Monday, September 20, 2010

The Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt - 1

When I initially saw the two Civil War quilt books, I was intrigued, but thought I had plenty to do already - so I didn't buy them.  Then I saw this one, published in 2009, and HAD to have it.  It's called The Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt, and has 111 different 6" blocks.  What's different (or new) for me is the fact that the blocks are made with templates.  I really was put off by the templates - until I discovered that one of the members of the quilt-along-group on the Quilters' Message Board is going to the trouble to write out cutting directions and sizes for each block.  There are many blocks where we'll be able to use her rotary cutting directions instead of the templates.

The original quilt featured in the books is made with subdued fabrics that were contemporary to the early 1920s - subdued darks and lights with plenty of florals.  In creating my blocks, I decided to make it scrappy - and am doing my upmost best to draw primarily from my scrap box. 

Here are the first 11 blocks, all of which I finished this past weekend while Don was tuna fishing.


Block 1 - Attic Windows


Block 2 - Autumn Tints


Block 3 - Basket


Block 4 - Basket Weave

Block 5 - Bat Wing


Block 6 - Big Dipper


Block 7 - Birds in the Air


Block 8 - Bouquet


Block 9 - Box


Block 10 - Bowtie


Block 11 - Broken Dishes
(For Broken Dishes, the pattern called for only 2 colors - light and dark.  However, I had some HSTs that I needed to use up, hence the multi-colored block.)

Blocks for Don's Quilt

In my "Bee Obsessed" Flickr group, I had the month of September.  I decided that I would have the gals make blocks to go with the ones I'd already made for Don's "manly" quilt.  So I told them to use all shades of brown - and here are some I've received so far:



1st block from jgmehlin



2nd block from jgmehlin



1st block from RuthieQuilts


2nd block from RuthieQuilts

1st block from MarilynKB


2nd block from MarilynKB

1st block from CA Sharp


2nd block from CA Sharp


I think the first 6 will go perfectly with all the other ones I've made so far.  The 2 from CA Sharp will actually go better with the blocks I've been getting related to the outdoors theme.  They're all just lovely - and there will be more to come!