Criss Cross block exchange

 I told you last week that we're having a Criss Cross block exchange at my Farm Girls quilt group.  We only work on Lori Holt projects because we're such big fans! We walked into the room to this beautiful display! Nancy, our leader, always makes everything so much fun ❤️

Nancy had lovingly chosen all of our blocks and tied a ribbon around each roll with our names written on a cute tag.

One of the girls in our group is an over achiever and she got about 

56 blocks!!! 😂

Here are my blocks all gifted, I love each one of them :)

I went home and put all of my new blocks along with the ones I made, on my design wall in my sewing room.

We also exchanged 12 - 6" blocks, we'll be getting them at our next meeting.  I just have to make 3 more 6" blocks and I'll have enough stars for the picnic quilt setting  from Farm Girl Vintage.

I'm very inspired by Instagram, and am currently working on two QALs. I'll definitely share photos with you soon.  If only life wouldn't get in the way and I could just quilt all day long :)

Criss Cross Star blocks

 I'm making lots and lots of stars!  Criss cross stars that is, from Lori Holt's Scrappiness is Hapiness book. The points don't have to be perfect, the star sort of floats on the square :) 

This is my design wall right now.

I've made both 12" and 6" blocks.

I'm participating in a block exchange with my quilt group, 

Farm Girl Chicks.  We each make and turn in twelve 12" blocks, and we get twelve back. The same with the 6" blocks.

I will be making the picnic quilt layout, found in Lori Holt's 

Farm Girl Vintage book. 

The blocks must all be red, white and blue, not pinks and the points must be all the same color.

I just love block exchanges!  Even if you get an ugly one, it always blends into the quilt and looks beautiful!

I hope to put this quilt together soon :)

Baby Chick quilt

 This is a quilt I have been wanting to make for a long time.  The pattern is found in Lori Holt's book, Farm Girl Vintage.  In the book this quilt has pink borders, but I wanted to make it in blues so that there would be some blue quilts in my grandchildren pile.

Funny story.....I had all the chick's little legs drawn on the fabric with a frixion pen, ready to embroider.  I was going to take the hand embroidery project with me to my son's house but decided to leave it in the car.  It was a hot Phoenix Sumer day.  That evening when I was home, I sat in front of the TV to embroider the chick's legs and the frixion pen had disappeared!!!  The pen markings are supposed to disappear when you iron them and apparently the Phoenix heat works the same magic! LOL!

I have a grandchild in mind for this quilt, but they're in the middle of the 15, so who knows what will happen.

I really enjoyed machine quilting this one, it went very smoothly.

Pretty little swirls like a soft wind in the chicken coop.

Finally, here is the label I made.  I used to hand embroider all my labels but I think a permanent fabric pen does the trick also.

The choosing of the quilts will be on Wednesday, November 24.

I've asked my son to photograph/video the entire thing and edit it to maybe 10 minutes.  I'm so excited for the event!  I've worked really diligently to have 27 quilts for 15 grandchildren to choose  from. My vision is that I will have a trunk show, telling the story about each quilt.  Each child will have a list of all 27 quilts, in alphabetical order.  They can write notes or mark their favorite ones.  Then the oldest (Bridger 16) will choose the quilt.  If they want to see a couple again, we could do that.  They will keep choosing one until everyone is happy, hopefully...

Actually, I'm the one who needs to be happy, lol!  It's been a year and a half to have all these quilts ready for this day.  It has been a labor of love.  I have thought of different grandchildren as I sewed, wondering if a particular one would like the quilt I was sewing at the time.

I'm hoping to be able to share the video here on my blog.

Thanks for following and have a great week!

Scrappy Haystack Sampler quilt

I made the Haystack Sampler quilt from Lori Holt's book, Farm Girl Vintage.  I reduced the size quite a bit, to a large lap quilt approximately 64" X  78".  I made the courthouse steps blocks as leaders and enders, years ago.  I still have a lot left for another project!

I bought this wideback (108" wide) Farm Girl Vintage fabric a couple of years ago and wanted to back this quilt with it.  As I was looking at the fabric, the lamb caught my eye.  I love the Woolly Sheep block in Lori's book and thought of all the animal blocks in the Farm Girl Vintage 2 book.  Since this quilt is going in my "grandchildren pile", wouldn't it be cute if I put more animal blocks in the quilt!

I made the cute woolly sheep block, he's one of my favorites!

I made this goat and chick which I think are both adorable!  I've wanted to make them since the book came out!  

