"THROUGH THE ALPHABET"
A twenty-six month Journey
Dorothy Young, owner, of the yahoo group "A Pocketful of Mysteries" is presenting her Block of the Month quilt series. It began in January 2013, and will continue for the next two years.
"HAYES CORNER" above
The yahoo site for this trip is:
It is not too late to join in. This block and the other six are at the beginners level.
So far I have found the construction of the blocks very simple. I do recommend you start with the first block if you are a beginner. There are simple techniques you will pick up on the journey.
The above are the stops on the trip we've made. As you can see I added a new fabric last month (it is also a paisley). In my opinion it doesn't work. I am going to wait till I get more blocks made before I decide to "frog stitch" the blue. If I decide to use the blue in another block it might work. I did pick the two basic paisleys with the idea I would use the mound of paisleys in my stash.
My friend and I are taking this road trip together. This is the block I made for her this month:
I haven't delivered the last two blocks to her. I wish I could see her others with these.
These will go in the mail tomorrow to join their friends.
HINT: When piecing, I normally say to scant or not to scant. In this block I found no where I would scant. On one of my groups one of the daily discussions was, "How perfect is your quarter inch?". I have a Janome 1/4 inch foot. On my machine it is just about perfect. I would recommend you stitch with dark thread on a light piece of fabric and measure your machine's quarter inch (Even a company's foot made for your machine may not be accurate.)
I do recommend you take into the consideration how heavy the fabric is you are stitching. If it is a heavier fabric, when you fold the fabric over after stitching the seam, your fabric will take up more room changing the ending measurement. Your quarter inch will not be a quarter inch anymore.
In the directions for piecing this block Dorothy mentions this bit of info on the block:
Before women in the US could vote, they had political opinions. Sometimes they expressed their opinions through the quilts they made. The Hayes’s Corner block may have been made by supporters of Rutherford B. Hayes. Hayes was the 19th President of the US. He is remembered for his dedication to educational and social reform.
The block and it's name holds a different significance for me. I make a journey from St. Louis to Denver several times a year by car. I am one of those people who likes fruit cakes and loves the drive across Kansas. My first thought when I saw the name of the block was about Hays, Kansas. I had a fondness for the local area long before I knew I had an internet friend living on the outskirts of Hay's.
My first trip there, I was exhausted and needed gas. Afterwards I grabbed a Mac Donald's hamburger. My idea was to go through the drive-through and get back on the road. Beside the drive- through there was the nicest tree which stopped the intense heat of the day. I decided to stop under that tree and sleep for an hour. The burger (a double cheese burger) was the best I ever had. I thought maybe it was because I was so tired and hungry. But NO, I have had Mac Donald's across the nation. I've eaten the same burger in Connecticut, Florida, California, Colorado and Missouri. I can truly say it was the best. I wonder if it was the Kansas Beef?
Something else in Hayes, Kansas, there is the nicest quilt store. It is about a mile from the interstate on the main drag. I haven't had the time to stop in the last 8 years, but the last time I was there I have never seen such a wonderful stock of Flannels. There was an enormous wall (maybe 20 FT long) with three rows high of flannels. The name escapes me for now..maybe it's "the quilt cottage". Just googled...boy I love the internet. This is the place. So do yourself a favor, if you are in the area and stop in and fondle. (I have no affiliation with the company, just like to share about vendors who are great.)
Since I began driving west the scenery changed and the car I drove changed. I began driving a Maxima which took me 4 fill ups to traverse the country and always put me for a fill up at hays, which is about half way for me. On my last trip in the maxima at my stop at hays I could no longer sit under the tree with lunch. The tree had been removed to make more parking places and improve the drive through. My stops at hays became more infrequent because We inherited my son's brand new CTS while he was deployed with the Navy to Japan. The CTS will make the trip in less than 3 fill ups. It seems to literally drive itself. If I had to recommend a car product which is American made I would recommend Cadillac. (Our DD also had an Escalade for years). Our Son re-took owner ship of his car a year ago and drove it out to Denver to say hello to his grandparents. Then he headed over the mountains to San Diego where he is deployed with the Pacific Fleet protecting our freedoms.
Now I am making the trip in a 12 yr. old Buick. She does super, and makes the trip in 3 fill-ups. She enables me to fill her up with a sewing machine and everything I need for down times while visiting for a week.
The last three years, the landscape on my trip across Kansas is changing. It started with just a few, located on the prairies. This last trip, a month ago, there were thousands. On the news, people are saying they are polluting the look of the prairie. All I can say they are breath taking. It is an awesome sight when you come over the first rise and see your first wind farm. Then you see them lazily going round and think of all the electricity they are producing, saving the air from the pollution of power plants.
The most incongruous site I have seen was an old working wind mill in the shadow of the gigantic new one. Brought a smile to my face. Kansas holds so many hidden sites you can see if you look. On One trip I didn't stop to take a picture. I came over a rise and there spread out for miles were fields of sunflowers, all in bloom. The blossoms were all facing me. I thought, I am in a hurry I don't have the time, It will be here another time. I have never seen it since.
Last, but not least in this travelogue, If you ever make the I70 drive, take a gander at about mile marker 200-201..maybe 202. when you are traveling west, it will be on your right. There is a wonderful perfectly square two story stone house in the middle of the field. The windows are boarded up but it is still standing strong and wishing it had occupants before its barn and out building turn to Kansas dust. Can you tell, I wouldn't mind setting up housekeeping there. It's only draw back is lack of vegetation of the tree variety.
This journey with blocks is taking me on journeys through the corridors of my mind.
While you're on a quilting journey of any kind, please think about possibly reducing your stash and making a quilt top to send to the "Quilt of Valor" group in your area .
Join us in this 2 year journey. There are several hundred friends taking the trip.
The following, are blogs written each month on my journey through the alphabet.
http://gloriouscreations.blogspot.com/2013/07/block-of-month-g-is-for-glory-boxes.html
http://gloriouscreations.blogspot.com/2013/06/block-of-month-f-is-for-friday.html
http://gloriouscreations.blogspot.com/2013/06/block-of-month-f-is-for-friday.html
New Article on my blog:
"A MYSTERY IN THE MAKING"
A mystery quilt designed with the novice in mind
Other blog sites by me:
Where I have stories of my cats and other pets
a blog about my courtship with my husband,
and a blog about my most embarrassing moment.
A "Soap box" blog where I do air my opinions.
blogs about the wildflowers on our farm
Organic methods we use, some cooking and some poetry,
blogs about Seed sprouting, insects, and garden pictures
Blog about an endangered beneficial beetle
New Blog:
All recipes, pictures, and writings are my own.
I give credit for items which belong to other people in my blogs .
Please do not copy without permission
3 comments:
Gloria, thanks for sharing your thoughts an memories with us!
You are so right about the 1/4" seam allowance we quilters use! Whenever you use a new machine or a new foot, you need to check your seam allowance and make adjustments based on the way you sew and the way you press. You can never assume that 1/4" foot is magic! It may be a little wide or a little narrow.
Gloria, your bolcks are so fine and your poems are so fun! Thnk you! Aune from Finland
Thank you Aune, This has been a fun trip for me. I am not drawn to BOMs, this one appealed to me. Having a friend to take the trip with me helps keep me on the road to the finish line. I'm glad you have enjoyed the poems and stories. My internet friends are a wonderful inspiration.
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