Farmer's Wife Quilt Along Week 50

No color theme ... I think the rest of my blocks will be done all higgledy piggledy.

Block #96 - Tulip

There's a very good reason I haven't made this block sooner ... I just.don't.get.it.  I admit it.  Where, exactly, is the tulip?  I mean, yes the 2 parallelograms in the middle can be interpreted as the blossom, but I don't get the rest of it. 

And the asymmetrical fabric choices in the book?

I don't get it.

I always thought I'd find a way to assign order and balance ... but I'm as surprised as you are that I ended up going all PICASSO with my version too! 

This is not like me at all.  (Although I couldn't stop myself from at least putting green along the bottom for leaves.)

And I'm even more astonished that I like my tulip! 

Block # 84 - Spool

Sigh. 

For such a simple block, it caused me a lot of anxiety. 

Until I noticed this print in my stash (that I've only used for the gingham and a few wreaths) ...

and got the idea to make my spool look like it had eyelet lace wrapped around it.

I'm really happy with how it turned out.

Farmer's Wife Quilt Along Week 49

I was gonna try to make up for missing last week and post 4 blocks today ... that didn't happen.  I was lucky to get these done and photographed before the sun went down!  LOL!

And as you can see I wasn't in the mood to bother with a color theme.  I just picked whatever.

#52 Hovering Hawks

I had a bad feeling while I was cutting that these colors were too weak to go nicely together.  I was right.  At a distance, this block has virtually no definition - 'cept for the red splotches from the flowers.

Blech.

But at this point in the FWQAL, I really don't give a (insert curse word of your choice here ... anything from mild to severe will work ... tee hee).

#94 Tall Pine Tree

You know me and my literality (is that even a word?)  This is supposed to be a tree.  I guess ... if you were on LSD or something ... (I got that reference from an episode of Mad Men a few weeks ago ... I've never actually tried it ... just sayin'.)

Can you tell I've hit that legendary mile 18 of a marathon and am having a hard time being excited about FW right now?  I think I have only 11 more blocks to make ... feels like a million to me ... (wheeze, cough, sputter)

Also, I hate math.  If this is Week 49 and I've made 2 blocks / week I should have 98 made with 13 to go.  But I counted my blocks twice and I have 100. 

??? 

Whatever.  I don't care.

;)

Farmer's Wife Quilt Along - Oops

I'm so sorry you guys.  I haven't got any new FW blocks today.  I'm very sad.  This is the FIRST Monday I've missed since I started last July.  I'll try to get them done in a few days. 

Instead, I thought I'd show you what my FW project looks like behind the scenes.

Remember I showed you how I organize my FW fabrics,

this picture from my Sewing Room Makeover,

and my confession that my room farted after the pictures were taken?

Well, here is partial evidence of said wind-breaking.

And I had to remove an equal amount of mess that was sitting on top of my FW fabrics just to take this picture.

Pitiful.

Farmer's Wife Quilt Along Week 48

Red, White & Pink

#13 Buckwheat

This block is gluten-free.

Huh?

Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley & rye and a host of lesser known grains.  It is a virtual poison to those suffering from Celiac Disease and other "wheat" intolerances.  If you or someone you know is Celiac - like my daughter - you will know that despite the name, "buckwheat" is a grain which happily is absent of gluten. 

And buckwheat is not only gluten-free, it's delicious ... especially in the pancakes Daddy often makes for us on Saturday mornings.

So I love this block. 

Because it's gluten-free.

#74 Ribbons

I wanted to make this block look like a twisted ribbon with two prints in the same color but different textures for both sides of the ribbon.

I love it. 

Although I can't TELL you how many times I've tried to pick off this little strand of "thread" ...

which is actually part of the print!  It's driving me crazy.  I think I might find a red permanent marker to color it out.

In fact ...

Crap.  Can't find one. 

But I will! 

'Cause I'm a little neurotic quirky that way.

Farmer's Wife Quilt Along Week 47

Red, Pink, Yellow & White

While reviewing my nerd sheet for this week's colors I was surprised this combination had escaped me!  Wohooo!!! Something new. :)

#44 - Gentleman's Fancy

I waffled sooo many times on the colors for this block.  I thought I'd do it in "boy" colors ... blue & gray. 

But as much as I like to invent SOME sort of meaning or purpose or story to my blocks, this one came out this way because a) it could handle 4 colors and b) I was in the mood for something easy after ...

#95 - Temperance Tree

... THIS 41-piece monster! 

