Learning a New Skill

The book, fabrics scraps and the templates I made to start this new project.

Our local quilt shop, Kathie's Quilt Shoppe, has a new sewing group........The Farmer's Wife group, it"s a chance for anyone that has been wanting to make the blocks in 'The Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt' by Laurie Aaron Hird to finally get started!  Today was the first day we met, we will meet monthly for at least the next three months.   The neat thing is that we have all chosen to hand-piece this quilt, it's a lot of prep work, but I think I will really enjoy the process, it certainly will give me a whole new appreciation for antique quilts.  For those of you that aren't familiar with the book, it contains patterns for 111 pieced blocks inspired by letters written by "farmer's wives" in the 1920s when asked:  "If you had a daughter of marriageable age, would you, in the light of your own experience, want her to marry a farmer?" 

Besides learning a new skill I plan on making this a true scrappy quilt by picking fabric from my stash, this is just one of several baskets full of scrap fabric....................

Another exciting happening........the above mentioned quilt shop is one of the shops in the Better Homes and Gardens Quilt Sampler 'Ultimate Shop Hop" Edition for Spring/Summer 2012.  It's exciting to see the shop that I frequent often (dangerously close to my home) featured in a magazine.  If you are ever in Southern Maine be sure to stop in, let me know and I would be happy to meet you!

If blogger cooperates........I plan on posting more of the things I have been working on since my last post in early April, very soon, I promise!!