Left Holding the Bag Read online

  “I don’t have much more to say,” Bernice confessed. “I just wanted to show them to you and to get your opinion on something. I was hoping you folks might have an idea of what I can do with these. I’d like to get them out of my house since I have three large steamer trunks sitting in the middle of a room that could be my sewing room. Sarah and Sophie suggested that you might have some ideas.”

  “Three trunks full?” Allison gasped. Allison was a young mother who had been a knitter but turned to quilting when she discovered Ruth’s shop and the quilt group.

  “Well,” Kimberly began, “I’ve seen them for sale online, but they’re usually pretty expensive, and I have no idea what the demand would be.” Kimberly and her sister, Christina, owned a long arm quilting machine and did most of the quilting for members of the group.

  Her sister spoke up saying, “Yes, but I’ve also seen feedsacks for sale as pre-cut fabric, like charm packs.”

  “Charm packs?” Caitlyn asked. Caitlyn being a new quilter had very little experience shopping for fabrics.

  “Five-inch squares sold in a bundle,” Ruth responded. She walked around the corner and brought back a charm pack for Caitlyn to see. “They also come in ten-inch squares called layer cakes.”

  “Would you be willing to cut your feedsacks up?” Ruth asked, turning to Bernice.

  “I guess so,” Bernice responded thoughtfully. “It never occurred to me.”

  “But I don’t know about limiting the size to charm packs,” Ruth added. “I’d be inclined to offer them in packages of four-inch, five-inch, and six-inch pieces. That would meet most people’s needs, I would think.”

  “There’ll be waste if she starts cutting them up that way,” Allison remarked.

  “Then she can also offer scrap bags.”

  “I like this idea,” Bernice responded, “but where would I sell them?”

  “You could get a website, I guess,” Anna suggested. “My husband could help you set it up.” Anna was Ruth’s sister, and her husband had been responsible for setting up Ruth’s online business. Sarah noticed that Bernice was frowning, and she figured the idea of maintaining a website didn’t appeal to her.

  “I have an idea,” Ruth said. “I’ve signed up for a table at the Hamilton Quilt Show next month. I’d be happy to give you one end of my booth, and you could sell packets there.”

  Bernice looked interested, but responded, “Once I start cutting these up and packaging them, there could be hundreds of packets. Do you think I should get my own booth?”

  “That’s a good idea,” Delores responded. “I have a couple of feedsack quilts in that trunk in my attic. We could hang them in your booth as examples of how they could be used. I could even bring a couple of aprons and maybe a child’s dress to display as well.”

  “I think I’m going to start cutting!” Bernice announced enthusiastically. “This sounds like fun.”

  “I’d like to put in my order for a few packets of four-inch pieces,” Sarah said, and immediately three other members called out their own orders.

  “I’d like to put an assortment of them right here in the shop,” Ruth said. “Once you get your pricing figured out, come see me, and I’ll buy a few of each size.”

  “I may not have enough for a booth by the time I finish cutting the orders I got tonight,” Bernice joked as they drove home after the meeting.

  “Do you want any help with the cutting?”

  “That’s a very kind offer. I’ll let you know, but in the meantime, this is a great project for keeping my mind off Darius’ problems.”

  Maybe it isn’t much, Sarah thought, but she’s thinking of it as Darius’ problem and not her own. That’s progress.

  * * *

  “Sarah, it’s Bernice. I need to ask you a question. Is this a good time?”

  Sarah and Charles had just sat down to lunch, but Bernice sounded eager to speak with her, so she told her it was fine.

  “I just had a call from Ruth. She said she’d been talking to the coordinator of the Hamilton Quilt Show to find out if it was possible for me to get a booth at this late date, and the woman said I could, but she also was very interested in the feedsacks. She said one of her speakers has canceled, and they’re looking for someone to do a short presentation, and she wondered if I would do it. What do you think? I have no idea what I’d say…”

  “Bernice, this sounds like an excellent opportunity, and you can start by saying exactly what you said at the meeting Tuesday night. You gave a fascinating presentation, and everyone was excited about it. Sophie and I can help if you’d like.”

