Uglies

The first synthetic textile dye was discovered in 1856...the famous Perkin's Purple. Other colors soon followed but black was an ongoing technical challenge. Those 1860-1880 blacks were often 'rusty'.

In the early 1890s, finally a good deep black. The fabric designers got a little crazy...with overprints in harsh colors like purple, bright blue, pink and green. These prints were often referred to as 'Uglies' at the time. 'Neons' is a 20th century term for them.  The first modern use of neon lighting was at the Paris Motor Show in 1910.

The blocks are 'Homeward Bound with Sash and Block' 1880-1910

We are headed out to Yellowstone Park for the weekend for my husband's 67th birthday. We are staying at a B & B on a bluff just above the Yellowstone River. The forecast is for overcast and cool....perfect Montana fall weather!