Grandmothers Choice #5: New Jersey

After last week's killer block (Kansas Sunflower), I think quite a few of the BOW participants were nervous about this week's block candidate...  I know I was!   Usually, I'm sitting at the computer... refreshing the screen... waiting for Ms Brackman's post....  but not this time.   

I kinda tiptoed into Blogger for a peek....  *great big sigh of relief*   ...it was an easier block!

I'm having enough of a challenge with the two different fabric genres... one large print and the other 1930s prints....

....so I'm experimenting as I go along.  

I'm still a bit nervous about the block posting this coming Saturday...  once bitten, twice shy...

Grandmother's Choice: Block 2

Block #2 is "Amethyst"...  which has the pesky Y-seams!    But will that stop me?  Noooo!

There are a lot of beautiful blocks being posted on the Grandmother's Choice Flickr board... if you have a few minutes sometime, check 'em out!

Four Solids

I got to my LQS for their anniversary sale and picked up three additional solids:  blue, aqua, and pink.   When I got home and looked at all five solids together with the prints... the pink was soooo wrong!   So out it went...

 

So, I think I'm ready for the Grandmother's Choice BOW starting on September 1st....  unless I change my mind again about what fabrics to use...

Barbara Brackman's New BOW: "Grandmother's Choice"

Ms Brackman's new BOW will be starting on September 1st, 2012 so... if you want to join in, you may want to start assembling your fabrics.  Suggestions are on the BOW blog where the blocks will be posted each week.

The theme for this BOW is women's suffrage and Ms Brackman will be including history of the movement as well as photos from the period.

I am looking forward to learning about the fight for women's suffrage and the weekly challenge of the posted block.

Ms Brackman suggests a purple, green, and white color scheme but also gives other options.  Of course, you can chose whatever fabrics and colors you'd like.  One participant of the Civil War BOW did hers in batiks... it was gorgeous!

I had been thinking of using 1930s reproduction fabrics but with the green/purple suggestion, I recalled I had a small stack of these fabrics...

"Art Nouveau" by Blank Quilting (c. 2008)

I'm not sure white white would be a good choice as a solid but maybe a pale purple and green?  Or a soft blue?  I think a trip to the LQS is called for, yes?   I have the rest of August to prepare...

All Together Now: Civil War Blocks So Far

After the last of the company left, I pinned up all the Civil War blocks on my make-do design wall.  Pinning is necessary b/c the act of putting up one block is guaranteed to knock off another, which in turns brings down at least another block.

The blocks may or may not be in their final arrangement but I can now see what colors I need more of and whether or not a block needs to be light or dark overall.

I've decided on an 7-block by 8-block grid, so I'll have to select several of my favorites of which to make extras.

I will be using this print for the border...  and will need to figure out fabric for the sashing.  I'm currently thinking of a small cream or tan print like this one:

Ideas/suggestions welcome...

Civil War Block 47: Dixie Tea

This week's block reminds us of the food shortages experienced during the Civil War and how folks tried substitutes for coffee and tea...

...like sassafras tea!

  Sassafras Leaves