  “Would you sit up front with me?”

  “Sure, and we can even take turns talking if that would make you more comfortable, and we can help you handle the booth too if you’d like.”

  “That would make me feel so much better, Sarah. Thank you,” Bernice responded gratefully. “Ruth said there’d be no charge for the booth if I do the presentation,” Bernice added, sounding reluctantly excited. “And you really think I should do this?”

  “Absolutely,” Sarah responded.

  After a short pause, Bernice exclaimed, “I’m calling her back right now.”

  * * *

  “What are you making?” Charles asked a couple of days later as he stepped into the sewing room where Sarah was using her rotary cutter and a template to cut six-sided pieces of fabric.

  “I’m making a wall hanging with the scraps of fabric that Bernice gave me yesterday while we were cutting. She held up a magazine with a picture of a quilt square which had been displayed in a round, wooden frame.

  “I hope you aren’t going to ask me to make that round frame.”

  “It’s not actually a frame. It’s an embroidery hoop, but I found this picture, and I think, with Sophie’s help with the hand work, I can make hexagons from these scraps and put them in a hoop like this person did with her quilt square.”

  Charles looked at her blankly for a moment, not understanding what she meant, but finally nodded and said, “That will be nice.”

  Sarah laughed knowing he had no idea what she had in mind. “You’ll see it soon. It’s for the new guest room.”

  “The new guest room?” he responded as his eyebrows shot up his forehead. “Did I miss something?”

  “I was going to talk to you about it once I got it clear in my head. What I have in mind is redecorating the guest room in a vintage style to go with my grandmother’s spindle bed. I saw an antique wash basin and pitcher at the antique shop in Hamilton. I think I’ll go back and buy that and put it on the antique dresser with one of my old embroidered dresser scarves under it.”

  Looking a bit lost as he tried to picture what his wife was talking about, he responded simply, “Sounds nice too.”

  Sarah sighed, shook her head, and continued cutting out her hexagons. “You’ll see,” she said to his back as he was leaving the room.

  Chapter 6

  “Charles, I have another idea.”

  “Let’s hear it,” Charles responded as he stretched out on the lounge chair in the backyard. It was a warm, sunny morning with signs of spring popping up everywhere. He’d been working on the household budget and decided to bring his project outside with Sarah and enjoy the day.

  Sarah had been preparing her flower beds all morning and appeared to be having problems with her back when she stood. “Why don’t you come sit down with me for a few minutes and rest your back,” he added.

  She leaned back, stretching her back with a relieved sigh, pulled off her gardening gloves, and joined him. “Is this for me?” she asked, seeing the second glass of iced tea on the small table between them.

  “It is,” he said. “So, tell me about your idea.”

  “Okay, well as you know Bernice is selling feedsack fabric, and I need a bedspread for the redecorated guest room. A vintage one would be perfect.”

  “I see. So what do you have in mind?”

  “I’d like to purchase enough four-inch squares from Bernice to m
ake a vintage quilt for grandmother’s spindle bed.”

  “You don’t need my permission, sweetie.”

  “I know, but I wanted to run it by you since it is going to involve more money than I usually spend on a quilt. These vintage feedsacks aren’t priced like cotton on the bolt.”

  Sarah asked to use the notebook and pen that Charles had brought outside with him. He turned to a blank page and handed it to her along with the pen, and she quickly sketched what she had in mind. She drew a row of four-patch blocks and told him they would each be made with different pieces of feedsack fabric to give it a scrappy look. “I’ll separate the blocks with a solid sashing and probably add cornerstones.” She stopped talking when she realized her husband’s eyes were glazing over.

  “You’ll see,” she added as she closed the notebook and handed it back to him.

