Tuesday, March 7, 2023

Decisions, Decisions! Moving Forward!

This month's theme in my sewing room is 1930s.  Back in January 2011 I started making Farmer's Wife Sampler blocks with 1930s reproduction fabrics. I chose those fabrics because my grandmothers were farmer's wives and those fabrics remind me of them. 


The Farmer's Wife Sampler calls for 111 six inch blocks.  As I made blocks I just inserted them in the book. 

I haven't worked on this quilt for a very long time and I think I completed almost half of the 111 blocks. 

Back then I worked on the simpler blocks that did not require me to use the templates. And now all these years later I don't think I want to make any more sampler blocks but I do want to use the ones I have made.  I was thinking maybe I could use an alternate block.  And I figured if I did use an alternate block then maybe I could make a quilt with 10 blocks x 12 or 13 blocks which would be a 60 inch by 72 or 78 inch quilt. 

I do have some six inch orphan and swapped blocks I can use to supplement my Farmer's Wife Sampler blocks and so came up with 65 blocks to use with an alternate block. 

I tried a Quarter Square Triangle (QST) as the alternate block. I chose Kona Snow and Kona Spring Green to use as the fabrics and made sure I had enough of both of those before I tried some test blocks. I stocked up on those two Kona colors before I retired to use with the '30s repro fabrics. The green reminds me of the color green my paternal grandmother (of Irish ancestry) used in her quilts and the Kona Snow is a good alternative to muslin. Although I do think I have some whiter Kona than Kona Snow mixed together in the stash. I'll use whatever.  

Ok. So I guess I like the QST as an alternate block so guess I need to make a few more and move this really old UFO forward. 

And sew on...




 

12 comments:

Kim said...

Such beautiful blocks! I love the Kona Spring Green you have decided upon and the QST block is perfect to us as the alternate blocks. This quilt is going to be lovely. 1930's patterned quilts with all those sweet reproduction prints are always such happy quilts.

Kigwit said...

I've always wanted to make Farmer's Wife blocks out of my 30s. I just haven't gotten around to it. I usually use Kona Snow with 30s as it isn't blindingly white. It just seems to go!

Julierose said...

Love your 1930's blocks--great idea to use alternate blocks for this one...
it will be really pretty...Have fun finishing this one up...
hugs, Julierose

Nancy said...

I have always liked how quarter-square triangles as alternate blocks set off the blocks and create an on-point square around the blocks. How fun that you are making blocks and a quilt that remind your of your older family members. Beautiful blocks!

Elle said...

Perfect choice! Enjoy your Farmer's journey to the finish line!

Chantal said...

I have the same book and did only one block after all these years! I don't like the way she has only one template per page. What a waste of paper!! Never will buy another book from her. Anywho! I traced the templates from my screen onto a few sheets of paper before my computer died. Computers with a disk drive are hard to find nowadays so I'm glad I have got the template then. I love the blocks you showed. They are lovely and you definitely have to use them in a quilt. They are too lovely to stay hidden in a book. I love the green hourglass alternative block. Great job! ;^)

Melisa- pinkernpunkinquilting said...

Your blocks look amazing. I have a fondness for 1930's fabrics. The alternate block looks great. I look forward to seeing you move this quilt along.

Julie in GA said...

The hourglass block is a great choice to alternate with your sampler blocks, and that shade of green is perfect with the 30's fabrics!

Time To Quilt said...

The monthly theme is a terrific idea to use as a guide for what to focus on next. I can see that it helps bring those projects forward that might get passed by for "later".
I really enjoy watching for what comes next.

Barbara from Kansas said...

Thank you for inspiring me to get out my blocks that I made years ago and do something with them. I did the same thing you did and only made the blocks that did not require a template. I will have to go back and count how many I completed. I put all my blocks in a box and stowed it away. Every now and then I pull out the box and look at the blocks and think I should do something with them but then I put them away again. After reading your blog, maybe I will actually do something with them now!

Quiltdivajulie said...

What fun to see those blocks inside the book . . . have fun making these into a quilt top!

Alycia~Quiltygirl said...

Oh how fun!!! I like this theme!!