Wednesday, June 10, 2009

SPEAKING MINNESOTAN

I am packing up this top to be mailed to the quilter at long last! It is one of the first quilt tops that I made, and it never got quilted. When I first started quilting I fell in love with the 30's prints. They are so clean and fresh, and such cute little prints! I thought this quilt would look lovely in a beach house, like the one we had when we lived in Minnesota. We always dream of returning to that lifestyle. In Minnesota they call it "the cabin" no matter how big the house is. But it was the summery, beachy look that I was longing for. I was always going to make one more row so that it would fit a queen bed, but that never happened. Now my four year old granddaughter is asking for a quilt of her own, and it occurred to me that this one would be perfect and I could get it done fairly quickly. Today I prepared the binding. I cut a multitude of colored strips. They all look so pretty to me that I feel inclined to make another quilt from 30's prints! Now here is the sweet part of this story: I am sending the quilt to the Plumpkin's other grandmother, who is a long arm professional quilter. She will give it the finishing touches that will make it beautiful! Hopefully some day Plumpkin will find it special to have a quilt that both her grandmother's created!

Above is a picture of my latest purchase! I love all Judie Rothermel repros, and was so excited to find this fabric on sale at a local store for $3.50 a yard! I bought the whole 8.25 yards left on the bolt. My darling granddaughter Becky, pictured below, was with me, and I commented in jest to her that she would inherit all my fabric some day. "Well then don't buy THAT!" she replied. Sorry dear, you are out of my will. It is essential that my large and glorious stash go to someone with my same vision for beauty!
Becky left today to go to Minnesota. We loved having her here for the past six weeks. Last night Becky and I watched that Renee Zellweger movie, New in Town, which takes place in Minnesota. It was kinda cute and hokey too. I wondered aloud how actors can speak with a Minnesota accent because I lived there for forty years and I can't talk that way. Becky immediately started speaking Minnesotan. It was so funny to hear it coming out of this home-grown Minnesotan girl who never speaks that way, but obviously has the ability. The accent comes from a high percentage of people who are of Swedish decent. Ya, and Norwegian too, don't cha know. No one can make fun of Minnesotans as much as they make fun of themselves. The Sven and Ole jokes are a good example. Minnesota is a great place to raise a family. Funny thing, all the movies focus on the cold winters, and the truth is, if they ever made a movie about Minnesota in the summertime on the lakes people would be flocking to move there. You can't beat it!

"So, Ole --- I see you got a sign up that says, 'Boat For Sale'. But you don't own a boat, Ole. All you got is your old John Deere tractor and your combine."
"Yup, and they're boat for sale."





15 comments:

sewprimitive karen said...

How funny, I love that accent but it's true, people can turn it on and off at will up there. You are going to miss your granddaughter so much even if she is out of the will, poor tasteless thing :-). And lucky Plumpkin, how many people have a quilt that both grandmothers worked on?

Janet said...

How funny, from a New Zealander living in Australia, I have no idea what you are talking about, lol. I get made fun of. I love the fabric and the lovely quilt. It's going to be very special.

Carol said...

Your new quilt is just wonderful...love the binding. And that new piece of fabric...I right there with you...I would have taken the whole thing too...it's brown, it's repro, it's Judie Rothermel...can't go wrong!

antique quilter said...

great buy on the fabrc!
congrats
I LOVE it!
yes people make fun of my NY accent as well
even though I don't hear it and think no way do I have a NY accent

onlymehere said...

Love the joke at the end!! My best friend's MIL is from Minnesota and she does the funniest imitation of her. Her husband gets a kick out of it so it must be pretty accurate! I really like the quilt and the fact her other grandmother will be quilting it makes it even more special!! My kids cherish afghans that their grandmother has made for them. Now that the oldest two are married they're pretty particular about who can use their afghans at their house! I'm glad they cherish them.

Rose Marie said...

Love that quilt and it will be perfect for your GD! I've been thinking about doing something with 30's fabric and just need to start collecting some fabric. That fabric (what a great deal and I would have bought the whole bolt too) is perfect and it will be all used up by the time your stash gets handed down to the next generation.

My DH is from Quebec and he talks with an accent which I dearly love. When we were first married, his English wasn't the best and it was a tad confusing sometimes to what he was trying to say.

Laurel said...

Here in Wisc we have a similar accent and when I moved here 10 years ago I thought it was a hoot. Now my family in IL complains that I have a WI accent!

Does your long arm quilter do outside work? I'm looking for a good LAQ to send my stuff to.

So, ya hay der!

Karen said...

A delightful post! I don't associate a beach house with Minnesota, though. I think of very cold weather.
I can tell you where you can order some more $3.50 a yard Judy Rothermel fabrics!

Yvonne said...

Great post and what a special quilt for that cute Plumkin. :)

Jeanne said...

You betcha! And don't forget Lena and Lars. LOL Your quilt is very pretty, Marcie. I love Judie Rothermel's fabrics WAY too much.

Sandie @ crazy'boutquilts said...

Thanks for visiting me! :-) I love your jewel box!~ what size are the blocks? It is just perfect for a sweet DGD. :-) After reading your post, I must say we have a lot in common! I love the CW repro's too and have collected ahem, a few, ahem ;-) Judy Rothermel's too. :-o LOL

Michelle said...

Beautiful quilt and so neat that both of her grandmas are quilters! That will be a very special quilt to her one day. :)

*karendianne. said...

What a sweet quilt and that is neat how you're sending it to her other grandma to be quilted. I didn't know she has so much quilting her in genes, Marcie. I wonder how and when that'll show up in her life?

bingo~bonnie said...

Love your 30's Jewel Box Quilt top! It gives me a preview to what mine is going to look like = as I'm in a block swap for the same pattern using WOWs as background and 30's prints for the blocks. ;)

...and you are so right... your granddaughter is gonna treasure it - made by both grandmothers ;)

Love from Texas! ~bonnie

Rebecca said...

Hi there! I came across your blog while searching for "New in Town" and "quilt pattern". Would you have any idea what pattern quilt was in the scene where she jumps out of bed and wraps it around her to keep warm? I loved it, but am very new to quilting, so I'm at a loss! Sorry for hijacking your blog :)

Rebecca