Thursday, May 22, 2014

Penn Dry Goods Market

I am just back from Penn Dry Goods Market.  The event is held annually at the Schwenkfelder Library and Heritage Center.

It was a fabulous event and I am already looking forward to next year.  It is held the same weekend in May each year.
Mark your calendars!

I only attended four lectures this year, but plan to enroll in more next year.

Touring the exhibit hall was wonderful, as were the many vendors.
 






This quilt top is an exquisite collection of fabrics dating from 1830 - 1880. 

Maker unknown.

The central house block is surrounded by a sidewalk, basket blocks and a variety of scrap piecing. 

See the moon in the night sky?








The display cases held numerous sewing treasures. 

Many of the pieces had full family history from Montgomery County PA.

The antique dealers at the event had goods for sale of museum quality.  Great marketing strategy after viewing the museum collections you could go purchase an antique of your own.




New to me was a horse bonnet.

At the gallery talk we learned while pretty, they were very useful.  

They functioned to keep flies off the horse.  Available through the Sears catalog, if the homemaker did not crochet one herself.

Search online for several patterns still available today.


 Yes, I did see an antique one for sale.  As I recall it went for around $125.



Sara Darby's book 1837  Not my photo, Museum photo found HERE

One of the lectures I attended was about the sewing books made by students of the Female Model School, Kildare Place - Dublin Ireland.

Kathleen Staples brought examples I was unable to photograph.

The girls learned skills in reading and sewing making scale size sewing samples.  These are not doll clothes.

First half of the 19th Century.




After the three day event I spent a couple days antique shopping in the area. 
I'll share those treasures in a future post, right now I need a nap!

MORE LINKS:
You can search the wonderful Schwenkfelder collection of treasures HERE.
Model School sampler removed from book and framed HERE.
Kildare Place Society and School HERE.

14 comments:

  1. Wonderful place to visit and I love that quilt.

    Debbie

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  2. What a wonderful learning opportunity. Can't wait to see what you brought home to add to your collections!

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  3. Looks a fabulous interesting place to visit.
    I really love the quilt and am looking forward to see what antique opportunities their were for you to buy.

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  4. Wow! this is so interesting! Hand crocheted horse bonnet! I've seen some with the purpose of blocking the sounds of the crowd in competitions but not to shoo the flies away. These lectures must have been sooooo interesting! Please, tell us more. What was the use of the sewing treasures in the third pictures? Thank you so much for sharing this.

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  5. Dawn, sounds like a great place to visit with a lot of interesting pieces. Thanks for sharing.

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  6. What a wonderful post. I have bookmarked the links. So much to look at. Hugs

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  7. Fascinating things here, Dawn. The Horse bonnet (who knew?), the "to scale" small clothing, that wonderful old quilt--I would love seeing this in person!

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  8. Looks like some great fabrics in that quilt. Love learning about horse bonnet!! You find the best facts Dawn

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  9. Looks so fantastic. I have to make it to this someday. Thanks for sharing!

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  10. How interesting! The horse bonnet makes me chuckle, for some reason. Can you see a whole field full of horses, all competing for the prettiest bonnet? Love the quilt - I bet it was really special to see in person.

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  11. this looks like a fascinating event! I love the sewing book and dress and also the horse bonnet. never hear of that either.
    thanks for sharing some highlights with us.

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  12. The quilt top with the house is wild!

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  13. Love this look into a fascinating exhibit. Have never seen a horse bonnet! Those tassels swinging must keep the flies at bay...

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  14. Looks like a lovely exhibit! The horse bonnet is pretty fancy for a horse!!

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Thanks for your comments!