Austen Family Album - blocks 3 & 4

I'm still on the pastel road...

creating a patchwork portrait of the life, family and times of the British novelist Jane Austen. 

Maybe I didn't mention last time that the first of AFA blocks, Bright Star is for Jane Austen herself, the second Sister's Choice is for Jane's older sister, Cassandra E. Austen, her life-long companion.

Last week we sewed a block for Jane's father, the Reverend George Austen. He might have been a model for Pride and Prejudice's Mr. Bennet.

#3 - CROSS WITHIN CROSS

This week it was time for her mother's, Cassandra Leigh Austen block...

#4 - THRIFTY

Barbara Brackman wrote on her AFA blog: Historians and critics have linked the elder Cassandra Austen to the embarrassing Mrs. Bennet in Pride and Prejudice. 

Here are they all together... Jane, Cassandra E., father and mother Austen.

If you want to read more of them, please, visit at Barbara's blog. It's fascinating to read of them.

And if you like to see other AFA blocks, visit then at Flickr Family Album.

Hopefully you enjoyed your visit here... today;o)

CWD: Southern Flags and Patriotism

Kesäisen keväistä sunnuntaita!

 En tiedä, olivatko nämä orvokit syynä / inspiraationa valitessani kankaita seuraavaan Civil War Diary blokkiin... voi olla!

The next CWD block was an easy one! There is only strips and a 3" sawtooth star.

I cut the following pieces to make this block:

for the star 

- one plum red 2" x 2" square

- four white 1 1/4" x 1 1/4" squares

- one white 2 3/4" x 2 3/4" square for flying geese

- four pink 1 5/8" x 1 5/8" squares for flying geese

for the striped units

- three plum red 1" x 3 1/2" strips

- three pink 1" x 3 1/2" strips

- three plum red 1" x 6 1/2" strips

three pink 1" x 6 1/2" strips

This block is the last block, which was attached to Mrs. Hannah Sanders' diary entries. So today I'll say "sort of goodbyes" to her...

She was 55 years old at the beginning of the Civil War (1861), and she wrote in her diary every day. Her diary entries were short, simple sentences with references to the weather, her family, visitors, daily activities and historical events. (quote from The Civil Diary Quilt written by R. Youngs)

The CWD blocks of "her" were:

29. Remembrances - sewed 1.1.2010

30. Troops Arriving - sewed 5.6.2011

31. Beginning of War - sewed 16.4.2009

32. Church - sewed 27.1.2010

33. Sewing - sewed 10.5.2009

34. Southern Flags and Patriotism - sewed today, 27.5.2014

35. Mail Delivery - sewed 21.2.2010

36. Gardening - sewed 18.5.2009

If you click the link, you'll find my blog entries of the blocks!

OMG! the oldest entries are five years old... but I didn't sew any CWD blocks in 2012...

When I read the old postings I saw there quite young kitty...

in May 2009 Fenix was sooo tiny (3 months old), but the ironing board was his favorite place already then;o)

We wish You All a Sunny Week!

PS. The next CWD day is May 10th. 

Loyal Union Sampler - BOW 13 - 16

Last Monday I promised to tell you why I didn't like to sew a square-on-point unit for Arrest Order block...

... the reason was that previous three weeks there have been square-on-point units in Loyal Union Sampler blocks... and in them there was more than one in each block!

They are pretty nice and tolerable, when they are individually... but when you have to sew them together...

it's hard work to get the seams aligned!

Kiitin taas kerran ratkojan keksijää! ;o)

Onneksi Indianan, Kansas Starin ja Chambersburgin kaltaisia blokkeja ei taida enää olla tuossa samplerissa...

... tosin keskittyminen herpaantui pahasti, kun tällä viikolla oli yksinkertaisempi Double Four-Patch vuorossa... luonnossa se ei näytä noin vinolta... mutta olenpa neljä blokkia lähempänä viimeistä;o)

A Happy Weekend!!!

Farmer's Wife Sampler - blocks 18 & 51

Today I sewed one more FWS block... it is the sixteenth block!

Here's a shortened quote from the FWS quilt book (written by L. A. Hird)...

 ... in which Mrs. L. C. F. answered the question: "If you had a daughter of marriageable age, would you, in the light of your experience, want her to marry a farmer?"

