Swedish Quilt ... coming along nicely :)

As hot as it is in London ... and it is! And with dear niece and fiancé visiting, I haven't had bags of time this week to crack on making this quilt but I'm getting there. I still have to cut and attach all the 2.5" sashing and decide on a final layout but I'm confident I will have it all done by my deadline of the 10th August. I'm not sure yet about the layout - same colour rows or rows of alternate colours? Blocks all facing the same way or mixed up? Hmmm:

As I visited Lee's blog to link up, I read about her feelings about her Farmer's Wife Quilt - I'm also 'stuck' with mine. I was a frenzied FWQ block maker last year (I started mine in October) making 6 blocks a week but then the unmade blocks got harder to make and I was making other quilts and Pants Bags so, bless, it just got abandoned.

I laid them all out tonight (not in any particular order): 

You know, I really want to finish this this year so am setting myself a little goal - a block a fortnight until I have enough (I never intended to do them all). I know I can do it :)

Linking up with Lee @ Freshly Pieced WIP Wednesday.

Farmer's Wife Fabby Friday (6)

Am I late or early? Well, I didn't get any blocks made last week :( but I have finished this week's a day early :) and it's Friday somewhere in the world!! Happy Friday, Australia!

These 6 little beauties came together quite quickly this week, though they still are a bit fiddly and you really must keep looking at the picture in the book as you sew all the pieces together - its so easy to assume you know the position and then you crack on under your own speed ... Oops, thank goodness for a seam ripper, hey?!

So, here are my latest 6 blocks (now up to 36 ... yay!) #4 Basket Weave - got to be the easiest block in the book and it still went skewiff - look at the 'wonkiness' of the top left square - oh well,  one saying I'll definitely take from making this quilt - 'it's good enough': 

#5 Bat Wing:

#9 Box:

#15 Buzzard's Roost:

#23 Country Farm:

#29 Economy:

 And all 6:

I think my favourite this week is #23 ... what's yours?

Farmer's Wife Fabby Friday (5)

I'm so happy I got my 6 blocks done this week (even if a day late - though, who's counting?) so I'm now at 30 ... only 20 to go if I stick to my original plan. I'm still enjoying making them but these little blocks with all the tiny pieces are very time consuming - don't you think? 

First up #72 Railroad:

#81 Snowball:

#98 Waterwheel:

#102 Whirlpool:

#103 Whirlwind:

#108 Windmill:

And all 6:

I also finished Marisa's quilt back, the label and binding so with DH's help, we'll be basting after church tomorrow then I'll be quilting it in the afternoon ... yay!!

Hope you've had a good day too :)

Farmers Wife Fabby Friday (4)

Or not so fabby this week ... grrrrrrrr! Block #47 (Homemaker) was on my list of 6 blocks to make this week and I just could NOT do the 'y' seam. I have sewn one before but this feels somewhat different - almost like there's an extra seam in there ... anyway, it was beyond my limited sewing skills so I put it to one side (for now) and found a substitute :) Here are my 6 blocks this week (which takes me to 24):

First up, #31 Evening Star

#40 Friendship Block

#56 Maple Leaf

#58 Mother's Dream

#71 Puss in the Corner

#109 Windows

And all 6:

And Nell ... double grrrrrrrr - like she couldn't have sat off my blocks?

Do you have a favourite this week? 

Farmers Wife #47 ... HELP!!

I have googled and flickrd without success ... can anyone help me with how I should sew the 'y' seams in this block (#47 Homemaker)?

I really don't want to unpick anymore nor do I want to give up on it - it's such a pretty block:

Thank you :)

Farmer's Wife Fabby Friday (3)

Okay, you've got me, it's Saturday but it doesn't really matter, hey? 

Here are this week's six blocks - better late than never - that takes me up to 18 ... and they're not necessarily getting easier although I am learning as I go along. For example, if I square up the triangle pieces to match in size the square pieces before sewing them together, my seams match much better. Also, if I can get away with making some of the outside pieces a little bit bigger than the template, they're more likely to finish at an even 7" block.

So, here they are - I'm still sticking to pink, green and white scraps (with a little bit from my stash) i.e. no new fabrics.

#41 Friendship Star

#55 Linoleum

#61 Northern Lights

#69 Practical Orchard

#74 Ribbons

#94 Tall Pine Tree

And all 6 - do you have a favourite this week?

Farmer's Wife Fabby Friday (2)

Welcome to my second week of Farmer's Wife blocks - I now have 12 ... yay!

Before I intoduce you to these little sweeties, let me share a heart-warming story about a real Farmer's Wife, Janet Howes, who passed away after 33 years of married life.

The story tells you about her husband Winston, now aged 70, who spent a week planting a meadow of oak saplings after his wife of 33 years Janet died suddenly 17 years ago. I'm warning you now ... grab a tissue!

The giant heart formed with 6000 oak trees which Winston Howes planted in memory of his late wife Janet. Photo: Andy Collett / SWNS.com

Isn't love grand? I was Google searching and just came across it - just HAD to share it with you all:)

If you have recovered, please feast your eyes on this week's six blocks. So far, I'm hitting my mini-target and am still enjoying making these cute little blocks, even though a couple were a bit tricky this week.

First up, #8 Bouquet:

#16 Calico Puzzle:

The next one was a little tricky - 25 separate pieces and, despite my utmost concentration, it was only after I had pressed and trimmed, that I realised that I hadn't placed the flower blocks on diagonal sides ... oh well, never mind, I still like it!

#19 Checkerboard:

#21 Contrary Wife. Ha, that's soooooooo me:

#30 End of Day:

#54 Kitchen Woodbox

And all six together:

Do you have a favourite this week?

CLICK HERE TO SEE LAST
WEEK'S 6 FWQ BLOCKS:

Let the seams decide ...

I've been working on my Farmer's Wife Quilt and some cushions for my nephew over the last couple of days and I was struck by how those lovely little 1/4" seams 'talk' to you. If you turn the block over, place it near to your iron and just wait ... be patient now ... wait a little ... there you go, they will tell you whether they want to be pressed open, all to the left / right or with a bit of everything: 

Try it. See what I mean?? Or is it just a little Glinda madness ... :)

Whilst you're pondering on that, please please please go and visit my very good quilting friend, Tonya of Crazy Mimi Quilts and take part in her first ever giveaway ... tell  her I sent you and the best of luck to you all!

Farmer's Wife Fabby Friday :)

Six blocks to share with you and I have had lots of fun today :) I re-did the two 'test run' blocks and they came up a perfect 7" as did the next four ... YAY!! After much um-ing and agh-ing over what fabrics to choose, I have decided on a mixture of scraps and existing stash - pinks, whites and greens :)

#1 Attic Windows:

#2 Autumn Tints:

#6 Big Dipper:

#10 Bowtie:

#12 Broken Sugar Bowl:

#14 Butterfly at the Crossroads:

And all 6, which is your favourite?

Come back next Friday to see the next six :D