Welcome to My Red Cape. Long ago in another time my husband Jack and I lived in a little old red house. It was the stuff of dreams to us for the few years that we were there. I live there still a number of hours every day in imagination, with old dolls and paintings and fabrics and feather trees. I draw inspiration and happiness from the memories of that space in time and share some of it here with friends who remember how to step with Alice through the looking glass and take delight in whimsies and antiquities. ~Edyth O’Neill

Wednesday, August 25, 2021

August, ready for a change to fall.

 Like all of us, I have experienced a wild ride this summer, weather events and world situations and family issues to help with have left me almost dizzy.   The best I can manage is to lend a helping hand when the opportunity is near me, and send donations and prayers to some at a distance.  From that pount, I find solace in the little ordinary things of my life, like my small yard and it's growing things, the beauty of nature like the sunsets God paints on an ever changing canvas, and the sustaining love of family and friends.

My paint brush is a magic carpet! So many artist friends are on the computer sharing our painting.     And I have always had a work basket with a bit of handwork close by, like my mother before me.  

Lovely pieces of raggedy quilts from Sarah Havener can lead to things like this. The doll Thankful's original clothing included an early Shaker bonnet. I used it as a pattern shape but not keeping it plain and simple.
The top of the quilt became the lining of the bonnet. The pattern pieces are shown for anyone to use also. The pieces were cut out and individually bound in tape or ribbon, then sewn together by means of the binding. The old one has a fall as you see.


The top of the old quilt is bright inside the bonnet.



Below, Charity in the new bonnet.

It is time to think of Indian Corn and pumpkins. So inspired by a basket of favorite rug wool, I stitched these Pumpkin colored Pin Keeps made from rich wool plaids and lovely Paternayan crewel yarn.  Besides being tuck ins or splashes of color in a basket, these little hearts are intended for years of use as pincushions.   I offer them now on my blog shop under the banner ONeill's Antiques in the right hand column. Use mixed in your fall décor along with bittersweet and Indian corn and then as sewing needfuls or small gifts.  The pin keeps are backed in various brown woolens and are about 5 by 4 3/4 inches.   I have used one like these for over 20 years. 






Let's try to turn the pages in the calendar to sweeter days.  Thank you  friends for reading here. Best, e

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