Sunday, August 10, 2025

Lost and Found XVII

(Above:  Lost & Found XVII.  Custom framed: 12" x 15". Found objects hand-stitched to a block of an antique crazy quilt.  Objects include: Frame from an antique hair-brush filled with an anonymous photograph; souvenir spoons; butter and jelly knives; vintage casino chips; hosiery garters; rhinestone jewelry; assorted buttons and beads.  Click on any image to enlarge.)

I've had the antique crazy quilt block for more than two years.  It was an odd shape, corners elongated into a four-pointed star.  It was in dreadful condition.  It was only stitched on a flimsy piece of fabric, but it was beautiful.  I couldn't throw it away.  Finally, I found a use! 

 
(Above:  Detail of Lost & Found XVII.)

The idea occurred after an attempt to drill holes through the porcelain back of the antique hair brush.  It cracked.  I was disappointed and almost threw it out.  Curiosity got the best of me.  I had to find out why the pressure and "stuff" I used behind the brush wasn't adequate to stop the breakage when the drill bit came through.  I took a hammer to the rest of the outward curved porcelain in order to remove it from the frame.  That's when I found the hard, totally flat piece of wood through which the bristles were stitched in place.  There was no way for me to eliminate the space between the wood and the porcelain.  It was going to crack.  Once all this was removed, the thought occurred to me to use the hair brush frame as ... well ... a picture frame.  I had the perfect image!  This picture is truly hilarious and a testament to how ridiculous fashion can be during any era!  How on earth did this woman manage to keep that silly hat on her head!  

 
(Above: Lost & Found XVII from an angle.)
 
From there, it didn't take long to find the fancy utensils and spell out the words "Fashion Forever" in Scrabble tiles.  Thankfully, the crazy quilt block was just the right size!



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