Making Progress and a New Quilt!

The sewing room cleaned up is still in progress.  Will it ever end?  I'm going to the store to get some organization supplies.  Seems like the old way of doing things isn't working anymore.  While all of that is going on, I must keep working on new stuff, and I'm all ready to dive into a new project.  It's always so exciting, isn't it?  If it weren't, I suppose we wouldn't have so many UFO's!

I have been waiting for just the right project to come along to use the awesome fabric on the left.  It will be the border.  All I have is a fat quarter.  What in the world was I thinking only buying a fat quarter?  OMG!  The quilt is small....only about 20 inches finished, and because it's a directional fabric, I don't have enough for straight cuts (for want of a 3.5 inch strip.  Sigh.)   So...I'll "make-do" and  piece where I have to.  Split seams are the most common type of make-do.....narry every antique quilt has them.  I'll be honoring our quilting heritage!

I'm pretty sure the light print on the right will be "the one".  Still not 100% sure, but I'll audition it on my design wall for a day or two (while I keep sorting and purging!)  The fabrics appear a bit washed out from the saturated, luscious colors they really are.  I'm certain it's not the camera, but the photographer.  I'm woefully inept with capturing the look I really want.  Maybe in another life, I'll learn how to take a decent photo!

This yet unnamed quilt is for Journey Five.  I'll post progress.  The Pin Money and Prairie Wovens & Dobbies sample yardage should be arriving soon, so we'll be in full sewing mode here.  Better finish the sewing room!!  
In the meantime.....I thought you'd a enjoy more 1800's trivia!  

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1800's Trivia

One of my favorite antique collectibles are butter molds.

There's something so domestic and dear about them.  

Butter molds were used mostly in the 17th & 18th centuries at a time when the only way to have butter was to churn it yourself.  (1762 is the earliest documented date for a butter mold in America.)  Women churned and packed butter to sell for extra money, and the butter molds served not only as a unit of measure, but imprinted the butter with a design that would identifying her butter from the rest.  A brand, if you will.

They are truly folk art as they were carved by hand, usually from maple because maple held up very well to all the use and washing.

They came in a variety of shapes and sizes.....some quite crude with no design, and others beautiful works of art!  

Butter molds have three basic parts:

The outer shell, the stamp or die design, and the plunger.  

Butter molds allowed the butter to be free-standing, served as a measure forming the correct amount of butter.

The plunger pressed the stamp onto the top of the butter and pushed the butter from the shell.

But it's the stamp design that makes these treen wonders so collectible!

As you can see in the photos, every kind of motif, flora, fauna, bird and farm animal was depicted on butter stamps.  This rare, lovely design with the word 'Union' is one of the best I've ever seen.  

Once the butter was ready, the inside of the mold was dusted with flour.  It was packed very tightly inside of the shell.  Butter paddles helped immensely with this task as you wouldn't want any air or liquid trapped inside your butter lest it turn rancid.  

When the butter was firmly packed, it was ejected from the mold and wrapped in wet muslin, ready to take to the market.  Not all butters were alike!  If your butter was exceptional (or not!), the design of your stamp quickly identified your butter from the rest, an artful and easy way if identification.  

The butter molds at the right are from my collection.  I look for a design I like, and a wonderful patina to the wood.  The smaller, butter pat molds are harder to find, and of course, more expensive.  I was very lucky to find the pat mold with my initial several years ago, which is fun. 

When I hold a butter mold, I can't help but feel the wear, to be linked to the hands of the woman who used this wonderful piece to package and market her butter.  Who carved the wood and stamp design?  Did they have any clue what a beautiful piece of art they were creating?  

I recently discovered "lollipop" butter stamps.  They, too, come in a wide variety of design motifs.  I hope to find one or two to add to my collection!

I hope you've enjoyed this bit of 1800's trivia.  

What kind of American Folk Art do you collect?

I know there's a lot of kindred spirits like me out there, collecting and caring for these pieces for our lifetime.  

And...it's my pleasure to do so!

Pam