FWSQ Blocks for February

February's theme is baskets and flowers! We'll be making the Flower Basket Block No. 35 in class. This block calls for a wee bit of applique on the handle. You are welcome to machine applique or do this by hand. I'll show you examples of both in class.

So, if you want to piece this block in class, please bring your fabric. Determine what color your basket handle will be and be sure to bring a matching thread.

We'll be meeting at 6 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 4 and Saturday, Feb. 12 at 9-11 and 12-2 (remember, this is a new time for the afternoon class). Kate's shop closes at 3 p.m. now on Saturdays.

Don't forget you can see my blocks on Flickr. Click here.

Looking forward to seeing you!

Farmer's Wife photos now on Flickr

Hi All - As I watched the Chicago Bears LOSE on Sunday night I did something productive...took photos of all my Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt blocks I've completed in the Miniatures fabric and posted them on Flickr. To see the blocks, just click here.
I love Flickr. It's free....you can add a ton of photos and share them with friends and family without bogging down your or their e-mail. You can create sets...that keeps all your 'like' photos together. I have many sets, Farmer's Wife, a new Civil War Quilt I've started and sets of photos of my T-shirt quilts.

I'll try to add the Arnold's Attic fabric blocks soon.
Don't forget...we're working on baskets at our next class. Watch this space for more info closer to class.

New Year's Resolutions

For once, I am holding true to a resolution...my resolution this year was to not procrastinate. It's going to be a tough trait to break. In school, I was always the one working (or even beginning) a paper just before it was due. When I was a newspaper reporter in Edwardsville, I started my articles just a few hours before deadline. As a magazine editor, I'd wait to contact my freelancers until the last minute. See the pattern?

When it comes to sewing...and sewing difficult blocks, I could tell this procrastination thing couldn't continue. So, I am already working on the blocks for our February Farmers Wife Sampler Quilt class. We just finished our January blocks last weekend (thanks, ladies. Had a great time Friday and Saturday), and I've already got February on my mind. BASKETS. There are several basket blocks in this quilt of 111 blocks.

I've printed out my EQ rotary cutting directions for our February blocks and started working on them earlier this week. There are some funky angles on some of these pieces, like 112 degree angles!
I chose the most difficult (or what I hope is the most difficult) one of the bunch last night. Through a mixture of rotary cutting and templates, I pieced together the Flower Pot block. 

Flower Pot block in Miniatures.

And this is why I cannot PROCRASTINATE on these blocks. It's a good thing I can laugh at myself...because this block is just nuts! It measures at least 6 1/2", but in all the wrong places! If I cut this block to 6 1/2 " I will lose possibly all four flower tips.

Good lord!

So, it's back to the drawing board on this block tonight and this weekend. I am going to try paper piecing it to see if I have better results. I think part of the problem is the weird angles, plus there is a set in seam (gasp!) Ironically, my first attempt at the set in seam worked out beautifully. It was my second attempt that failed.

After I pulled this block out of my machine I decided to work on my four-patch, square-in-a-square blocks for the Prairie Women Sewing Circle project. Four-patches are more my speed after that basket disaster. We're working on the little cream, pink and blue mini quilt, and I'm really enjoying it!

Talk to you soon -

Sarah

FWSQ for January

It's time for our January blocks already. We'll be doing some easy piecing this month. Our project for in class will be to make the Postage Stamp block.
I did my sample by cutting 36 little 1 1/2" squares and piecing them together one by one. Won't make that mistake again...I'll say I was trying to be authentic.

We'll, you're welcome to piece this block together by sewing together several strips of contrasting fabric, subcutting those and then sewing them back together. Should be easier than sewing a million 1 1/2" seams.

So, your assignment is to bring four fabrics you want in your postage stamp block. We'll swap some pieces if that's ok with you, too.

Here are the blocks as colored in EQ. Bring whichever colors you choose! I know these are pretty boring blocks, but thought it would be cool to swap a few fabrics with other folks to add something different.

See you Friday night or Saturday!