flickr!
• candles lit during a meal
• take time to work in the flower beds…moving the soil around
• plan a trip somewhere …like my trip to Costa Rica…so wonderful

When I got home the boys were hungry so it was APPLE PANCAKE time.

I used Jan’s glasses for the milk. They are nice and thick. I think if they fell to the ground they would not break. Just the kind of glasses I need with a house full of boys!

********************************************************************************************

It’s been a day of reflection.  The sun is shining but it has been a bit chilly all day.

My dad made me a wooden Uncle Sam.  During  the next few days I want to photograph items I have that coordinate with items of Jan’s. I always loved meeting at her house. I would say to myself how easily I could move right in and be totally comfortable. Our souls were very similar. It is no wonder life brought us together. Isn’t it interesting when you ponder on why certain people have come into our lives. Jan showed me tenderness, caring, sharing, humor. She loved shopping on QVC. She would make so many jokes about her purchases or “almost” purchases. For all I know some of these items may have come from QVC.

I collect blue glass and dishware. I like the way blue glass looks when the sun shines through it.

Some of the perennials in my flower bed came from Jan a few years ago when she remodeled her gardens.

The grapevines were not from Jan. They just show new spring growth. It is a good time of year for reflection. There is newness all around us. Jan’s daughter is thinking about selling her house and moving into the family home. She had to let go of some things in order to combine the treasures she and her family truly loved with those that are in her home as well. She will be combining the two homes together and making the family home now her own. It is a lot to think about so soon after the loss of so many. Her Dad died on May 8th 2007. Just two years ago and her brother died shortly before that. We had losses like that in our family too. My mom lost her mother in Sept of 1983 and my brother died in May of 84. My mom’s dad died a week later and one of her best friends and coworkers died just after that. It was a lot of loss to deal with. My children lost their grandmother from breast cancer April 1995 and then their aunt Sharon from colon cancer 4 years later and their uncle from a blood clot that went to his lungs a year after that. They’ve been gone for some time. Mr Quilted Thrifted talks about how much his brother has missed not seeing his two daughters grow up. It makes the heart heavy at time. We celebrate most the time. We have to go on. It just is nice to honor those who have gone before us.

I was able to take some great photos today. I spent the entire day chatting with my children, cooking meals, and of course took my sewing machine outside to sew on the back deck a little and didn’t get to it… because I can’t find my rotary cutter! I am always searching for something.

I talked to my best friend I think six times today. She was shopping…buying plants…trimming her roses….uploading her own photos…. and talking to me!

That’s what best friends are for!  You can see her photo on my Flickr site. She’s the one that looks like my sister!

That’s what everyone says…. even we say it!

If Jan’s daughter ever sees this post I want you to know I will cherish these items for the rest of my life. If you ever want anything back it’s yours. Your Mom is such a big part of each of us in the Tuesday quilting group. We will never forget her. And as Pastor said during her service., “Jan was easy to love”. She has been an inspiration for each of us. A role model. A friend.