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...................