If you look my #18 block closer, you'll see that I altered the order of colors a bit... maybe I'm too traditional... against progress... but it bothers me when the colors in this block are out of balance! But I assume the imbalance is exactly the trick in this block.... maybe I'll sew it again... some day...

Hmmm... I wonder what plans Fenix is doing?

.. suunnitteleeko Fenix itselleen jotain...

... ilmeisesti sekä itsensä kokoista että väristä????

Iloista tilkkuiluviikkoa kaikille!!!

CWD: Arrest Order

April 21, 1864 Isabella Buchanan Edmondson wrote in her diary:
- though having approached Capt. Williams as aid for a heroine of Jericho, he could not treat me as the order read - it was issued from old Hurlub, I was to be arrested and carried to Alton on first Boat that passed - for carrying letters through the lines, and smuggling, and aiding the Rebellion in every way in my power - he sent me word I must not think of attending Jennie Eave's wedding, or go out of doors at all, he would be compelled to arrest me if it came to him Officially, but my Father was a Royal Arch Mason, and I a Mason, he would take no steps, if I would be quiet. (quote from Civil War Diary Quilt by R. Youngs)

It was all nothing but pleasures to sew this 6" finished block... I assume that you can guess why? ... because it's a double star block!!! I just LOVE to sew them;o).... although the square-on-point unit in the center tried to make a mischief to my happiness... I don't like them, and lately I have sewn them more than one!!! But I'll tell you more of them later this week!

Once again I wrote down some dimensions:

For the outer star I needed...

* one dark green  4 1/4" x 4 1/4" square (F)

* four light green 2 3/8" x 2 3/8" squares (G)

* four dark green 2" x 2" squares (sorry, they are not shown here)

(F&G) are the pieces, which we need to make the 4- at-once flying geese units.

For the inner star I needed...

* one white 1 1/2" x 1 1/2" square (A)

* two dark green 1 5/8" x 1 5/8" squares, which I cut in half diagonally once to make 4 triangles (B) 

(A&B) are the pieces, which we need to make a square-on-point unit.

* four dark green 1 1/4" x 1 1/4" squares for the corners (C)

* one dark green 2 3/4" x 2 3/4" square, which I cut in half diagonally twice to make 4 triangles (D)

* four light green 1 5/8" x 1 5/8" squares, which I cut in half diagonally once to make 8 triangles (E)

(D&E) are the pieces, which we need to make four flying geese units.

The inner star size is 3 1/2" x 3 1/2", the finished block size is 6" x 6" and the seam allowances are 1/4".

In the future... what is very pleasing...

... there is also a finished 3" sawtooth star in a next block! Super!

... so I'll need same dimensions for the star as today;o)

And the other pleasing thing is...

... that after Confederate Flag, I could sew these six blocks together!!!!

By the way I have now sewn 90 CWD blocks... so there is - only - 31 left ;-D

Isabella's journal entries will continue on May 29... before that we'll see four other entries. Hopefully!

I'm glad that you stayed a while with me and with the CWD blocks!!!!

CWD: Confederate Flag

Niin... taas on Civil War Diary päivä... mutta ihan ensimmäiseksi

Pääsiäistervehdys meiltä teille kaikille!!!

Happy Easter!!! Glad Påsk!!!

As I told you the other day the next CWD block is number 44. 

It's quite a complex block, which consists: a sawtooth star, stripes and triangles.

First I made the small, 2 5/8" x 2 5/8" sawtooth star.

I started by calculating pieces for flying geese units. I took the help of  Amy Gibson's tutorial:

Many A Goose On The Loose: A Charm Friendly Tutorial

In her tutorial she explains how to resize pieces for FG units and she also offers instructions on how to use the 4-at-once method to make FG from 5" charm squares. Amy's tutorial is very useful!!

The inch dimensions for the star were this time quite a tricky so I used centimeter... like this:

Cut for the Flying geese units

* 1 red 6 x 6 cm square

* 4 blue 3,5 x 3,5 cm squares

Cut for the other units of star

* 1 white 4 x 4 cm square

* 4 red 2,5 x 2,5 cm squares

As always the seam allowances are 1/4".

