Farmer’s Wife 1930s Quilt Blocks 21, 22, 39, 79 and 80

Farmer's Wife Block 39 - Grandma

We are still on the ‘C’s for week 11 of the Very Kerry Berry sew-along .....

Block 21 – Carrie.  This was a nice easy paper-pieced block with minimal seam matching.  Just the center seam needed matching.  

Farmer's Wife Block 21 - Carrie (paper-pieced)

Block 22 – Cat.  Another lovely block.  Notes in book read “nice to paper-piece the individual sections as I strip-pieced them.  One seam is not quite right but it is good enough”.  

Farmer's Wife Block 22 - Cat (paper-pieced)

Good enough is the standard I am going for with these blocks as some of them are very, very tricky.  Besides I would rather have a finished quilt with a few wonky seams than a part-finished ‘perfect’ quilt top.

Anyway, onto the Gnome Angel sew-along.  Three blocks this week:

Block 39 – Grandma.   This block was a little tricky as the pattern is not obvious especially when paper-piecing it.  “Thank goodness I marked the colours on the templates.”   Some of my fellow sew-alongers have changed the layout to make it more symmetrical but I am happy with it.  Just make sure you mark the templates before you start so you know which fabric goes where.

Farmer's Wife Block 39 - Grandma (paper-pieced)

Block 79 - Patience.  I am surprised this block wasn’t one of the very early blocks as it is really a simple (very simple) nine-patch.  I had this one made weeks ago.

Farmer's Wife Block 79 - Patience (patched)

And finally ....  Block 80 - Patricia.  Yet again a very simple block that can be patched easily.  It is based on the same nine-patch grid but with half-square-triangle corners. 

Farmer's Wife Block 80 - Patricia (patched)

So there it is, another week and another five blocks.  They are soon mounting up and I have started to sash them.    

Sash-as-you-go (SAYG) - always a good idea for me.

Until next time ..................

Farmer’s Wife 1930s Quilt Blocks 19, 20, 46 and 90

Farmer's Wife Block 19 - Carolina (paper-pieced and patched)

This week’s blocks for the Very Kerry Berry sew-along were:

Block 19 – Carolina.  I had tried to paper-piece this block before and it didn’t work out due to the eight inset ‘Y’ seams.  So this time I paper-pieced most of the block except for the ‘Y’ seams which I hand-stitched.  It worked perfectly.  And to save you any hassle I've briefly laid out how I did it ........

1.         Firstly – and most importantly - do not stitch into the seam allowance at all for this block. 

2.         Paper-piece the five individual sections (A, B, C, D and E).  Then join the sections by machine-stitching the straight seams only and hand stitching the curved sections.  What this means is you join section A and B together by machine stitching only the straight A7/A1/A2 to the B4/B1/B2 seam.  

Machine stitch only the straight seams.

Fold B3 and B5 paper out of the way and pin A5 to B3 and A9 to B5 as shown.

Fold the paper out of the way on both the back and front 

Then it is a simple case of hand stitching A9 to B5 and the A5 to B3 (two 'Y' seams). 

Hand stitching your 'Y' seams is an easy and painless process

Press carefully before moving on to your next seam:

Spot the 'Y' seam?  Your block won't lay flat until all sections are sewn together.

And that is how I came to construct a block with eight 'Y' seams without using my seam ripper once!

Section A and B - two 'Y' seams done only six to go!

3.         Repeat this project to join section D to B by machine-stitching the B1/D1 seam segment only.  Hand-stitch D3 to B4 and B2 to D5.

4.         Join section C to A by machine-stitching only along the straight A7/A1/A2 to C2/C1/C4 seam and then hand stitch A10 to C3 and A4 to C5.

5.         Finally join section E to section C by machine-stitching just C1 to E1.  Then hand stitch C2 to E5 and C4 to E3.

Block 20 – Caroline.  This block has been covered already when it came up on the Gnome Angel sew-along.  To recap – I patched it using half-square-triangles.  It is one of my favourite blocks. 

Farmer's Wife Block 20 - Caroline (patched)

For the Gnome Angel sew-along there were just two blocks this week:

Block 46 – Jewel.  I didn’t like the look of this block in the book and I wasn’t sure it would make it into my finished quilt.  I do not like optical illusion blocks – I don’t know why – I just don’t.  I made this block using some of my favourite scrappy fabric and machine paper-piecing.  It went together well.  But I don’t like it.  I am certain now that this block won’t be in the finished quilt. 