I'm going to unstitch the two star blocks on the bottom row of the quilt and add these two instead.  That way they can keep Penny Pig and the other baby chick company and will delight one of the grandchildren :)

Have a great week ❤️

Farmhouse Lane quilt, under construction

If you have been following along on my blog, you know that we are moving, a half mile down the street, twice!

We are moving in with our son and his family this week.

Our new home build will be finished the middle of September.

We moved to Arizona a year ago, I met my friend Nedra, 

and joined Farm Girl Chicks.

At our Farm Girl Chicks quilt group, we can only work on Lori Holt projects, that's the rule!

I began my work on Farmhouse Lane, the quilt pictured below.

Here's my stack of "welcome" blocks.

I seem to only be able to sew two of these per meeting.

Between sharing time, laughing and lunch, just two blocks :)

Last meeting, I didn't go out for lunch and was able to sew four!

I have 14 blocks made, only 2 more to go.

Before I attended my first Farm Girl Chicks meeting, I cut all of my blocks out and labeled them, clipped them with a clover clip and tucked them into a ziplock bag.

Each clip holds a "welcome" block in one bag and the background squares with another clip in the other bag.

I have two left and plan to finish them tomorrow at my meeting, 

on my birthday :)

Each of these ziplock bags represents a farmhouse.

I've made 5 and have 4 to go.

Unfortunately, the other farmhouses are packed...

Lots of people ask me how long it takes to sew a quilt.

I've never calculated, but I know it takes hundreds of hours!

According to my calculations, if you sew two blocks every two weeks, it will take a year and a half to finish this quilt.

Have a great week :)

Farm Girl Vintage Sampler quilt top finished!

Eeeek!!!  

It's taken 2 years, but I finally finished my quilt top!

48 - 6 l/2" blocks, plus the 4 in the corners = 52!

 Here is a closeup of the blocks that I put in the corners.

It's going to take me a while to find the time to quilt this beauty, hopefully I can get it done before the second week in July :)

Farm Girl Sampler quilt part 5

Well, my Farm Girl Vintage sampler quilt is almost finished.

Here are all 48 of the 6 l/2" blocks, stacked in a pile.

It doesn't look like much, but as you know, it represents a lot of time, and thread!

I like this placement of the blocks.
I've sort of placed them by theme, according to how my mind works....
The cherry pie is beside the canning jars, the mixing bowls are beside the milking can and the cow, the chicken is by the barn and the barn cat, the farmhouse is by the American flag and watermelon, and the honey bee is by the zinnia flower.  
You get the idea, lol!
Other than that, the blocks are randomly placed, according to color.

I took a black and white photo to make sure the color values were even, and I think they are.

Progress, I sewed the blocks together with the sashing.

I'm auditioning fabric for the outside border.
I was going to use the polka dot, but I like the checked fabric better.
I like how it's offset.

I've got these fabrics that may work for the border too.

I love the yellow!

I'm using these stars in the outside corners of the quilt.
I chose the sayings especially for Kennedy. 
Kennedy is my 9 year old grand daughter, and I'm making this quilt for her 10th birthday.
Ssssshhhhhh, don't tell her!

I sent the photos of the borders to my daughter, and she said that Kennedy would like this one the best!
I'll show you the finished quilt top next week....
Thanks for your patience and stay tuned!

Farm Girl Sampler quilt part 4

This is the last of my 6" blocks that make up my Farm Girl Sampler quilt.

This little apple core block is from Lori Holt's book "Quilty Fun".

I love it and had to add it to my sampler quilt :)

Egg Basket block

Sunny Sunflower block

Zinnia block

Homemade Pie

(mine's cherry, my husband's favorite)

Tumbleweed block

Crops block

Gingham block

Canning Season block

Grandma's Quilt block

Old Red Barn block

Feed and Seed block

I can hardly wait to sew these fun blocks together!

Farm Girl Sampler quilt part 3

I'm still working on my Farm Girl Sampler quilt and want to show you all the little 6" blocks that I've made.

Summer Star block

Baking Day block

Cold Watermelon block

Mama Hen block

(I made a quilt out of these hens, really cute!)

You can see it here!

Postage Stamp block

Woolly Sheep block

Fresh Pears block

Milking Day block

 Farm Fresh Flower block

Milk Cow block

Sunday Morning block

Old Glory block

Corn and Tomatoes block

Autumn Star block

Furrows block

Pinwheels block

Not only are all the blocks cute, but Lori Holt even makes their names cute, lol!

I hope you've enjoyed my block parade :)