The Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt (20's) Block 20 Churn Dash

The Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt (20's)  Block 20 Churn Dash

I wonder how many Churn Dash quilt blocks are being made at any one moment in the world? 
This is my latest Farmer's Wife Sampler quilt block 20 Churn Dash, made up of just 17 pieces.  These little blocks turn out quite quickly and are much simpler than the Nearly Insane quilt or the Dear Jane quilt.

The Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt (20's) Block 31 Evening Star

The Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt (20's) 
Block 31 Evening Star

The Moda Solids I bought a few weeks ago have really helped move this project along.  This is Farmers Wife Sampler Quilt Block 31 Evening Star, where the solids have allowed me to make use of this charm square of pretty Fig Tree fabric.

Suzi the Cat on the Butterfly Quilt

I thought it was time that we had a picture of Suzi.  The weather is on and off at the moment, but Suzi  is managing to follow the sun whilst remaining on the bed.

The Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt (20's) Block 9 Box

The Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt (20's)  Block 9 Box

I tried to do this one before, but it ended up as Block 41, the Friendship Star.  I welded some of the bits together to reduce the number of total pieces in this block.  It meant there were some Y-seams, but they are really no trouble when you are hand piecing.
I usually start a project knowing what I am going to do with it, but in this case I had the fabric and the Farmer's Wife book sitting there and thought I might as well start constructing the blocks and work out the layout as I went along.  Lots of ideas have passed through my mind, but I am thinking I might make up an applique border.  Any thoughts? 

The Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt (20's) Block 2 Autumn Tints

The Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt (20's) 
Block 2 Autumn Tints

This little Farmer's Wife Quilt project had reached a standstill because I hadn't prepped any blocks.  A pending weekend away, with plenty of travel time to get some sewing done meant that I really needed to spend some time getting the bit and pieces together.  Just as well that I did as I managed to complete four blocks. This one is Block 2, Autumn Tints and makes the most of some fussy cut roses.

The trip away was to the 2018 British Quilt & Stitch Village, Uttoxeter, UK, where I had entered my Nearly Insane quilt into the Traditional Quilt category.  I won a 2nd rosette, but was also pleased to receive the People's Choice Award, which was a great surprise - thanks to everyone that voted!

Exeter Quilt Show 2018 - American Jane fabric haul

American Jane Fabric

I expect you are all wondering when you will see my Dear Jane quilted.  So am I.  I am procrastinating and yesterday I managed to find some displacement activity by going to the Exeter Quilt Show at Westpoint.  You will see from the picture the magnificent haul which I largely managed to pick up at the charity stall. Instead of concentrating on finishing Dear Jane, I am already starting to focus on the next project which I had planned.  I am looking for American Jane (Moda) fabrics and I managed to pick up some old ranges in the form of a Frivol box (Bread and Butter), a deconstructed Jelly Roll (Recess) and a tiny charm pack (Hop, Skip and Jump).  I supplemented it with a layer cake from the current range (Merry Go Round).

I'm not allowed to start until, she is quilted ....

The Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt (20's) Block 7 Birds in the Air

The Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt (20's) 
Block 7 Birds in the Air

Wow,  I think this Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt (20's)  Block 7 Birds in the Air, has had the most pieces in it so far.  Forty in total.

The Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt (20's) Block 19 Checkerboard

The Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt (20's) 
Block 19 Checkerboard

These little chequerboard (or checkerboard) blocks look straightforward, but the number of triangles that go around the edge always amaze me. There are 25 pieces in the Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt (20's)  Block 19 Checkerboard, but it has the illusion of less.

It is good to be back to some regular blogging.  I realise why I enjoy blogging, it keeps me on track with a project.  

Kim Diehl Half Square Triangle Cat Mat

Half Square Triangle quilt layout

In a change to the usual Farmer's Wife Sampler quilt blocks I have another little project to show you.  It is another mat for the cat, using up the left over half square triangles from last years 'Scrappy Challenge'.  You won't remember that because I haven't shown you yet.  I am interested in trying out different layouts for HST's and there were enough left over to make this mat.

Quilting Feathers

I also wanted to use the project to test my quilting skills.  For over a year I have been practising  drawing feathers, but did not have the courage to try it on an actual quilt.  The muscle memory you gain from drawing really does help and when I took to my machine, they came out naturally - what had I been waiting for!

Quilted Cat Mat - Kim Diehl fabrics

The fabrics are the Kim Diehl leftovers from the Dear Jane quilt, which is still waiting to be quilted. Even with Dear Jane, my 2017 Scrappy Challenge and this small project, I still have plenty of fabric to make MANY more quilts.

The Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt (20's) Block 97 Waste Not

The Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt (20's) 
Block 97 Waste Not

Another block has been completed, largely thanks to getting stuck in three traffic jams on one journey this week.  This is Block 97, Waste Not. As I have mentioned in the comments before, I have been making these blocks at 4" instead of the usual 6" and I seem to spend most nights thinking about what layout I should use.

Bella Solids Fig Tree Bundle

With so few pieces in each block I have been struggling to make them work, so I have invested in a Bella Solids Fat Quarter bundle which co-ordinates with all the Fig Tree fabrics I already have.  Let's hope this will move this project along more swiftly.

The Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt (20's) Block 6 Big Dipper

The Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt (20's) 
Block 6 Big Dipper

I had a request for some of the Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt blocks to be shown off in the snow that we have had in March this year.  We have had almost a foot of snow, the most since 2010. It has taken until today to actually have a block finished to show you, but here it is , Block 6 Big Dipper, sitting on the snow which is now rapidly melting as the temperature has resumed its normal level and sun is actually shining.

Suzi cat

There was also a request for photos of Suzi in the snow.  I think the expression on her face answers that question.  She has settled on the Allietare quilt for the past few days, just watching the white stuff come down in disgust.

The Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt (20's) Block 14 Butterfly at the Crossroads

The Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt (20's) 
Block 14 Butterfly at the Crossroads

Here is another Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt which I finished over the weekend.  Again, a block that probably has another name - any suggestions?
Here in the UK the temperature has dropped and we are expecting snow this week.  I think I saw a 'flake' fall from the sky today, but probably not enough to bring everything to a standstill quite yet.  I will keep you posted. 

The Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt (20's) Block 4 Basket Weave

The Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt (20's) 
Block 12 Broken Sugar Bowl

Another orphan that missed the boat for the Nearly Insane quilt! I really love the red and white combination for a quilt block, but I am trying to break the habit with this new adventure.  This is The Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt Block 4 Basket Weave, also known as Rail Fence.  With just 12 pieces it came together quite quickly.

If you re in the UK this weekend you can see my Nearly Insane quilt on display at the Severn Valley Quilts Exhibition in Thornbury, near Bristol, BS35 2AQ.

The Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt (20's) Block 12 Broken Sugar Bowl

The Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt (20's) 
Block 12 Broken Sugar Bowl

Here is the Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt  Block  No 12, Broken Sugar Bowl.  It looks quite familiar and as if it has been part of a quilt I have done in the past, but it went under a different guise - do you know any other names for it?

The Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt (20's) Block 18 A Century of Progress

The Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt (20's) 
Block 18 A Century of Progress

I have been away on a training course this weekend and in the pockets of down time I managed to complete a few Farmer's Wife blocks.  This one, Block 18, A Century of Progress, is looking suspiciously red and white and as if it ought to be in the Nearly Insane quilt.

Suzi the cat

And for all of those who are looking for their daily cat fix, here is Suzi the cat enjoying the February sun.

The Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt (20's) Block 10 Bowtie

The Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt (20's) 
Block 10 Bowtie

This is a simple little Bowtie block, but I love the fabric choices I have made for this one.  I think the yellow fabric is from 'California Girl' by Fig Tree quilts.
I have just noticed that my Outlook is putting all your comments into my Junk Mail folder .... silly Outlook.

The Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt (20's) - Block 1 Attic Windows

The Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt (20's)
Block 1 Attic Windows

It is a week ago that I sat down to prepare for my Farmer's Wife Quilt and already I have three blocks done and several others basted ready to be stitched.  I think I like this sampler quilt just because of the speed!
This is Block 1 Attic Windows, the first block in the book.  I usually do a draw system, but I was in such a hurry last week to prep some that I just took the first few from the book to get started.  I definitely need a system to record what I doing.

The Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt (20's) - Block 5 Bat Wing

The Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt (20's)
Block 5 Bat Wing

Thank you for all your responses to yesterday's post and the start of our new journey on the Farmer's Wife Sampler quilt.
Last night I managed to complete another block, Block 5 Bat Wing, and am back to feeling the rush of starting a new project. In past projects I have usually recorded the number of pieces in each block, but for most of these I think I can count them on my hands.

The Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt (20's) - The Launch and Block 41 Friendship Star

Fabadashery - Farmer's Wife Quilt

Sewing my name onto my Dear Jane quilt last week reinforced the fact that I don't have a project on the go at the moment.  La Passacaglia has been a struggle as it is quite time / fabric intensive in the prep stage and I have just been longing for a simple project that I can just pick up and see grow easily.  So here you have it - The Farmer's Wife Sampler quilt with the fabric selection.
  
I have had The Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt book (1920's) for quite a while now and since then a new book has been published.  I had assumed that it was the same quilt. but having noticed some missing blocks I was already familiar with from long arm quilting a Farmer's Wife Quilt, I have literally just realised that it is a whole new quilt, different blocks based on 1930's colours.  This is a fundamental point I had not acknowledged and I am not sure how I feel about it.

To get started I had to spend a bit of time on my new Electric Quilt 8 software, designing all the 111 blocks into the package and then scanning the 65 different fabrics I plan to use.  For the record, that whole process took about 5hrs 30mins.  That time invested will pay me back as I work through all the blocks.  

Farmer's Wife 20's Quilt - 41 Friendship Star

So, here is the first completed block.  In the 1920's book Block 41 is 'Friendship Star'.  In the 1930's book it is 'Granny'.  Already my star is spinning in the opposite direction, but I guess it depends which universe you observe the star from, which will determine its direction.

For the dedicated followers of my blog, I want to warn you that I cannot promise a post for each block.  Already, I have realised that these blocks are much easier that the Nearly Insane quilt and Dear Jane, so I expect to fly through them quite quickly. Thank you to my regular supporters, your comments are always appreciated - what do you think about the new project?

Dear Jane Quilt - Recording history with embroidery

Embroidered corner block - Dear Jane quilt

Here's a little job which I have been putting off for a long time - embroidering my name on my Dear Jane quilt.  Now it is done there is nothing stopping it from being quilted.  Then all I need to do is the scallop edge ....