  “That will be nice,” he responded, having no idea what she was proposing. “Just go ahead and pick out the ones you want while you have lots to choose from.” He might not understand about quilt design, she told herself with a smile, but he sure understands about supply and demand, and I fully intend to choose mine before the show.

  After lunch, Sarah headed up the street to help Bernice package and price the fabric they had cut the previous day. As soon as they got settled down at the worktable, she asked Bernice if she could go ahead and purchase a couple dozen packets so that she could begin working on her quilt.

  “Take as many as you want, Sarah, but I certainly won’t charge you considering all the work you’ve done for me!”

  “Bernice, I’m having a wonderful time doing this, and if there’s one thing quilters can always count on, it’s the help of fellow quilters. Now, I’m writing a check for twenty packages, and tomorrow I’ll drive you to the bank to deposit it.”

  “Oh, you haven’t heard,” Bernice responded excitedly. “Norman is on his way over with one of his business vehicles. He’s loaning it to me until Darius brings my car back.”

  “Fantastic. I wonder what it will be. He picked us up in a brand new Mercedes.”

  “It’s a Volvo, but an older one he told me apologetically,” Bernice sniggered. “I’ll just be happy to be driving again. I’ve hated having to ask you folks to drive me around all the time.”

  “We’ve enjoyed it, but I’m glad he’s helping out. I’m beginning to really like the man, and I think he’s very good for Sophie.”

  “I couldn’t say since I didn’t know her before, but she sure seems happy,” Bernice responded.

  Within a couple of hours, Sarah and Bernice had packaged and priced dozens of packets in various sizes, including several scrap bags and the ones that Sarah had purchased.

  “Now, what I need is fabric for the sashing,” Sarah said.

  “We could probably do something with the solid colored sacks, but,” Bernice continued, “I think you might like using a 1930s reproduction fabric in a solid color. What do you think?”

  “Hmm. It sounds like it might work. Do you want to take a break and run over to Running Stitches so I can lay some of these pieces out on the 1930s fabrics?”

  “Let’s go,” Bernice responded enthusiastically, sticking the check into her purse.” It will give us a chance to try out that shiny silver car sitting in my driveway.” While they had been working, Norman had dropped off the car.

  They called Sophie to see if she wanted to go with them but learned she was on her way out with Norman.

  When they arrived at the quilt shop, they were barely able to get a nod from Ruth. The shop was inundated with customers who were picking out their fabrics for a class that Delores was conducting. “We’re fine,” Sarah called to Ruth as she and Bernice headed for the reproduction fabrics.

  “I think that green would go beautifully with the feedsack fabrics,” Bernice commented as Sarah held her samples against the various bolts of solid color fabric she had pulled out. Sarah moved her samples over to the green that Bernice was indicating and spread them out.

  “It does look good,” Sarah responded. “It doesn’t compete with the patterns and even seems to make them pop.” She lifted the bolt and read from the end label, “It’s called celadon green, and it’s a 1930s reproduction fabric. I just wish the whole quilt could be made with the feedsack fabric.”

  “I think this is as close as you’ll get to the authenticity you want.”

  “Yes, I think this will work just fine,” Sarah finally declared, standing back and looking at the bolt with her samples spread out on it. “I’ve been thinking about putting wallpaper in that room to help with the vintage look, and I’m sure I can find a floral that picks up this green.” She pulled out her calculator and her notepad and began calculating what she’d need for the sashing and binding. “I think I’ll put it on the back as well so that no other colors will be competing with the feedsacks.”

  “Excellent idea,” Ruth said as she walked up. Sarah had been in the shop earlier in the week and had told her about her plans for the vintage guest room. “How big is your bed?” she asked as she ran her fingers over the feedsack patterns.

  “It’s an antique and what they called a three-quarter bed,” Sarah responded. “It belonged to my grandmother, and people must have been smaller in those days, or they just wanted to snuggle,” she added with a grin. “It’s very narrow by today’s standards. In fact, I had to special order the mattress.” Flipping back through the pages of her notebook, she said, “It’s 48”x75” and will need about a 14” drop since we ordered a very thick mattress for it.”

