Look at that - I've got 18 blocks finished now for the Farmer's Wife Quilt Along! I'm pleased that I'm sticking with this project, given that I'm not usually known for sticking with long term projects. Then again, I've never stuck with a hobby as long as I have sewing and quilting, so I suppose it all makes sense!
It's funny, I tend to find myself attracted to square and rectangle based blocks and quilt patterns, so half the fun of the Farmer's Wife Quilt Along, for me, is stepping outside my comfort zone and working with triangles. But working with 48 of them for two stinking blocks felt a bit overwhelming. When I saw the templates for Block #18, Century of Progress, though, I was a little freaked out. I got lots of nice comments last week about how it was not a scary block, and that all would be well, and I was pleasantly surprised with how well it turned out.
Block #17: Cats & Mice
I had a tough time deciding on fabrics for this block - I just wasn't sure what to add next to my super scrappy FW quilt. Ultimately, I'm pretty happy with how this turned out, and I'm pretty pleased at how the points seem to (mostly) line up throughout the block. Those hourglass sub-blocks are super teeny tiny!
Block #18: Century of Progress
I don't love this block...though I do very much dig the fabrics I used for this one. I'm just not loving the layout of this block - in fact, if I did it again (which I don't think I would), I think I would lay the fabrics out a bit differently. The way the fabrics move through the block just feels off to me - but that could totally be the fabrics I used.
Next week, I'll be tackling two (seemingly) easy blocks, so I'm looking forward to them. And look! Only four triangles! Yay!!!!
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G'mornin'! :D Quick question. I don't have the book so I don't know these FWQAL blocks. On the "Century of Progess" block, do they have the out triangles (the blue pins ones on your block) placed two together then the others apart? If so, I *know* I would feel an imbalance and change them, lol! Otherwise, I really like that block and especially, your fabric choices.
ReplyDeleteS/b outer, and I looked it up. YES, that's madness! Maybe if you give it a quarter turn where the triangles are balanced symmetrically at least? Too funny! Just looks like a piecing error I would have made.
ReplyDeleteLooking good! Way to stick with it. That Century block would be fine if it weren't set on point. It will be find mixed in with everything else.
ReplyDeleteha, my first thought when i saw it was "oh, gorgeous!" but then i read your comments about it... i love the fabric. i think once its in the quilt, it will be beautiful and you won't look at it that hard. :D
ReplyDeleteDarn blogger... What I meant to say was nice job! I have the book but have yet to get started.
ReplyDeleteNice
Awesome title for your post today, Elizabeth. It gave me a good giggle. The blocks look great so the frustration was worth it, right? :)
ReplyDeleteYour blocks look great all together! Good job. I wish I had the patience for this QAL, but I don't - ha!
ReplyDeleteYou sewed the blocks very nice but being from Austria I would never ever do a Swastika Block. Maybe people from Germany or Austria are more sensitive to that issue (and those blocks are ven deleted from some quilting books here)
ReplyDeleteWow! I am so impressed with your persistance with this projects! These blocks intimidate the heck out of me, but yours look so lovely!
ReplyDeleteThe blocks look great. Century of Progress was kind of a weird block for me too, and I thought there was a mistake in the book as to color placement, but maybe not if you were making a whole quilt out of them (what??) and they maybe form a secondary design? I'm still having fun making these blocks, although the tiny pieces can certainly be challenging at time.
ReplyDeleteI think your blocks look great, but I can see what you mean about the color movement. But way to go on piecing that block! Awesome!!
ReplyDeleteFound your blog through Jodi's blog (featuring you today) and thought it was a typo. I read a blog called dontcallmebecky and thought Jodi had typed it wrong. Funny that I was wrong. Love your quilts and I'm signing up to follow you in Google Reader!
ReplyDeleteThose are awesome! I love your fabric choices.
ReplyDeleteOh I love your fabric choices. Our stashes would get along nicely. :)
ReplyDeleteLove that second block. So pretty!
FWIW, Jinny Beyer's block reference has Century of Progress with the same coloration as Farmer's Wife, so I guess that is the "official" block. I agree that it looks a bit odd as is.
ReplyDeleteI did change the Century of progress. You can see it in this post. I went for a more symmetrical look.
ReplyDeletetotally in love with your cats and mice.
ReplyDeleteYour blocks look great! Love the your Cat and Mouse fabrics! And I agree, Century of Progress does have an odd layout. I think I'm going to have to change that on mine.
ReplyDeleteI've got only one thing to say: I wish I had your motivation.
ReplyDeleteI live vacariously through you.
your blocks look great! I am with you, sewing/quilting is by far the longest I've "stuck" with a hobby...agreed on sticking with the QAL, its hard to only make a few blocks at a time some weeks though!
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, the Century of Progress block seems off, but you matched everything up the way it's shown in the book. It would bother me not to have it symmetrical, I'm not sure I could handle it being the "right" way from the book!
ReplyDelete