Block 46 - Jewel (paper-pieced)

Block 90 – Sara.  I paper-pieced this block in two fabrics and I love the result.  It is one of the versatile blocks that can be sashed straight or on-point.  Notes in my journal read “I cut fabric into squares and triangles before starting so that paper0piecing was quick (one hour)”. 

Block 90 - Sara (paper-pieced)

You can find all the blocks made so far here or on my Farmer's Wife 1930s Pinterest board.   So until next time...................

Farmer’s Wife 1930s Quilt Blocks 17, 18, 2, and 76

Farmer's Wife 1930s Block 18 - Carol

This week’s blocks for the Very Kerry Berry are:

Block 17 – Bride.  I was unsure about the red check but the response on Instagram has convinced me.  The paper-piecing was pretty straight forward and worked out perfectly.  My journal notes in the book read “Hate those little triangles but it turned out lovely”.

Block 17 - Bride

Block 18 – Carol.  I paper-pieced this block using green and blue scraps for the half-square triangles.  “Very lovely, very pretty”. 

Block 18 - Carol 

For the Gnome Angel sew-along there were three blocks this week:

Block 2 – Aimee.  This was week 1’s patched block for the Very Kerry Berry sew-along so another easy start to the week.  It was a tricky block to patch using the templates and I think I prefer paper-piecing tricky blocks.

Block 2 - Aimee

Block 76 – Nancy.  I paper-pieced this block in two fabrics I wouldn’t normally put together.  Notes read “Okay block” – but that is referring to the construction. The finished look is one I love and this has become a favourite block of mine. 

Block 76 - Nancy - pretty in prints

If you want to see over 50 of the blocks I have made so far you can find them all on my Farmer’s Wife page.  They are also on my Farmer’s Wife Pinterest board.

So until next time...................

The JOY of Christmas Mug Rugs

A JOYful Mug Rug Collection

It is never too early to start making preparations for Christmas and it is never too early to snatch some time to indulge in a little fabric craftiness.

With that in mind, I have added the JOY Mug Rug pattern to my Etsy shop especially for such moments.

Patchwork JOY Mug Rug

You can use whatever fabrics you have to hand to create the perfect resting place for your coffee cup and cookie. 

Use whatever fabrics you have to create a lovely little gift.

The JOY mug rug also makes an ideal ‘thank you’ gift for a teacher, friend or colleague.  

Give a JOYful gift this Christmas

This pattern, like all Patchsmith patterns is just $2.50 so how about it?  Fancy joining me for some mug rug fun?

Farmer’s Wife 1930s Quilt Blocks 15, 16, 1, 57 and 62

 

We are on week eight for the Very Kerry Berry  so the blocks for this week are:

Block 15 – Blossom.  I paper-pieced this using 2½” scrap squares for the blossom on the tree.  My journal notes in the book read “a lot of work but easy enough”. I really love the scrappy look.

Block 15- Blossom

Block 16 – Bonnie.  This is a simple patchwork block that has already been covered on week one of the Gnome Angel sew-along. 

Block 16 - Bonnie

For the Gnome Angel sew-along there were three blocks this week:

Block 1 – Addie.  This was the very first paper-pieced block for the Very Kerry Berry sew-along at the end of September so an easy start to my week. 

Block 1 - Addie

Block 57 – Margaret.  I patched this block using half-square-triangles.  Notes read “Pretty block”.  I love this block and really enjoyed making it.

Block 57 - Margaret.

Block 62 – Milly.  Another half-square-triangles block but by the end of the block I was a littled tired of making them.  Notes read “All those points and seams!”. 

Block 62 - Milly

I have been making more blocks as part of my Block-a-Day project and you can see them all on my Farmer’s Wife page.  They are also on my Farmer’s Wife Pinterest board.

I am in the throws of joining the blocks made so far and I have decided to set half straight and half on-point.  The inspiration for this is Lolly Quiltz who has a really good way of setting the blocks.  Lolly cuts the sashing bigger than needed and you trim your blocks to size - this is perfect if some of your blocks are not quite 6½" or they are not square. 

I’m still having fun and am loving both sew-alongs.  The tutorials are brilliant and the community for both is so helpful. 

Until next time...................