Farm Girl Vintage - show n tell

I'm getting my act together! I've got some homework show n tell today and if things go as planned, I'll get it all posted in the next couple of days.

The book we're using is Farm Girl Vintage by Lori Holt of A Bee in My Bonnet.

Farm Girl Vintage by Lori Holt

As I've mentioned in the past, there are two sizes for each block. Either 6 inches finished or 12 inches finished. All are cute, but personally, I think the 6" are just the cutest things.

I think almost everyone is making all the blocks and some are making both the big and the small. Some are making the extra blocks (available for purchase at Fat Quarter Shop) as well. (I notice that Lori has designed a line of fabric called Farm Girl Vintage - shipping in December 2018 and there's a quilt you can buy a quilt for). It's totally crazy - we're all hooked on Farm Girl Vintage and this is the second time I'm doing this book as a class. I LOVE it. I'm happy with my fabric choice as well. And the best part? I'm caught up!  I even have the next set of blocks cut out and ready to sew.

Now here's the thing about this quilt. We're each designing our own quilts. Some might make the quilt on the front of the book or one of the other quilts in the book, but many are well on their way to getting their own thing done which is going to make the reveal that much more exciting. I'm always checking in on the gang to see how they are making out. But Lynne asked me point blank at the last class - how was my quilt design coming along. Yikes - BUSTED!!  While I had a couple of ideas in mind - why would you make one when you can make two - I wasn't able to answer her question. So I sat down when I got home and I think I know what I'm going to do. Three quilts and that should use up all the blocks and ALL the fabrics.

Let's sit back and enjoy the show..................

Neither of these first two blocks is in the book. The cow is an extra block that you can purchase at Fat Quarter Shop and the second one is my pattern which I provided to the group. There is a block called Old Glory in the book which is an American flag. I didn't think the group wanted to do an American flag, so I gave them some options for a Canadian flag. I have to say that I was very impressed with the group. I gave them the cutting instructions from EQ8 and no one asked for more instructions. They're a very good group!!!

Canadian flag block and the cow

There are a couple of big blocks at the end of the book - two different styles of barns and a tractor. Here's the silo barn block.

Silo barn block - notice the orange caps!!!

This person (sorry - I remember some of the names, but others I don't so I won't include any) is making all the blocks in big and little. And the fabrics are positioned in the exact same spot. I love it!!!  Here's the Canadian flag block.

Big and little of the Canadian flag

Big and little - notice the fabrics are in the SAME position

Big and little of the leaf block

Big and little of the cherry block

This next group of blocks is in a fabulous colorway - purple and green. I love those two colors together. The blocks are the large ones.

Churn dash or is that hole in the barn door? 

Swirly star

Dimensional looking block

Another star

Then we have the BRIGHT version of this quilt. This quilt is going to be awesome.

Bright blocks

 Then there is the rebel. She's taking some of the blocks from the book, modifying them (or not) and making up something completely different. There are two of each style of sunflowers (notice the leaves are in opposite positions).

Big sunflower blocks

Another set of small blocks that are bright. This shows the five blocks that were assigned for the homework. No one is required to make a particular block if they don't want/need it for their quilt.

The five blocks that were assigned in the homework

Some people are making some of their blocks big and some of their blocks small and will incorporate them into the same quilt.

Big and small of two different blocks

Two different blocks were put together to get the big sunflower.

Sunflower using TWO big blocks

I had to laugh when I saw this block. Raise your hand if you have that center fabric in your stash.  I must have bought yards and yards of that stuff. Even after using it for several quilt backs, I think I still have some left.

Big block

A big block of cherries

Big maple leaf

I love how some people got creative and made their own thing from the blocks. This is the style of the Old Glory block, but they did it in red/white to give it a Canadian twist. Nicely done!!!

Canadian colors on the US flag block

I mentioned that there were several large blocks - two barns and a tractor. Here's the tractor block. My tractor block is made as well. I didn't take a picture of it. I'll get it for next time.

Tractor block

More small blocks

Lots and lots of dots!!!!

And here are my blocks for that month. I got all five of them done including a prototype for the Canadian flag. I didn't like this version, but it was all I could manage for the class. I also got my postage stamp block (lower right) completed and took it in for show n tell as well. UP TO DATE!!!  I'm pretty happy about that. That's my goal for this year - do NOT get behind.

My blocks

I modified the Canadian flag block so it looks like this. Originally I had the red coming all the way down the sides, but that didn't look right to me, so I switched it up a bit and everyone wanted the leaf on point, so they got the leaf on point. The class asks - I deliver!!!

Canada flag block

Here's the next set of homework blocks.

Homework for this month

These blocks just make me happy. They're all fun, but boy it's a challenge to work with a very limited collection of fabric. I'm only using Farm Fun (by Moda). This set of blocks, we have to make a pumpkin. There are 30 different squares of orange in the pumpkin. What to do? what to do? I only had one orange, but after a search on the internet, I realized that there was a second orange and I didn't have that in my FQ bundle. So I took the one orange which thankfully was a directional print and I rotated every second block to get my pumpkin. So when someone asks - why would you take fabric, cut it into squares and then sew it back together? You get something different - that's what!!!!

My pieced pumpkin

 But the question that Lynn had asked about my quilts made me do a search on the internet for this fabric. I only have a FQ bundle, but nothing for borders or bindings. Yikes - the collection is a couple of years old and I had to search and search, but I think I found what I need. And I did buy a FQ of that missing orange. Thanks, Lynne for the kick in the pants or I would have missed the boat on that one.

I have a couple of links to share with you today - only because of the time issue of the links.

The first one is QUILTsocial. Today is the last day of my week for posting. You MUST check out the link and you can see that I've totally lost my mind. You'll see that at the end of the post with what I made. I think I forgot to put the link in yesterday so if you haven't had a chance to catch them, here are the links.

QUILTsocial - Monday cool features on a sewing machine

QUILTsocial - Tuesday debunking some binding myths (read the comments on this one as well)

QUILTsocial - Wednesday essential tips for machine quilting

QUILTsocial - Thursday quilting a machine embroidered wall hanging

QUILTsocial - Friday - quilting a hand embroidered wall hanging


There are a couple of quilt shows this weekend. I totally forgot to put the links up earlier this week.

Quilt Canada - Vancouver - May 31 - June 2  - If you can't make it, at least check out the winning quilts on the webpage. I'm happy to report that Amina (a youth member of our West End Modern Quilt Guild) - won the youth challenge in her age category.  Congrats Amina!!!!!  (her quilt is called Starry Adventure - #44)

Sarnia Quilters Guild - June 1 and June 2. The show is in Point Edward, Ontario

Blue Water Quilters' Guild  - June 1 and June 2. The show is in Owen Sound, Ontario

Fibreworks 12  - June 2 - 16. The show is in Toronto, Ontario   - a couple of students in the Farm Girl class have pieces in this show.

Hamilton Quilters Guild - June 1 and June 2. The show is in Ancaster, Ontario (I'm going tomorrow to that show).

Smokey Hollow Studio Tour - June 2 and June 3. The studio tour is in Waterdown, Ontario.


I'm sure there are others, but that's all I have information for at the moment.

Phew - it's going to be a busy weekend. But before the weekend comes, I've got a ton of stuff to do today. You know how it goes - I think of things to do, e-mails to answer or write when I'm not at the computer or I don't have my book in my hand. So I sat down this morning and hopefully wrote it all out. Busy!!!!  And that magazine quilt is on the long arm and ready to be quilted this morning after I finish editing that pattern that I was writing.

On that note - have a super day!!!!!


Ciao!!!!