Samplers

My spool block for the Farmer's Wife Sampler (see link on sidebar). This is a pretty wild looking block even for me. I think it was the only 30s repro striped fabric I had in my stash and I wanted the spool to look like it had thread on it with the stripes going a different direction. And then...after I had the block together I thought I should have sewn small scraps together to make the spool thread. Maybe next time, next spool block. I have about 60 calico spools in a WIP bin.

I chose 30s fabrics for this quilt because they remind me of grandma who showed me how to quilt. I loved looking at all the pieces of clothing she used in her quilts. She told me stories of how many times a piece of fabric was used before it finally ended up in a quilt and other stories of how they survived during the Depression era. She was sort of a bitter, cranky old woman - nearly 40 when dad was born and each year, according to stories, made her a bit crankier. I must say, though, that when she was showing me how to sew or smock or embroider that she was a very pleasant, loving, beautiful grandma.

And this is my Farmer's Wife Snowball block. Of course I had to use fabric with circles on it. I hate snow now. Well, sometimes it looks beautiful, especially when there is hoare frost, but most times it is dirty and too cold for me. I've been meaning to make snow ice cream with the grandkids when they are here after a fresh snow but it hasn't happened yet. Snow...when I was younger I used to love tobaggoning down Fejervary Park hill with friends and then go home and drink hot chocolate. Sometimes my memory starts tricking me and I wonder if I just wished I went home to hot chocolate or if I really did. With an absent mom (who went off somewhere to find herself...with other men) and a dad rarely at home (either at work or out drinking somewhere) I think I wished it. I know hot chocolate in a pouch didn't exist in the olden days and I don't remember much milk in the frig, now that I think about it. I'll have to ask some of my siblings what they remember in re hot chocolate.

And this is my Seven Sisters block for the Civil War Sampler (also see sidebar). I'm not much for applique since I'm not good at it and don't really know what I'm doing, but I won't ever know how to do it if I don't try. So I tried. I know...wonky stars. I can imagine several civil war era ladies had the same.

I think I will start on another sampler soon - Sylvia's Bridal Sampler. I don't think I will use reproduction fabrics for it but you never know, er, I mean, I never know. Stay tuned...