Chipper Piecemaking: Happy New Year!

Happy New Year Everyone!

I surprised myself yesterday by completing 2 Patriots in Petticoats blocks and they were definately the most challenging from a "matching the pattern" perspective. When I was growing up, my Mom made all of my clothes. She could sew anything and match the plaids with absolute perfection! I kept one of my jackets for my daughters to wear and treasure. I hope my Mom would be proud of these two blocks. I cut and pieced each one to match the patterns as they came together. In block 13, I lacked an inch in the width of the red fabric to make the center square match the rest of the reds. Oh well, the rest of the reds match, as do the green flowers. In block 14 the background and the green branches all move in the same direction. It is more pleasing to the eyes when the patterns flow in a balanced manner.

Block 13 honors Phillis Wheatley the Poet. She was kidnapped in 1763 from West Africa and purchased in Boston by John Wheatley. His wife and daughter encouraged her education and she published her first book of poems in 1774.

Block 14 honors the bravery and courage of Betty Zane. When Fort Henry was under attack from American Indians (allies of the British), she courageously walked out of the fort to retrieve supplies, as in gunpowder and bullets. The opposing forces were surprised to see a woman and let her leave and return to the fort. Because of her bravery they defeated the Indians. What a gutsy woman!! My Dad owns many Zane Grey western novels. I was surprised to learn that Betty was one of his descendents and he wrote a novel about her. I'm going to ask him if he has read about Betty Zane.

While our family was visiting Davis Merchantile in Shipshewanna, Indiana, I had to pop into Lolly's Fabrics and just dream. I was captivated by a quilt hanging on the wall called Star Trip by Jane Martin. Lolly's had it done in Kansas Troubles Favorites collection and I was captivated by the colors and the simplicity of the pattern.

You know when you just want to sit down and make something beautiful and love every second you are working. You have some great music on while you are working from your machine to your iron and you are humming the whole time...

Now, I love a crisp-looking batik quilt with a flannel backing and swirly quilting... Since Hannah was with me, I looked at her and said, "Could we make that quilt out of 12 batiks...would you help me pick them out?" She just grinned and said "Where do you want to start?" The blues and greens were pretty easy, but we were slightly stuck when it came to the golds/rusts I wanted. A very kind Shop Assistant jumped in to offer suggestions and we were at the counter in no time. From my picture the yellow star fabric is too light, but the multi-color overlapping it, is my border. Don't you just love them :) I am yearning to start this, but I'm trying to delay until I finsh the Patriot In Petticoat Quilt. My goal is to finish Patriots by the end of February and I still hope to make that deadline.