  “Do you want a pillow tuck?” Ruth asked, pulling out her calculator.

  “I think so. That will make the room look the way rooms looked back in the 30s.”

  “I agree,” Ruth said as she pulled out her calculator and figured out what she recommended for the back. Sarah added the extra she would need for the sashing and binding and told Ruth she was ready to have the fabric cut.

  In the meantime, Bernice was looking at a 1930s coral fabric. Since she still didn’t have enough room to set up her sewing machine, Sophie had given her a quick lesson in English Paper Piecing, and she was working on a throw for her living room. She had chosen some of her favorite feedsack fabrics and was using Sophie’s largest hexagon templates.

  “I think this coral would be ideal for the back and the binding,” she said as she picked up the bolt and followed Ruth and Sarah to the cutting table. “I’d like to have Darius paint the living room a soft coral when he gets back,” she added, more to herself than anyone else.

  The women chatted about their plans and ultimately ended up at the cash register. “I’m sorry, Bernice. This card was declined,” Ruth said, handing the credit card back to her. “Do you have another?”

  “Declined? Did they say why?” Bernice asked, looking puzzled.

  “No, they don’t say why, but I’d be glad to try again if you think there’s a mistake.”

  “There certainly is a mistake. I don’t even have an amount due on that card. I pay it off every month.” She handed the card back to Ruth, but it was again declined.

  “I’m sorry, Bernice,” Ruth said, feeling embarrassed for Sarah’s friend.

  “Well, I have a backup card. Let me find it.” Bernice unzipped an inside pocket and pulled out another card. She checked the expiration dates on both cards, and they were current. “Here, this one will certainly work. I use it mostly for online purchases, but I pay it off every month, too.”

  They waited while Ruth again processed the sale, but looked up at Bernice and gently shook her head. “I’m sorry, Bernice. You should contact your bank right away.”

  The color had drained from Bernice’s face as she contemplated what might be wrong. “You don’t suppose…” but she didn’t finish the sentence. “No, it can’t be Darius this time. He doesn’t have my cards.” She reached into her purse and pulled out her wallet and handed Ruth cash. “This won’t be declined,” she said, attempting to make light of the situation.

  Sarah knew B
ernice was worried about what might have happened, and Sarah was far less confident about Darius’ lack of complicity.

  On their way home, Sarah asked Bernice if she still wanted to get together later in the afternoon to cut feedsacks and prepare packets for the show.

  “I’m going to make some calls, but I’m not going to let this ruin my day,” Bernice responded, much more chipper than she had been a few minutes earlier. “Sophie is coming over around two. I’ll call the credit card companies, but I’m sure there is some kind of mistake, probably involving my move.”

  “I’m sure you’re right,” Sarah reassured her, hoping her voice didn’t convey the doubt she was feeling.

  “Come on over around two,” Bernice called to her friend as she dropped Sarah off at her house. “This is all going to work out,” she added with tenuous confidence.

  As Sarah approached her front door, she saw Charles and Barney returning from the dog park. “Come on in,” Sarah called to her husband. ”I have an interesting development to tell you about while we have a quick lunch. I’m heading back to Bernice’s house to cut fabric this afternoon.”

  As they ate, Sarah caught him up on the happenings of the morning. He pinched his lips and shook his head in disgust. “I totally agree with you. It was that no-good foster son of hers. He’s found another way to rip her off. Did she say whether she gave him permission to use the card?”

  “She said that she let him use them a couple of times just before she moved, but that he returned them right away and only made the few charges they’d agreed on at the time. She’s sure he had nothing to do with this, and that it’s just a mistake.”

  “After ripping off her bank account and stealing her car, she still trusts him?” Charles replied incredulously.

  “I think she knows. She’s just not ready to admit it.”

  “So what’s she going to do about the credit cards?”

  She’s calling the credit card companies now.”

  “Companies? More than one?”