Now, IF I were to make this block again ... and chances of that ever happening are slim-to-none ... and Slim just rode out of town on his horse ... I'd change the yellow triangles to white.  I like the tree-type blocks to look really graphic.  I threw the yellow in there out of necessity.

I'm ok with the results, just not over the moon happy with it.

Farmer's Wife Quilt Along Week 46

Pink, Green, Gray & White

This color combination came about as a .. well ... like this:

#36 - Flower Garden Path

When I read the name of this block my poor brain went literal.  The main detail in the block is the big X - presumably the path made of grass.  Then I saw beautiful stone benches one sees in romantic, French, palatial gardens.  You know, like Versaille.  So my garden has 4 benches. 

And then what color flowers?  "Pink", said Queen of the Obvious.

I love the light and airy feel of this garden ... no dirt, bugs or worms anywhere. :)

#98 - Waterwheel

I'm starting to feel a little restricted by my "two blocks with the same colors" approach.  With only about 20 blocks left my color format is becoming ... tedious.  I may have to let that go soon.

However, I managed to make a mate for the above with this block.

At first I was a little disappointed.  Didn't like the fussy cut flowers in the middle.  And didn't think the contrast between the gray & green was strong enough.

But then my feelings moved from disappointment to indifference to possibly a hint of like.  Whatever the reason, this block is growing on me. 

Farmer's Wife Quilt Along Week 45

Gray & White

According to my nerdy chart, I'm still really behind with gray.  So in the event I never catch up, I decided to do the backgrounds of both blocks gray instead of white.

#76 - Sawtooth

I always thought I was going to use a larger print on that nice big triangle ... but I just couldn't resist those little posies.  Man are they ever cute!

#75 - Rosbud

Speaking of "Rosebud", have you seen the critically acclaimed movie "Citizen Kane"?  My husband & I finally watched it a few years ago.  We didn't get it ... you know, the whole "this is like one of the most totally awesomest movies ever made in the history of forever".

We much prefer watching things like "America's Funniest Home Videos".  I laugh hysterically during the clips where people get scared/surprised.  

Sorry.  I've tried to cure myself of finding that sort of thing funny, especially since I don't like it when people scare me.  I'm profoundly aware of my hypocracy. 

But I just can't help it.

What make you laugh?

Farmer's Wife Quilt Along Week 44

Color Riot!

#32 - Farmer's Daughter

A few months ago I was smurfing the Interweb and came across this cutie little idea.  I only remember noting how much fun it would be to do and then forgot about it ...

... until I was looking thru my FW book and came across this block. 

I've been skipping over it A LOT - I just couldn't settle on color placement & value.  But then a lightbulb turned on in my head when I remembered the fabulous idea and this block was born!

I think it's super cute.

#70 - Prairie Queen

Flipping thru my book again looking for another design that would work all scrappy and found this one.

I completely ignored the original color/value placement and only paid attention to the cut pieces.  It looks TOTALLY different from the original, but I like it, despite the rather obnoxious volume.  I started by cutting one of each of the same squares for the other block and then added a few more favorites.

If you look carefully, you'll notice I made the 4-patches in color pairs and positioned them opposite each other.  I like how it brings just a little bit of order to the crazy bold scrappiness.

I have a feeling I'll be looking at these happy colors a lot today instead of out my window as 20 cm (8") of snow are expected to fall today ... life in Canada.

Farmer's Wife Quilt Along Week 43

Yellow, Green & White

Top o' tha marnin' to ya!  That's my best - and yet still insultingly bad - Irish brogue.  St. Patrick's Day is tomorrow so you know me, always on the look out for a color theme.

I was just gonna go green & white, but I'm still a little behind on yellow, so I reasoned it could represent the pot o' gold.

#99 - W.C.T.U.

I thought this block could pass for a stylized lucky four leaf clover

I know ... it's a stretch.

#107 - Windblown

I dunno.  It works.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!  (Please don't drink & drive.)

Interesting.  I guess when I don't have anything funny to say, I turn into Lecture Mom.  Sorry. ;)

Farmer's Wife Quilt Along Week 42

Blue & White

I was just looking over my FW mosaics and I seem to be drawn to the blues.  I don't know what is UP with that!

#51 - Hovering Birds

I am really really liking these blocks that have little bits of white in the middle.  I like how they balance out my natural tendency to use white as the background ...

#53 - Jackknife

... like this one!  LOL!  Oh I am such a creature of habit.

But I love this blue print.  It just reads as lace to me.  And I love how the little blossoms remind me of embroidered lazy daisy flowers.