It's gorgeous, isn't it?
The clothing labels - there are a few pieces to this, so go get a cup of tea. I've always loved vintage clothing and during the 1960s it was the perfect time to raid my mother's attic and cedar chest. I just loved the detailing in the clothing back then - the buttons, the little finished darts and -- the beautiful lables that were hand stitched into the clothing - sometimes with herringbone stitches, florals, anything but plain old stitches. When I wore those clothes into the ground, I saved the buttons and lables.
Time passed and I ended up living with a bunch of artists in Brooklyn. There was a street that was condemned due to a collapse and all the buildings were empty and waiting to be torn down. It was a playground for us and we found stained glass - an old wicker casket for collecting bodies (which got turned into a coffee table -- I know -- ewwww -- and a closed label embroidery company! I was in heaven!
Time marched on and in my 30s I was getting my degree in ethnomethodology/sociology and I took a class having to do with the international economics of women. One of the first assignments we had was to go into our closets and look at all the clothing labels to see where they were from. The idea was to start thinking about the women who worked in sweat shops throughout the world, but I started thinking about the label makers and the women who stitched the labels into the clothing ... I ended up making a little wall quilt of hand embroidered labels for the professor.
I wanted to start a series of little quilts with labels having to do with different themes -- one of which had to do with XL sizes and the process of losing weight and becoming strong (XS labels). Another one was a large piece of international labels with Made In the USA labels forming a map of the US in the center. (I found several boxes of new Made in the USA labels at an estate sale). These were well underway and lots of my darling QB friends (especially Quiltymom) send labels so I could finish. But then ... well, you know what happened. Gone. So, I'm starting to collect again. Maybe I'll make place mats out of XL labels to encourage careful dining! (Confession, this formerly size 3 sliding into a size 1 plumped up considerably over the years ...)

More than you wanted to know about labels, I'm sure.

Krystyna I love the labels story! I'll keep my eye out for them at yards sales /estate sales around here and IF I find any, I'll send them your way.

K so happy you liked everything, sorry my quilting is not the best. But glad you liked it. And I will continue to save clothing tags for you. Loved what you wrote about saving them and about the casket basket, as I have searched for one for years... I can so relate!

QuiltingKrazy, don't go to yard sales ... go to your closet!!! My poor family never had a shred of clothing with a label in it -- and that included undies!

Wanda, your quilting is perfect! I love it so much. You've been searching for a casket basket for years??? :shock: Seriously? Yikes!

Krystyna, your little quilt from wanda lou is gorgeous, love the little bit of colour on b/w.

Clothing label tags huh, want some from Aussie land???

Oooo! You bet I do! I wonder what customs will think of THAT? But we'll have to make a trade. Think of something you'd like. Maybe a wee label quilt?

Creepy stories - My husband had wanted a hearst for years and even seriously started searching the internet for one. Well, shortly after he started his search, he got cancer and had a devil of a time beating it, but he did. Since then, he's not had many thoughts about buying the hearst as he figures if he does buy one, I'll drive him to the cemetery in it!!!

Mini Pinwheels for Wardy74
 

This little quilt is making it's way across the pond to Wardy74 - hope you feel better soon Jan.

Now how cute is that? 3D pinwheels

dabbler312, that is one beautiful little quilt, love the fabrics and the buttons just add that finishing touch :)

So I spent a little time this afternoon getting some labels for Krystyna. My goodness, until you really look at the labels on your clothes, you don't realise just how many of them are actually made in an Asian country - I did finally manage to find some that had 'Made in Australia' on them, some don't even say where they were made. What an interesting exercise!!

The only downside was that the sizes on the labels seemed to go up and not down :( :(

Christine (Dabbler) I love those pinwheels. What a sweet quilt!

Lynnie, yes those sizes. Sad indeed. But more to hug! Gotta find the bright side in all of this! The label exercise was much more interesting years ago when we were all likely to find things made in the USA -- or in your case, Australia. At that point in my life I wasn't really thinking about country of origin, but when I did, it was quite a shocker.

On a related note, DH and I went to two "craft" fairs over the weekend. There was only a single booth with items made by the person selling and that was some quite awful soap. She did have some very lovely soap but they were made in Australia! Everything else at these craft fairs was made in China, India or Korea ... and I suspect Mexico and China for the Peruvian crafts. I didn't bother to look. Very disheartening for those of us who actually made things.

