Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt: Blocks 25 to 32

Yes, I am romping ahead!  totally smitten by these lil' blocks.  If it wasnt for R cooking meals, I would fade away to a shadow (I wish...)

 Here are the latest:

 25: Cups and saucers:  I like this Moda print, just wish the background was a proper WHITE!


26: Cut Glass Dish:  happy with this one...


27:  Darting (blue) Birds


28:  Duck and Ducklings:  a bit meeeh abouy this one...

29:  Economy:  nice to have quickie blocks after all those number 13 templates

30:  End of Day:  yup, end of day, when one is  tired  and doesnt want fiddly blocks


31:  Evening Star:  yup, I like to fussy cut the new bird fabric...


32:  Farmer's daughter:  she's all bright 'n pretty!

Clearing UFO's Part 1: Scrapbuster Quilt

Amongst my easier NY2012  resolutions, were

• attacking Unfinished Objects, some as old as 20 years, that have followed me through every house move, and
• to sew exclusively from my stash...  well, a pending trip to the US has ruined that good intention, and various packages are on their way to my sister's home!

Back to the UFO's:  when I first started on my online quilting Bee binge, my first Bee was the ScrapBuster Bee on Flickr.  I made about a dozen "scrappy depression blocks", sent them in and got back a dozen wonderfully bright blocks, that were promptly relegated to the cupboard.


Then came the NY resolution,   The blocks were hauled out, I made another 12 blocks, all from the stash!!!  And here is the result:

This quilt top, along with this backing, will be sent to the lovely Suzanne of SewGenerous, to be made up as a lap size quilt for one of the children at the Oncology Unit of Sydney's Westmead Children's Hospital.


Woohoo, one UFO down, lots more to go!

Farmer's Wife sampler Quilt: Blocks 17 to 24

Well, busy busy days!  before the week-end, 4 blocks:

Clockwise from top LHS:

20:  Churn Dash, not that pale IRL, the flash washed it out a bit...  I left it too late in the day to take pics.



18:  Century of Progress:  happy with colours, but he needs a good stretch...


17:  Cats and Mice, like this one!


19: Chequerboard...  just how far is that Ruby charm pack going to go?







So... I celebrated 20 by taking a group pic:

...  still not feeling the love for the Buckwheat (the middle bottom row one).

Took a little break...  picked up the Rainbow "On a Whim" from Pam the Quilt Guru...  so happy with it (pics coming when he is all bound and finished).

Decided to finish the lap size quilt from one of my first Bees, the Scrapbuster Bee.  This one will go to Sew Generous , an online Charity Quilting Bee who makes quilts for the very special children at the Oncology Unit of the Westmead Children's Hospital in Sydney.  So the extra blocks I am making will be very bright!

Went to buy some more sewing machine light bulbs (blew one in less than 1 day...), and of course, more for the stash....  like the birds, they might look good as a block centre!

mmmm....  I am on a bit of a blue/turquoise/aqua binge, arent I?

So, with some of the new fabric,  4 more blocks were added to the tally:

24:  Country Paths... this one took me nearly all day!

23:  Country Farm, happy with the way the Ruby in the centre looks a bit 3D

21:  Contrary Wife

22:  Corn and Beans...  yeay, no Ruby in this one!


Well, I think I am FW'd out...  that Block 24 did me in and I need a break!!!

Quick, find another hat and try to install the 4 stained glass panels I have been making for the last 18 months, for the double front doors at "The Farm".

But that's another story...  a very long one!

Farmer's Wife sampler Quilt: Blocks 9 to 16

Yes, I am on a roll!  School holidays and all, 8 more blocks hot off the press:


9:   Box

10: Bowtie...  like this one!




11: Broken Dishes, a bit crinkly but didnt go as bad as I feared..

12: Broken Sugar Bowl...  like this one too!





13:  Buckwheat, think he will be replaced, he is crinkly and somehow the colour doesnt go


14:  Butterflies at the Crossroads:  not too hard, lots of starch and SCANT 1/4" really helped!


15:  Buzzard's Roost:  hope the buzzard likes this....


16:  Calico Puzzle, a bit plain after the complicated ones!


I have 3 more done, about to tackle Corn and Beans (Block 22)...  lots of bits in this one.  But that's OK, using only scraps so far....  but running out of Kona White :-(

Another project: the Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt

There I go....  I resisted for a while, but I finally succumbed to the charm  The Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt!

In 1922, The Farmer's Wife magazine posed this question to their readers: "If you had a daughter of marriageable age, would you, in light of your own experience, have her marry a farmer?" The magazine at that time had 750,000 subscribers, and received over 7,000 letters. The best answers to this question are included in this book, along with the traditional quilt blocks they inspired.

And there are 111 blocks... They are only 6 1/2" (which means some have tiny tiny pieces).... and I might WILL do them all.  I started less than a week ago, and have done 10.  Does that mean it will only take me 10 weeks?

Nah, things will happen, like life, and travels, and loss of motivation.

And the icky ones, that many in Blogland seem to have trouble with, like Number 14 "Butterfly at the Crossroads".

They have such pretty, or enigmatic names!  Anyway, here are ther first 8, I'm off to tackle "Broken Dishes" and "Broken Sugar Bowl".

Clockwise from top LHS:

1: Attic Windows

2: Autumn Tints

4: Basket Weave

3: Basket

5: Batwing

6: Big Dipper

8:  Bouquet (my fave so far)

9: Birds in the Air

and as you can see with 8 and 9, I found the Ruby charm pack I forgot I had!!!

While I wait....

for the In a Whim rainbow to be ready at Pam the Quilting Guru's, I am catching up on WIP's.

First came the 12 Blocks I received from 12 lovely quilters in the Flickr [3x6] Sampler Quilt Mini Bee.

In this Bee. quilters are divided in "Hives" of 7 who make blocks for the 6 others, using own fabrics and patterns, but to the  colours chosen by Hive members.

I participated in 2 Bees and  made these for my Beemates:

and received 12 gorgeous blocks in my chosen colours of aqua and red.  These are now sashed, assembled, bordered  and off to Pam's tomorrow:

with this, from my stash, for backing...

and whilst in a Bee mood, I really enjoyed making these Asterix blocks for Wendy, in the Flickr Bee Connected bee:

Very fun sewing Easter break!