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!

Grandmother's Choice: Block 1, second version

Yes, I am certifiable but I did decide to make two versions of the same block!  This time I used fabrics from my stash of 1930s reproduction fabrics.

This block was challenging in that I don't have what I would call "dark" darks.... or any "light" lights...  

...so this block presented its own challenges.....  but it was fun!

Grandmother's Choice: Votes for Women

Barbara Brackman's new block of the week Grandmother's Choice: Votes for Women kicked off yesterday with the posting of the first block:  Grandmother's Choice!    In addition to interesting history of the fight for women's rights, including cool photos...  Ms Brackman posted four versions of this block for us to drool over...  uh... use as inspiration!

This is my first block, done in the Art Nouveau line by Blank Quilting (2009), which has been maturing in my stash.

The fabric selection part of making this block was the hardest.  I have a limited selection of fabrics... six prints and four solids... and it was tough.   I almost threw in the towel but that deeply ingrained steak of determination (aka: stubbornness) prevented me.

I am planning on making two blocks each week... one from this line of fabrics and a second from my stash of 1930s repro fabrics.   

This ought to help keep me off the streets and out of trouble...

PS - You can check out the blocks others are making on the Grandmother's Choice Flickr group!

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...