Block #20 - 1930 Farmer's Wife QAL

The block was released on Thursday, two days after I had spend the morning playing catch-up.  So I was a little peeved and thought about waiting until the next one was announced so I could do two at a time.  But the current block was #20 - Caroline. Looking at the block I knew it was HST (half square triangles) and didn't want to do it as FPP (foundation paper piecing).  

Let me stop and interject here - this is not a book a complete newbie could pick up and figure out.  There are no 'step-by-step' instructions. I consider myself an intermediate quilter, but I am glad I am in this QAL for the tutorials.  I looked at the first couple and they weren't going about it the way I thought I wanted to do it - HST's.  Then I looked at Jess of The Elven Garden tutorial.  She constructed this using HST's.  And boy, did I learn a few things!

• This block reinforced the premise there is no quilt police coming after me if I don't do it a certain way.  There are alternate methods on each block (at least up to this point).
• I can press seams open!
• Jess showed me how to line up the seams so the points come out sooooooo good.
• As the leaders have said from the very start, this quilt is a learning process.  I can't wait to see what tips I pick up on the rest of the blocks.

There is still a bit of work on the points, but, boy, it's so much closer than it would have been if I had done it my usual way.  Plus, I probably wouldn't have figured out the big blocks are QST (Quarter Square Triangles) rather than HST.

Once I got my measurements figured out for the blocks, with Jess' help "Caroline" was a breeze!  I can't wait to see what I learn next. 

Farmer's Wife 1930 QAL - Week 2

This week I am playing catch-up.  With sewing for the Big Read (and life in general) I only got one of the 3 blocks completed.  Well, actually, since I am doing 2 of each block, I got 2 out of 6 done.  So today I ignored housework in order to get caught up.

I am still amazed at what a difference fabric selection makes.  Same blocks, different styles and colors make it a totally different quilt.

Some of the things I am learning and liking or not liking so far...

• Going to have to figure out getting the printer to print out correctly.  Right now I am having to 'guess' at some of the sizes of the block pieces. Don't think the directions are the best in the world or all that clear.  I would not like to be a beginner and not have this group to fall back on. I don't understand on some of the blocks why we were suppose to cut out triangles and deal with bias edges rather than making HST.  But then, that's me.
• My points are becoming a bit better, even when I feel like I am guessing at the size of the pieces.
• It takes almost as long to figure out what fabrics I want in each block as it does to make the block.  I am also finding myself paying more attention to the direction of the design and how it flows in the various directions.
• Pressing seams...I can tell there is going to be issues further down the line.  With some of the blocks and how intricate they are, pressing is going to be important.

With four blocks down, there are only 95 more to go.  I hope I am as pleased with the last four as I am with the first four.  Now, onto pj pants for Texter!

1930's Farmer's Wife QAL - First Block

So it's started.  The 1930's Farmer's Wife QAL.  And this is the first block.  They are starting us off easy so even beginning quilters can grow their skills.  Me, I'm the crazy one and doing it in two different styles of fabrics.

This block is done in more 'traditional' fabrics and I foundation paper pieced it.  Only to realize my 'inch' scale on all the 99 blocks I copied off is just a hair off.  Hmmmmm.....  So either I am going to have to deal and realize my blocks will be 5.5 inches finished or I am going to have to reprint all the pages as I go along.  Decisions, decisions.

But I think my favorite is going to be my black and white version.  Not only is it sharp looking (to me, at least), but if you look at the black with the stars - where the two blocks come together - I cut completely by accident and it pieced as a whole star. But what a difference fabric choice makes.

Overall, I am really pleased with how this block turned out.  They are now safely in their little protective sleeve and I will do the second block for the week today.  It's also fairly straight forward with regard to being squares and rectangles, so I will probably cut my fabrics the 'true' size.  Or maybe do FPP on the traditional fabric and correct size on the black and white one.  Interesting, isn't it.

Farmer's Wife 1930's QAL

I have joined a QAL starting on the 28th of this month.  There are several different ways to do the 99 blocks for this quilt, using templates, paper piecing, hand piecing, etc.  One of the reasons I want to do this quilt is the chance to practice some more complicated techniques and to practice my paper piecing skills.

A lot of the participants are using reproduction fabrics and being true to the time period and look.  I'm not really a reproduction fabric lover, so I am going a different route.  I have also signed a pledge not to start until the 28th in order to be in for a possible giveaway win.  But I have my patterns copied, my book I had spiral bound in order to use it better and I have my fabrics selected for my quilts.

Yes, quilts!  Why do anything the easy way?

I have been wanting to do a black and white quilt and selected these from my stash.  Black and white with a pop of red on the blocks for color.  I do have a bit of black/cream in there I will have to weed out unless the piece can be done on the black part of the fabric.  Texter already has her eye on this one.

The second one I am going to do is also pulling from my stash.  I have this layer cake and charm pack I need to do something with.

I figure it won't be hard to find other fabrics to fill in with these colors if needed.  

The background I am going to use on the black/white/red will probably be various light grey.  I will see what I finally use for the French General lines.

But I am really excited and figure with the quilt being spaced out over several months, I should be able to do the two quilts.  We will see.  In the meantime, back to watching Longmire and crocheting on Sophie's Universe.