Ooooo! I love the little 3-d pinwheels! Nice job, dabbler312.

dabbler312 love your DQ

Krystyna - thank you for the labels story; I love the styles from the late 40's - 60's. I used to appreciate finding clothes that were made in the USA/America - blouses had a little more sleeve length; I buy my clothes extra big for me so that I can get at least a 3/4 sleeve length from long sleeves; not really my ideal but I dislike long sleeves that end just below the elbow. Thank goodness summer is here now - t-shirts and short sleeves - YEA Happy Dance!

Beautiful quilt! I love the 3D, I have one started that is similar only baby pattern. Love the laabel storey, K. My fingers won't type. Anyway, I asked in the May swap before I read this, so sorry! LOL I see a mission in my future.

You asked for fingers???

Maybe fingers taht do what they are told.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]413861[/ATTACH]

Onalee, are you talking to your fingers again?

Ohhhhhh in luv with pinwheel quilt! Beautiful!

Thanks everyone for your nice compliments on the 3-D pinwheels - they're made from 2-1/2" squares - itty bitty!

Hey, anything/one that will listen. http://www.dumpaday.com/wp-content/u...umpaday-21.jpg

M-I-C-K-E-Y ..... M-O-U-S-E - go Mickey!!

The 3D pinwheels are adorable. krystyna the wedding pics are so very nice.

Krystyna,

When I think how many labels I have thrown away over the years I feel sick knowing you could use them. I remove the label from every piece of clothing I wear because I can't stand the feel of them on my neck or upper back. Now I know where to send them.

Yes you do. And I think you need to go clothing shopping immediately!!!

LisaLisa, I have your April mini doll quilt top done and I am working on the back on my label. Do you want your last name or just LisaLisa? I also need an address to mail it to on Saturday. I made it at least three times with all my rippit motion. Not going to try to free motion quilt it, haha. But I think it's purty!

Petoskey stones was a new one on me so I Binged them. Verry unusual and pretty. You can get a rock tumbler at most stores that carry kid's toys. Takes a long time and I wouldn't pitch the used water down your bathroom sink!
Garbage disposal or outside.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]414109[/ATTACH]Here is the DQ that AlaskaAlice sent me, along with the little book that she hand painted the little girl on the front and if that wasn't enough she embellished it with these little sparkly jewels, I treasure it. The colorful little pincushion is always at my side too. Thank you Alice, sorry it took me so long to post this.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]414111[/ATTACH]Here is the DQ I sent to AlaskaAlice.

That is SEW cute! ;)

What a sweet lil quilt! I LOVE it -- especially the lil birdies. The baby clothes hanging on the line are so sweet! Ohhh, lucky, lucky AlaskaAlice! My child's heart wants one just like it, lol!

What a beautiful little quilt and such an interesting pattern. Fabulous quilting, AlaskaAlice. WOW!

Alice, I love the colors on your quilt! Just beautiful. And your painting and the pin cushion are too cute!

JeanD, that quilt is super cute! What a great theme!

LisaLisa, your April mini doll quilt will be in the mail to you first thing Monday morning after the post office opens! Kaching! My Angel wings are on their way, right Krystyna? I only made it about three times with sewing it wrong, rippit, sewing something else wrong, rippit, but I must say it turned out cute, ifn' I do say so! She didn't really want me to send it but I told her if the first one shows up, this one is a bonus! Right? Right. I have included a sneak peek![ATTACH=CONFIG]414301[/ATTACH]

OK Krystyna, I will make my thrift store rounds this week and see what I can find. I had two occasions this weekend where I had to dress in something not like what I usually wear, in other words I had to dress up. And it was a bugger trying to find anything appropriate in my closet. I have one small closet for my clothes because I don't like to dress up. All other closets are filled with fun stuff, like collectibles of various kinds. Usually wear the same few things throughout the week. Too many years of dressing up for work. Glad that is all over. Daughter gave me a nice dress and jacket to wear to DGS confirmation today and I waited until last night to try it on. Well, guess what? It didn't fit so there I was rummaging through my sparse closet. Here it is spring and I had on winter clothes. Hope I didn't embarrass anyone in the family too much.

I'm sure you looked lovely and who on earth would be embarrassed about you? I'm sort of with you on the dressing up thing. After years of working in places where I had to look professional and/or a little bit sparkly, I gave away almost all of my clothing. I sort of think that was a little bit of a mistake now ... but there are always sales!

Thank you so much Bertie. By the way, you can throw four or five stamps on there and it will arrive just fine. I've always done that and have no problems. The people at the PO are gross over chargers. It shouldn't take more to send the quilt than it does to make the quilt. and in my case, it always does.