If you need help how to sew FG units by this method, please, visit at Amy;o)

Kirjoitan - varmaan - lähiaikoina seuraavan Mitä tänään opin -tarinan, jossa kerron tarkemmin eri tavoista ommella lentäviä hanhia...

Now the sawtooth star is sewed...

 ... but this star needs a little bit of trimming!

Then I cut one light blue square, which measures 3" x 3"...

Yes, I returned back to the inch!

... then I cut the square in half diagonally once to make two triangles.

Now I needed a little bit help of Companion Angle ruler!

With the ruler I checked the size of the star+triangle unit...

... then I knew how long strips I'm gonna need. For the stripe unit I cut fabrics like this:

from the red fabric

* one 1" x 7 1/2" strip

* one 1" x 5 1/2" strip

* one 1" x 3 1/2 strip

from the light blue fabric

* one 1" x 6 1/2" strip

* one 1" x 4 1/2" strip

* one 1" x 2 1/2" strip

After I had sewn the strips together, I trimmed the triangle unit with the Companion Angle ruler.

Then it was time to sew both halves together...

  ... to make this. This unit should measure 4 3/4" x 4 3/4".

The block is almost done!!! Yihaa!!!!

Now we only need to cut two 4" x 4" squares for the corners. Cut them in half diagonally once to make 4 triangles. The triangles are a little bit oversized, but not much;o)

 It looks that we have now completed the next CWD block: #44 - Confederate Flag

It's the next block of Ols Hateful Thieves in Civil War Diary book, which means that also today's diary note is written by Isabella Buchanan Edmondson.

April 18, 1864 she wrote: Well, I expect our days of peace and quiet are over, another squad of Yanks passed - four stopped here, stayed until after dinner, and went on back to Memphis - all of them, except one, seemed to be gentleman, oh, How I heartily despise him - I promised to make a Confederate Flag for one of them, Mr. Greer, and he promised he would not reenlist, so I have spent the evening making one, and will give it next time he comes. (quote from Civil War Diary Quilt written by R. Youngs)

The exciting adventure with Isabella is continued on Monday...

see you then!!!!

Pastel shades...

... in my

Austen Family Album!

When I thought of colors that I wanted to use in the AFA blocks... I started by reading thoroughly the color ideas, which Barbara wrote at her blog. You find those color options on the sidebar of Austen Family Album blog... just scroll down... enough;o)

And it didn't take a long time, when I had decided my colors:

Use a distinctly British palette of pastels with chocolate brown. 

Idea #1 attracted me the most... you know me... I am thoroughly a romantic person!

I already see myself lying on the bed, which is covered with the flowers from the 1800's century... 

So I opened the fabric box, which is FULL of flower fabrics...

... and soon I had this finished 12" block - #1 BRIGHT STAR!

Hmmm.... Is it all too romantic?or busy .... even for me?... too many flowers, perhaps?

 Well, I'll wait for the next week and the next block...

(so all this happened a week ago)

This week's block is #2 - SISTER'S CHOICE

Someone... 

who? I'm not sure, perhaps it was Quilt-inspector Fenix? ;o)

... whispered to me, that I would like these blocks to be in different sizes... so I made #2 finished 10".

And you know me... if something bothers me... even only a bit... I'm gonna change "my route"... and do it again!

So here's the new #1- BRIGHT STAR.

 After few calculations... I resized it also down from 12" to 10".

I like this more... but I haven't ripped off the first version of it... yet;o)

There is the Austen Family Album flickr pool HERE, if you like to see and admire the color combinations of the other AFA BOWers!

See You Soon!!!!

CWD: Hateful Old Thieves

Nyt lähinaapurusto on virvottu tuoreeksi ja terveeksi!

... hieman kyllä epäilen, kävivätkö he missään, koska palkkoja ei ainakaan näy...

... ja Lapin tytön uusi hattukin on hävinnyt...

... mutta silti....

..."väsyneitä virpojia" kuvassa;o)

But now the subject of the day....

I'll have few "busy" months ahead with the Civil War Diary blocks...

in April I'm gonna sew four blocks, in May also four, in June nine and in July seven blocks!

Hopefully my plans will come true!

