Farmer's Wife 1930's Quilt-Along

Good Morning Lovies,

It's Thursday (not Monday), so what else could I possibly write about that can't be covered on Monday's.  My newest project! I am doing a sew-along, rather quilt-along with the Farmer's Wife 1930 Quilt-Along Facebook group, you can find out more information here.  Each week the Angie, the administrator of the Facebook group and hostess of this quilt-along, from Gnome Angel chooses two block from the book, "The Farmers Wife 1930's Sampler Quilt" by Laurie Aaron Hird, for us to complete that week.  I will be posting about my experiences, pictures of my blocks, and my thoughts about the corresponding letters shared in the book for each block.  FYI:  I will be using Hashtag: #FQS1930FarmersWife and #FW1930 with the name of the block at the end, we will all be using those two.  I will also be using #WhimsicalFW1930 for my own pictures and posts about my blocks.

Each block in the book is attached to a letter that was written by guess who?  Yep, a farmers wife back in the 1930's.  How did I end up in this my very first quilt-along?  Well, my dear husband took me to a quilt shop during our anniversary trip in Tennessee.  While I was walking around drooling over everything and packing my basket full of little goodies, he was spotting a few things too.  He actually suggested two very good products for me, this book was one of them.  He was standing there reading it as I was oooh'g and ahhhh'g (yep, those are words, well they are now) over some quilts.  He then suggested I buy it because he thought I would enjoy the letters too.  He was right.  I read a few of them before the quilt-along started.  I did enjoy therm, but I decided not to read the whole book right then.  I wanted to be able to read the letters right before I start sewing each block.  I think that way I will feel more connected to the block and the writer of each letter.  Besides, I can use the 1920's one if I really need some letters to read.  Somewhere I spotted the sew-along starting on the Facebook group here.  I immediately signed up since we had bought the book.  Weeks later I discovered that the book I had was actually the 1920's version.  After examining our budget I went ahead and ordered the 1930's version.  I will probably be sewing with both of them.  The sew-along will last a year, but it's not a race.  Although two blocks are chosen a week everyone is expected to move at their own pace.  But, I want to keep up so I can make sure I will have one ready to quilt and enjoy in a year.

Some of it will be machine paper piecing, some hand paper piecing, and some machine sewn with measured blocks, maybe even hand sewn with measured blocks.  But it will be done!  I will be hand stitching because during those nice enjoyable car rides and to take a break from studying.

So, now that you are aware what the Quilty Thursdays will focus on (may also include some other quilting projects that pop up) I present to you my first 3 blocks from the sew-along.  After seeing these and where I was going with fabric choices I decided my quilt and the process with it will be dubbed "Whimsical FW 1930".  So when you see my post with that hashtag you'll know what it's about (and uh, so will I, lol).

These are my fabric choices.  I may add to them as the humor strikes me.  But for now this is what I have.  Of course the goal was to always to take the time to make a quilt for myself.  I always wanted a black and white one with red accents, that's why I had all those fat quarters stored away.  I was going to use the Day and Night quilt block, one of my favorites (churndash being my all time favorite, yep, I'm old fashion).   But decided to try that color scheme for this quilt.  My next farmer's quilt I will use older type print fabric.

These 4 were added to the stash later:

 The new blocks will be posted on these days each week

This is what happens when mosquito's invade your photo shoot.  Ugh, now I have to wash that one again.

 And nowwwwwww, my blocks (I bet you scrolled passed the other pictures didn't you? LOL, it's okay, shhhhh I would have too.  Now go back and check out the other pictures).

Block 16 Bonnie - Now I notice, it's not quite right, lol.
 I'll redo it later. 

Block 12 Becky

Block 8 Aunt

I'll see you Monday for Mystery Meat!  This is a quick one pot bake I just made up as I walked back and forward to the pantry and the freezer, lol.  It was yummy!

Love and Shimmies,

Oop-oop-a-doop fun day out

Oop-oop-a-doop fun day out by stephsgotit featuring red dial watches

The Absentee Blogger, a Monday Madness.

Hello Hon,

May apology for being absent this past month.  It has just really been a hard month.  There we so many bad memories, new awful memories and deaths of people you care for, added to my own blues for this time of year...I just didn't have the strength to post or to take the required time to photograph and write for a post or recorded an video (truth is I thought I may break into uncontrollable sobs if I'd tried).  I didn't have the words to speak on what I wanted to talk about and no desire to really speak on nothing else.  I was in quite a funk!  I was mourning old loss combined with new loss (not DIRECTLY but still a valuable part of my life).  I still don't fell ready to cover it but I think I need to address it and let go of the feelings I have on this subject.  Ummm, next week, sigh, today still too fresh today.

I also have a review coming up on the classes available through Craftsy (if you don't know what that is I will explain in more details in coming weeks.  But basically it's an online site where you can not only purchase patterns for various things, it's also a great resource for learning.  You may also purchase classes from them.  This is the service that I will be reviewing in coming weeks, super convenient).  But for today I will just share with you how to sell patterns and make a little change if you have been creating your own patterns (or as I, plan to do so when you have a little more experience).  I have many classes with them so I will be reviewing my experiences with them from time to time.  I will do one of the reviews this month and the next maybe 2 months after that one, unless otherwise requested.  As far was what I am sewing this month.  I plan to do a pattern review with the awesome fabric I bought last month from my co-op fabric group.  I am supper e excited, I have wanted to make this outfit for a while now, I was just waiting to find the perfect fabric.  I will do the pattern review and probably add pictures of the process, maybe step by step also.  Or I may just do the pattern review and them a video of the step by step.  Ummm, which one would you like to see?

How to Add & Sell a Pattern on Craftsy
(This post contains affiliate links which means I will be compensated if you purchase after clicking these links.)

In addition to wonderful online courses and craft supplies, Craftsy also has an independent online pattern store that lets anyone upload and sell downloadable e-patterns with no fee!

How do you add a pattern to Craftsy and start your pattern store? It’s easy!

1. Make sure you have a Paypal account. All pattern transactions happen through Paypal, and Craftsy requires that you have a Student, Premier, or Business account in order to sell patterns.
2. Put your pattern in .pdf format. You can’t upload any patterns to the online pattern store unless they’re a .pdf file format, so if they’re currently saved as a Word doc, .jpg, or other file format, you must convert it to a .pdf before you upload it to Craftsy.
3. Include a photo. All patterns must have at least one photo to accompany them, but you can add up to five photos. Colorful, interesting photos tend to work the best for catching our members’ eyes!
4. Fill out the pattern description. We will ask you some basic questions around your pattern making it easier for Craftsy folk to find your pattern and know what your pattern is for. Make sure you have info about your pattern handy for this step.

For more information on how to sell a pattern through Craftsy, or to get started, visit Craftsy today!

Love and Shimmies,

P.S. This is another new love, making earrings, pendants and such! Oop-oop-a-doop!