Ruby S. McKim Redwork Colonial History & Sampler Quilt Part II

This series of blocks I call the sampler portion of the quilt, as they are varied in their style and some are just very fanciful. The two birds may come from Ruby Short McKim's series on birds, but I was unable to find ones exactly like mine. I also could not find these flowers in her flower collection either. Redwork embroidery of this kind was very popular from 1900 up through the 1930's. There were newspapers and magazines that had embroidery blocks to copy for industrious needlewomen. I have seen most of the quilts like this in Turkey Red colorfast embroidery thread, but there are also ones done up in blue. I like the Redwork ones the most, as they seem to have the best contrast, and there's just something about red on white that I feel looks stunning.

 This looks like just a bell. It may represent the Liberty Bell, but it doesn't have a crack in it.

 A French flor de lieu is what this is, tho what this was supposed to represent baffle's me. The French did assist in the American Revolutionary War, but this is not named in the 24 Colonial History block collection of Ruby Short McKim.

 This is I believe a sunflower, tho it could be something else. I have included it in the flower collection, as it is probably a flower of some sort.

 I think this one is clover flowers, with a hummingbird sipping one flower, and a butterfly off to the left.

 These all look like types of aster's or daisy's. I do wish she had embroidered the names of the flowers like I have seen done on other quilts.

 This flower too I haven't a clue. It is certainly a pretty one, and very well executed.

 This is one of my favorites. The strawberries look good enough to eat, and remind me of the wild strawberries I used to pick and eat in the open grassy fields across the road from my childhood home, near Cedar Falls, and North Bend, Washington.

 Here's an odd one of a pansy overlaid with a butterfly. How very pretty it is, but the two patterns together rather obscure them both. She should have stuck, I think, to one or the other.

 I'm not sure what this bird is?! Is it supposed to be an eagle or just a large dove on a branch? It is very hard to say. With that hooked beak, probably an eagle.

 Nice bird, but I'm not sure what it is?! I don't know if it is part of Ruby's bird collection, as I couldn't find it on Foogle at all.

 Here are two cute little girls whispering secrets. Aren't they darling in their pretty little pinafore's?!

 What it this child doing with that wicked looking walking stick? She looks like she means business. If this is from a nursery rhyme, or other children's storybook, I would surely like to know.

 Oh dear, here are two cute little girls once again, but it looks to me as if their brolly has a slit in it. Now how shall they keep dry in the rain?

 This one is a right puzzler, what does a little girl have to do with a mushroom? Is she going to pick it? Is it a story about the dangers of eating unknown mushrooms? I don't know, but isn't she cute, with her sweet little bonnet. "Don't touch the toadstool", I can just hear her mommy say. Oh, but she so wants to.

 I would love to know the story behind this one. Are they ladies from the local flower club? Is she the winner of the month so gets presented with a, (might be a large rose), but looks more to me like a big dahlia?! Inquiring minds want to know?!

 The only reference I found on Foogle concerning a Spider and a Pussycat was from the January - June edition of The People's Magazine. An illustrated Misc., For Family Reading, which was published in 1868. It is a curious little story of a spiders journey to find out why children tore his house down because he caught flies. He has a conversation with the family pussycat in the garden, while traveling on his way to visit Mrs. House Spider. Just the kind of reading I would read to my children before putting them to bed...NOT! I thought the spider a bit of a sore sport whingeing on about his poor lot in life, but hey, it was 1868, a tough time for any spider as we well know. ha ha ha

 Now this could be a reference to, "The Owl And The Pussycat", a poem by Edward Lear, (1812- 1888), but there is that flying bird, and the supposed cat looks more like a fox to me...sigh... and nothing about a little boat...and them going off to sea. I have no idea!

At least this final one looks pretty straight forward. The pussycat is certainly diving for the mice eating the cheese. No doubt there is some children's story connected to this, or some wise homily of yesteryear, I only wish I knew it. All in all this quilt is a delight with its fun and fanciful, and delightfully whimsical blocks. Mixed in with the more sober themes of the Colonial History blocks it really makes me smile. I wonder if the mother mentioned here made this quilt as a story-time quilt for her children or grandchildren? If only the quilt could talk, what yarns it could surely tell.