Can you help me find a fabric?

When I left Maine to move back to PA in the winter of 2008, I put special things by the door, to remember to load them into the car right before I left.  Sadly, in my haste to leave before yet another snow storm, these special things got left behind - including a small bear my son made me (by cutting up his sister's bathrobe when he was 6 and had poison ivy), a bunny that I pulled off a shelf at Bonwit's when I was 2 (much worse for the wear), special family photos and a bag of beautiful doll clothes that I had received in various Bleuette Round Robins.  While I miss them all,  I could recreate one of the doll outfits IF I could find the fabric.  It might have been purchased at JoAnn's, 2008 or before,  and while we all try to sew with natural fiber fabrics for these dolls, this may have been rayon or polyester.  The doll is 10-5/8 inches tall, so that should help you with the scale.  If you have 1/4 or 1/2 yard of this I would be so grateful and will gladly pay for it.  The ribbon trim was added separately and thus is not part of the fabric.  I tried lost fabric sites but they all seem to be for quilting fabrics. Thanks so very much!

On another note, I see that my number of followers is increasing.  Perhaps it is time for more blog candy.  Hmmm, at 125 or 150?  I will think about it and will post when I have decided on the magic number.  Nancy



Can you help a young Amish boy?

I just received a blog post from Amish America which told about a benefit for a young Amish boy, Amos Hertzler, who was born with an esophageal problem that has required expensive surgery.  There has been a benefit breakfast to help the family cover the balance of what is owed on the hospital bill. 

For the past 40 years, I have lived a little over an hour from the Lancaster Amish community and have long admired the Amish and their life style.  I don't think I could live it (I like TV too much, and my car), but I do admire them.  I feel so bad for this little boy and for the struggle the parents are going through trying to cover the balance of a very high hospital bill. (The Amish do not have health insurance and others in the community generally rally to help cover expenses like this). 

If you have a minute, please read the story about the benefit breakfast here:

http://amishamerica.com/amos-hertzler-benefit-breakfast/ and if you can spare a few dollars, I am sure the family will be most grateful.  The information about the fun to help Amos is in the article.  It's nice to have someone help when we are up to our necks in alligators.  Thanks for listening.

Nancy

Flying shuttle - maybe

Every once in a while I will find something at the thrift store of which I have no need, but am sure there is someone who will want it.  Now, I know nothing about weaving, other than the barest minimum of how it is done by hand.  What I got yesterday is a shuttle - possibly a flying shuttle from what one weaver told me - and while I can read the name of the company, extended searching for information about the company has revealed only one citing - in the business directory of a journal called Posselt's Textile Journal, in the November 1910 issue.  The company which made this shuttle is the Pavia Shuttle Co. and it is marked accordingly on the bottom of the shuttle, carved into the wood.  Towards one end of the top of the shuttle is the word "Left" and the number "1". 

Here is the article which mentioned the company:

http://www.cs.arizona.edu/patterns/weaving/periodicals/ptj_07_05_3.pdf

Perhaps there is a business ad for the company but I was perusing this at 2 AM so may have missed it.

I have written to three weavers requesting information, and have forwarded the photo to them today.  If you have any information about this, or the Pavia Shuttle Co., I would be very grateful for the information.   Should it be something in which you are interested, it will be in my Etsy shop here:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/96353792/shuttle-possibly-a-flying-shuttle

Thanks for looking: