Farmer's Wife Quilt Along Week 39

Pink, Yellow & White

Don't these blocks say SUMMER?!  I think sorbet & sunshine. :)

#57 - Morning

Oh yeah, this is a sunny summer morning if I EVER saw one!

I struggled with the yellow.  The block in the book uses the same fabric for all the yellow pieces, but I wasn't jazzed about doing that.  I toyed with using different colors, but then realized that I rarely use different prints of the same color in a block so I gave it a try.  Love.  Even the fussy cut center.  In fact, I really like how the blocks look like sisters with one big & one small fussy cut floral.

#37 - Flower Pot

Every decision that went into this block was followed by the thought, "I don't know if this is gonna work".  Yellow pot ... gamble.  The large fussy cut for the pot ... gamble.  Scrappy pinks in the flower ... gamble.

In the immortal words of Kenny Rogers, "You got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em!  LOL!

O.m.g ... I just grabbed this video off YouTube and now my brain is spinning like a slot machine while I attempt to process that this song came out in 1978.  Nineteen freakin' SEVENTY EIGHT!!!

I feel a chocolate emergency coming on ...

Farmer's Wife Quilt Along Week 38

Kay, you're probably getting a little tired of FW catch up.  Sorry.  But now I'm back on track so this is the last set of blocks until next week.  Promise.

To keep with the Valentine's/Birthday theme for this week ...

Pink & White

I am so.in.love with these blocks.  Really.  I love them. 

#35 - Flower Basket

Inspired by the antique silver bowl in this block, I really needed to make this basket pink.  And I was in a silly mood, I guess, but something told me to fussy cut the little posies.  I was just going to do it for the 3 squares in the corners, but then I couldn't stop.  I was a little nervous while putting it together, 'cause it could have looked really stupid.  But it doesn't.  At least to me.  I think it looks sooooo pretty!

I had to move the top triangle a bit so the handle wouldn't cover the flower.  And it reminds me of the kalidescopes I used to play with as a kid.

#47 - Homemaker

When looking for a block to go with Flower Basket, I came across this one.  I nearly passed on it ... AGAIN ... because of the inset seams.  But then I thought:  these inset seams aren't gonna stitch themselves up and are STILL going to be here every time you flip through the book until you MAKE this block so ... what was that phrase? ... oh yeah ... Suck it Up, Princess!  LOL!

And then I thought about the name of the block.  I'm a homemaker (well, to be perfectly honest, I'm a quilter who is frequently annoyed that I have homemaking responsibilities, but never mind that) and I am pink so ... there you go.

It turned out a little wavy on the edges, but I've learned ... from lots & lots of practice ... that I can press just about anything into submission once I sew it into a quilt.

I'm a very happy Farmer's Wife today. :)

Farmer's Wife Quilt Along Week 37

Red, Pink, Green, Gray & White

Valentine's Day theme ... of course. :)

#45 - Grape Basket

I don't have any purple in this quilt so I couldn't do grapes.  But I thought a bouquet of red & pink roses - WITH a little bit of greenery - IN an antique silver bowl - would be perfect for today!

Oddly enough, I'm totally diggin' the asymmetry of the flowers.

#106 - Wild Rose & Square

I thought these roses were the perfect compliment to my bouquet. 

I did a little boo boo with this one and forgot to make the corner squares gray the first time around.  Had to redo.  Much better.  Glad I did.  Makes a big difference!

I know you're wondering why I didn't save this post for tomorrow ... you'll see. :)

Farmer's Wife Quilt Along Week 36

Red, White & Gray

#69 - Practical Orchard

Whenever I hear the word "orchard" I think "apple".  I don't know why.  There are no apple orchards where I live.  Come to think of it there aren't ANY orchards around here.

And I have no family or holiday association with apple orchards. 

But that's where my brain goes.  So my Practical Orchard symbolizes apples.  Handy that red is my accent color. ;)

And I couldn't resist throwing in a few apple blossoms with the floral gray.

#90 - Storm Signal

This block looks totally different than I thought it would.  But I really like it - especially when I turn it on point. 

I think it's going to play very nicely with the other blocks.

                                   *                    *                    *                  

Well what a great week this has been ... just as long as I don't count the night I had insomnia and thought watching Slumdog Millionaire at 2:30 a.m. was a good idea.  It is listed as a Romantic Drama.  Omg.  Seriously?!  THAT is not my idea of romance.  People if you haven't seen it yet let me warn you like I wasn't ... it is NOT a feel-good movie!!!  I managed 1/2 hr of horrific images before I just couldn't take it anymore.  And then I spent the rest of the night browsing the Comedy section of Netfilx looking for an antidote. 

Aah, but now the weekend is here and sewing can cure just about anything, right?! :)  See ya'll next week.

Farmer's Wife Quilt Along Week 35

Blue, Gray & White

You know, I was so smitten (Omg ... "smitten"?  Really?  Who USES that word anymore?!  Makes me sound like I should be using a walker and cranking up the volume on my hearing aid ...)

Let's try that again.

I was so HAPPY with my last set of blue, gray & white blocks I wanted to try that color combo again.  They just looked so different from the rest of my blocks.

#103 Whirlwind

I really really really love this dark blue.  And with the gray? Gorg(ous)!

#88 Star of Hope

Again, loving the big mass of dark blue.  The large square really shows of the print nicely. 

And the gray instead of white background just softens it a bit.  Although I confess to putting a white square in the corner because the other block has white in it too ... my OCD made me do it! ;)

Farmer's wife Quilt Along Week 34

YAY!!! I'm back!  Oh this feels so good. :)

Thank you so much for your all your responses to my request for feedback on my blog banner.  Wow you guys are so nice!  I wasn't expecting so many of you to tell me to do what pleases me.  That is pure generosity and I am totally grateful. 

My favorite comments were ones that suggested I do "the same but different".  So now I'm working on a new banner that you will recognize as me ... for sure ... promise.  It will be the same, but different.  Not sure when it will be ready.  But you'll be the first to know when it's done. :)

And now back to our regularly scheduled program.

I have some MAJOR catching up to do here on the farm and beLIEVE me, I've been farming!  I'm going to spend this week showing you (some of) my new FW blocks ... and there are some beauties I tell ya, like today.

Green, Gray & White

#67 - Pine Tree

I live nestled in the foothills of the Great Canadian Rockies.  I suppose I should appreciate the landscape more, but I'm not into rocks & mountains and the indigenous flora that isn't anywhere NEAR my preferred English Cottage look ...

We have an abundance of pine trees and I think almost every other species of tree with needles & cones.  I bet there isn't a single residential street in the city without at least ONE.  Again, I suppose some people would find that charming and romantic.  Not me.  I only like these trees at Christmas time.

However, THIS is the kind of pine tree I can get jiggy with ...

all covered with flowers! :)

#105 - Wild Goose Chase

I had the.hardest.time deciding how to make this block in terms of print/color.  Should I go two-tone? Symmetrical?  Totally scrappy? And all the beautiful and inspiring versions I found on the FWQAL Flickr group didn't make my decision an easier.

But I finally went with these colors, scrapped "the snot" out of the green and I EL-OH-VEE-EE it!

YUM! :) 

(Just so we're clear here I mean yum the color ... not yum the snot.)

Farmer's Wife Quilt Along Week 33

Pink & Gray

I think all my FW blocks this month will have gray because, well, I liked last week's blocks so much and I really need to catch up with this color for my quilt.

#40 - Friendship Block

Yeah, this block and I are DEFINITELY friends! :)

 

#80 - Single Wedding Star

Yep.  I totally love pink.

Sorry guys, no funny in me today ... I looked EVERYWHERE for it.

But I got nothin'.  Nada.  Zip.  Zero.  Zilch.

Maybe if I had a glass of wine or something.  Naw, it'll just make me sleepy and then I won't be able to feel the end of my nose.

And then I'll have to pee.

Never mind ... I'll keep lookin'.  Maybe it'll show up tomorrow.

Farmer's Wife Quilt Along Week 32

Blue, Gray & White

Today is our 16th wedding anniversary.  Wow.  I wonder what that is in Hollywood years?  ;)

Yes, "we" (meaning me) decided to get married in the winter ... 'cause I really wanted to wear a velvet jacket as part of my wedding dress  ... so I could hide my chubby arms ... not kidding ... 

The color theme was silver & white and my sister-matron-of-honor wore a navy velvet dress.  So in honor of this special day, I made blue, "silver" & white blocks. 

I also chose these blocks specifically for their names.

#89 - Steps to the Altar

This block ended up looking more like a tree to me but ... whatever ... let's go with it.

The church still had a nativity scene set up on the altar and I remember spending the entire ceremony looking at astro-turf bedding in the manger and cotton ball snow on the trees. 

I am SO not even joking about that!  Actual fluorescent green indoor/ outdoor carpeting and cotton balls, carefully placed one by one on the tree branches.  It would have been a great place to be if you wanted to play soccer or suddenly found yourself with a nail-polish removal emergency.  Haha!

Can you imagine?  Trying to be all serious about getting married but mostly concentrating on not bursting out laughing everytime you see a plaster cast baby Jesus with a broken-off finger and an anorexic plastic cow with bony ribs sticking out ...

Dude, it was hilarious.

But my point - and yes I have one - is that I resisted the urge to make these altar steps green in homage to that astro-turf.

#101 Wedding Ring

I love how these blocks look all calm, & soft & wintery & elegant.  Perfect.  Exactly what I was going for. :)

Happy Anniversary, Honey. 

Farmer's Wife Quilt Along Week 31

Hello hello!  Hope you had a lovely Christmas.  I've had an amazing few days, but more about that later this week ... or next.

Today I have new FW blocks for you in colors I'm calling "The Kitchen Sink" palette. :)

I've been DYING to make this block - Postage Stamp - since I started this QAL back in June.  This sort of piecing is really one of my all time favorite activities. 

I was going to wait a while longer to make it, for no particular reason, I guess. 

But suddenly I was inspired by a few things ... this image I found at one of my new favorite blogs (well, new to me - she's been around for quite a while!)  Something about the pretty, colorful ornaments on this tree ... I actually get butterflies in my tummy when I look at this photo.  I can't explain it.

And the thought of what Christmas usually looks like - an explosion of color with all the gifts, wrapping paper, decorations, lights, candy ... especially if kids are involved.

So I decided to cut one square from every print I'm using for my FWQAL quilt and found that I had almost enough squares for 2 blocks!

I just threw in a few more whites and voila! 

I have a feeling that when it comes to the final quilt there'll be a few blocks that won't play nicely with the others and won't be allowed to join in.  But I'm sure both these blocks will make the final cut because ...

I ... LOVE ... THEM ... SO ... MUCH!!!  It's sad really ... how much I love them.

So much so that right now I'm totally wanting to make a huge quilt with just these little 3/4" squares. 

Don't think I won't!  In fact, I just might do that with all my scraps at the end of this QAL. 

One of these days I'll show you the quilt I made that ended up with literally thousands of tiny pieces.

You think I'm joking, don't you? 

Dude.  I don't joke about things like that ...

Farmer's Wife Quilt Along Week 30

Wait for it ...

Red, White & GREEN! 

Last time ... promise.  ;)

#65 - Peaceful Hours

With a name like that I prob'ly shoulda made this block with blues and/or grays.  But I just kept seeing a wreath so I went with it.

And how perfect is that fussy cut design in the middle?  Doing the happy dance over that one!

#86 - Squash Blossom

I was seriously tempted to use orange fabric for this block.  You know me and my tendency to interpret things literally.  I kept thinking zucchini. 

But since there is no orange in the Flower Sugar fabric lines, I settled for red.

Hmmm ... maybe I shoulda gone with yellow instead.  But at this point I really can't be bothered to remake this block so red it shall stay.

Does anyone happen to know if there is such a thing as a squash with a red blossom?  I might sleep better at night knowing one really does exist.

Farmer's Wife Quilt Along Week 29

More Red, Green & White

#42 - Fruit Basket

This is another one of those blocks that needed just a hint of red.  When I read the name, "Fruit Basket", of course my basket was going to hold apples. 

Or in this case Christmas apples - also known as pomegranates. :)

#60 - Noon & Light

Well, this one didn't turn out QUITE the way I had in mind.  I was THINKING wreath with berries & little red blossoms.

But when I did the final press and turned it over, the wonky hot pink berries on a lime green wreath just seemed very ... Dr. Seuss-ish ... like it belonged to a Who down in Whoville!  Haha!

Lucky for me, I love Dr. Seuss and I especially love "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" - watching it on tv was a family tradition when I was growing up and it continues to be one with my girls.  But since the invention of DVDs, they don't have to haunt the TV Guide to find out when it's going to air only once a year ...

So this block is going to stay exactly the way it is - with all its Grinchy green-ness - and I will giggle every time I see it. :)

Farmer's Wife Quilt Along Midway Mosaic

It didn't occur to me until mid afternoon yesterday that I could make a nice midway mosaic of my FW blocks.  (Well, I snuck in next week's blocks too ... ) 

What do you think?  This is just a random arrangement via Flickr.  I didn't feel like manually sorting them.

Yep, that "Bat Wings" block (top right corner) is definitely too red.  I'll have to redo it. 

I've never made a quilt like this before and I'm loving the entire process. 

Do you ever look at a quilt in progress and wonder where it will be 100 years from now?  Will it be preserved as a family heirloom and end up behind glass in a museum with a sign saying "maker unknown" because I was too lazy to label it?

Will it perish in a fire or a flood?

Or will it be loved and cuddled with and snuggled under and maybe even barfed on by a sick child and end up all stained & thread-bare in someone's attic? 

And will someone ever look at this quilt and wonder about me?  And will they know that I started making it to have fun with a wonderful online community of blogging quilters?  And will they have any inkling of just how.much.joy I had making it and sharing it with you? 

Sometimes I wonder about these things.  But I always come to the same conclusion.  I honestly don't care what happens to it after I'm done making it and maybe enjoying it for a while.

One thing that would absolutely devastate me is if one of my daughters felt obligated to keep something I've made, even though they don't like/want or need it.  I know what it feels like to not be able to get rid of something I think is absolutely hideous just because someone I loved made it.  I hope my daughters understand that getting rid of something I made doesn't mean they're getting rid of me or my love for them.

I think I'm going to make them pinkie-swear on that. 

Farmer's Wife Quilt Along Week 28

THE OFFICIAL HALFWAY MARK!!!  These are blocks 55 & 56 out of 111! :)

Red, White & Green

Considering the stores have been playing Christmas Carols since like EASTER, I thought I'd show a little restraint by waiting until DECEMBER to make Christmas-themed FW blocks.

#97 - Waste Not

I L.O.V.E love this block.  The first time I saw it in the book I KNEW the windmilly thing needed to be red.  Because the red pieces are so skinny, I fussy cut the fabric to avoid blotchiness.  I think the solid red (well, there IS a very tiny dark dot for interest) is fabulous. 

See, I've had it in my mind's eye all along that red would just be an accent color here and there in this quilt.  This block is EXACTLY what I had in mind.  Nice, strong, crisp contrast, but not too much red.

#85 - Square Dance

This Flower Sugar print is responsible for all the gingham I've been using. 

I love this panel type print - especially when you fussy cut ... its like 2 prints for the price of one.  But until now I hadn't found a way to use these pretty little wreaths.  I was SO happy to find this block with such a big square in the middle. 

PLUS, I like how the wreath sort of references my Christmas theme for this block too.  Almost like it was planned ... ;)

Farmer's Wife Quilt Along Week 27

Pink, Yellow, Green, Blue & White (again)

I'm fascinated by how Flickr traffic can tell you what's popular.  Sometimes I'm a little slow with all the technology stuff, but it finally occurred to me that I can tell what people prefer - in terms of my FWQAL blocks - based on the # of view & comments etc.  Apparently this color combination is a favorite ... and we aim to please!

I love it too, especially on a day like today when the warmth of the sun has DEFINITELY left my part of the world for many many MANY (and a few more) months.  If I can't have happy colors outside, might as well find them here. 

(That reminds me, better go get the family some Vitamin D supplements for the winter ... )

#108 Periwinkle

So, remember my thing about gingham?  I decided to experiment and see if the same visual disturbance happens when different colors are used.  What do you think?  I'm both surprised and pleased with these results!

#66 Windmill

This block just cried out for 4 different colors.  And this is the first time I used this white print for a background.

It is one of the new "Flower Sugar" prints and I used a leftover scrap from the backing of my Quilt Market quilt - which is a free downloadable, just sayin'.  I will forever think of that quilt whenever I see this fabric. 

Makes me happy. :)

Farmer's Wife Quilt Along Week 26

Yellow & Gray

Is this color combination still trendy?  Or is it like so totally last year and I'm just embarrassing myself?  I gotta say, when I started seeing yellow & gray everywhere I was getting a little annoyed.  Never really warmed to either color.  And putting the two together looked like ... well ... kinda sorta like dog pee on the sidewalk.

Sorry.  But it's Friday and I'm allowing my self a little grossology license today.  Have I ever mentioned I have an occasionally-difficult-to-restrain gross streak in me? 

(All my friends are going, "OCCASIONALLY?!!")

HOWEVER, since the new Flower Sugar line has both gray AND yellow in it, I've been forced to reconsider yet another one of my very narrow-minded opinions. 

Happy me.  Another horizon broadened. :)

And despite the typically modern look this color pairing always seemed to have, I think these blocks look decidely old fashioned ... I think because of the pretty little rosy posies.

Block #29 - Economy

Why oh why am I compelled to fussy cut all these center blocks?!  Can't - help - it.

Block #77 - Seasons

I think this week is the first time I've used the same prints in reverse colors.  This block has the gray version of the yellow print & the yellow version of the gray print in the first block.  Love it.

Now if I tried to explain how exciting that is to a non-crafty quilty person, they'd look at me like my big toe was trying to come out my nose. 

But I know YOU get it.  :)  YOU know what I'm talkin' about.  YOU know that such considerations are not only rational, they're critical to our general well being.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Farmer's Wife Quilt Along Week 25

Red, Pink, Green, Blue & White (again)

I loved last week's color theme so much I did it again.  Guess I'm really diggin' the crayon box look.

#39 - Friendship

Ok.  You know I have this thing about not letting the same print "touch" in a quilt, right?  Well, I decided to challenge myself and do the complete opposite here.  Yep.  FOUR, count 'em - 4 - of the same print, all cozy and nesting together.  Don't they look friendly? ;)

#27 - Darting Birds

All this rule breaking is kinda fun (just please don't tell my children, kay?)! 

You know, when I first looked at this block it was just another design with more yucky triangles.  Me & triangles ... we ain't exactly the best of friends. 

But when I read the name 'Darting Birds', and then actually SAW the birds - with their cute lil' heads and cute lil' wings - my attitude TOTALLY changed.  I think these little birdies are just so sweet.  

And of course, pink is the leader. :)

Farmer's Wife Quilt Along Week 24

Red, Pink, Green, Blue & White

OK!  Super colorful today. :)

#24 - Country Path

I followed the color value in the book this time and I'd say this block is a smashing success.  I'm really happy with how it turned out.

#104 - Wild Geese

It took me a while to decide on this block.  I needed one that could handle all 5 colors and again, using the suggested values in the book, this one also makes me smile. :)

Now is it just me or are all these geese playing chicken?  Look.  They're all running towards the middle of the block and they're gonna to crash into each other!

Farmer's Wife Quilt Along Week 23

Yellow, Green & White

#46 - Hill & Valley

Does this block - of hills - remind anyone else of Tinky Winky, Dipsy, Lala & Po?

Someone, please say yes.

Are they even still on TV?

#22 - Corn  & Beans

I've been avoiding this block for a while.  I dunno ... I think it was the name.  I just kept picturing some old guy wandering around with bits of corn stuck in his overgrown gray beard and farting into his dusty overalls. 

Sorry if I ruined this block for you, but I just didn't think it was fair to keep that visual all to myself.

You're welcome for not adding the bit about how he's also a little itchy in certain places.

Oops.

:)

Farmer's Wife Quilt Along Week 22

Gray and White

Oh it feels so good to finally start talking about the incredibly beautiful new Flower Sugar line by Lecien.  'Cause that means I can ALSO start adding all their yumminess to my FW blocks!  :) 

Actually I've been sneaking a few bits in here and there.  Someone even busted me on Flickr a few weeks ago!

I'm dying over this new soft gray color and how nicely it plays with all the blocks I've made so far. 

#11 - Broken Dishes

I picked this adorable - and I mean ADORABLE - print with tiny flower posies because I knew it would make this "Broken Dishes" block look just like shards of a formerly pretty little piece of china that had a tragic accident - probably due to a clumsy husband or child.

# 25 - Cups & Saucers (sort of)

When I was looking for a companion block for this week, I was struck by "Cups & Saucers" and thought it would go nicely with "Broken Dishes" - theme-wise.   And then when I looked at this print with a lovely & delicate doily design, I got it into my head that I wanted my cup and saucer to sit on a doily.   (Am I the only one who thinks like this?)

So I proceeded to fussy cut my BUTT off (correction, it's still there ... too bad) my BRAINS out (more accurate) and came up with this little cutie.

To preserve the edges of the doily, I decided to not add the corner triangles (hence the "sort of").

I dunno.  The jury is out on whether my doily idea was a success.  I still like the concept, but the roses aren't totally symmetrical and they make the block look a little wonky.  What do you think ... keep or toss?

Ok everyone.  I leave for Quilt Market tomorrow (eeep!), but I've written a few posts to keep you company while I'm gone so it'll be like I'm still here at Pretty by Hand, kay?  ;)

And if you happen to overhear a dad saying to his two daughters "Don't tell mom ... " they probably belong to me.  Apparently a lot of fun is had when I'm not around. ;)

Drastic Measures Were Needed

... to get all my FWQAL fabrics under control.  Well, maybe "drastic" is a bit melodramatic, but measures of some kind were needed for sure!

See, I'm using about 50 fabrics for my blocks - each one accumulating scrap bits as the weeks go by - and keeping them all organized without actually organizing them was becoming impossible. 

Whut?

I know, I should know better by now, but sometimes I still think wishing alone will make something happen ...

I had FW fabrics all over my sewing room ...

• on the cutting/sewing table
• on the chair(s)
• on the ironing board
• on the shelf under the ironing board
• on the floor under the ironing board

... you get the picture.

I'd organize the fabrics a bit, but as soon as two more blocks were made I had a discombobulated mess on my hands again.  AAAGH!

So.

After a nice hot cup of tea and a generous serving of something very bad for my arteries, I calmed down and got into organizing mode.  This is what I came up with ...

I have some clear plastic shoebox sized containers that are so full of fabric and other crafting stuff the lids won't fit on them.  (Let you whose house ALWAYS looks EXACTLY like a Martha Stewart magazine photo throw the first stone ...)  ;)

So I thought to myself, "Self, why don't you use those lids as trays?"  I answered, "Good idea, Self!" 

Hmmm, it's just occurred to me that I need a better self-talk name, like ... oh, I don't know ... how 'bout "Smokin' Hot Quilter Chick"?  tee hee

If we ever meet in person and you actually call me that, I just might kiss you on the mouth. 

Kidding!

(Probably.) 

Ok, I am kidding.  I won't even share straws with my family.  (I have a germ thing ... )

But I WILL blush and giggle like a school girl!

Now where was I?  This Smokin' Hot Quilter Chick just got all flustered.

Oh yes, lids.  How perfect is THAT to have 3 lids - 2 colors for each? 

Oops.  Right.  I forgot about my beloved stack of white on whites. 

They just sort of float as needed.

So now I can make a few (or several) blocks, quickly tidy up and shove my little stack of lids somewhere ... wherever they will stay put. 

Usually on the floor ... underneath something ... like a chair or table or ironing board ... because the boxes that go with these lids are already hogging all the space in the cupboards.

Sigh.