Today I sewed together...
few HSTs...
few QSTs...
and one tiny square-on-point unit with strips around....
to make CWD block 43. Old Hateful Thieves

While I made this block I wrote down some dimensions, if you happen to be interested in to sew the 6" finished block.

Cut for the middle part of the block (= square-on-point with the strips around) 

from brown fabric:

* 1 - 1 1/4" x 1 1/4" square (B)

* 2 - 1" x 1 1/2" rectangles

* 2 - 1" x 2 1/2" rectangles

from dark cream fabric:

* 2 - 1 3/8" x 1 3/8" squares (cut the squares in half diagonally once to make 4 triangles)

Cut for the HST (= half square triangle) units

from both brown and dark cream fabric:

* 2 - 2 7/8" x 2 7/8" squares

Cut for QST (= quarter square triangle) units

from dark brown fabric:

* 2 - 3 1/4" x 3 1/4" squares

from both dark cream and light cream fabric:

* 1 - 3 1/4" x 3 1/4" square

Notice there is a mistake in the photo above! First I cut too many squares for the QST units.

You need 2 brown squares, one dark cream square and one light cream square to make four QST units.

Well done! Now you are ready to sew your pieces together! Follow the diagram of the block above!

I sewed the middle part of the block first, then QST and HST units...

... all the mini block units are 2 1/2" x 2 1/2". And when you sew them together row by row, you'll end to have a 6 1/2" x 6 1/2" block unfinished.

CWD tales to be continued on next Friday...

... with these blocks.

Oh, I almost forgot to tell you about the diary note behind today's block!

April 13, 1864 Isabella Buchanan Edmondson wrote in her diary: This has indeed been an exciting day, heavy firing all last night & this morn - the firing we heard was between the Fort and Gun Boats, the Yanks in Memphis are frightened to death - a squad of 15 came and made us to feed them and their horses - stayed here nearly three hours, hateful old thieves. I wish a squad of Confederates had come and captured the last one of them - they stole Mr. Wither's horses - Tate, Annie Nelson and Joanna, with Uncle Elum and the wagon went to town, succeeded in getting through Father's supplies and a good many things, the Yanks stole three hats out of the wagon in Nonconnah bottom, oh! How I hate them - (quote from the book called Civil War Diary Quilt by Rosemary Youngs)

Hmmm... hattuvarkaita liikkeellä jo tuolloin...

I'm glad that you visit here... see you soon!

Bear Paw - Aurifil Designer 2014

Nyt kyllä huolestuttaa! Miksei sitä minun omaa hattua jo löydy?

JA miksi ihmeessä Satu teki minulle tällaisen hatun ja tämän kepin, jota hän sanoo luudaksi? Eihän tämä ole luutaa nähnytkään... mokoma lankatupsukeppi!

Lisäksi minun pitäisi - kuulemma - ensi sunnuntaina lähteä tuon Fenixin kanssa kulkemaan naapurustoon ovelta ovelle luritellen jotain virvon varvon -värssyä.... kuulostaa TODELLA epäilyttävältä touhulta!

Taitaa Satu heitellä Lapin lisiä.... ja mitähän tuokin sanonta oikeasti tarkoittaa?

No, äläpäs ole noin skeptikko, Lapin tyttö!

Palmusunnuntai menee hyvin;o)

... ulkoilette vähän Fenixin kanssa, sillä aikaa kun minä ompelen seuraavan Civil War Diary blokin.

Don't you worry, Lapland girl, we'll find your own hat... and I think that hat suits you just fine!

It's part of your role costume, when you visit our neighbourhood on next Sunday. It's Palm Sunday.

Cheer up now, my dear pincushion girl!

Let's talk about this block, which you are presenting today!

 Aurifil's April designer is Angela Yosten. She is a full-time Webmaster for Moda Fabrics / United Notions. Her talented Great Grandma was the woman who inspired her to design this BOM called Bear Paw.

Angela featured some hand stitching details - red running stitches - along the inside of the paw. I'm planning to stitch them too, but not until when I'll be "in the sandwich stage"...

... hopefully you & I will see that day ;D

Here's all my 2014 Aurifil BOMs together...

... maybe you have already figured out the red thread of my blocks ...

I tried to use fabrics with one common topic...

and it is...?????

... maybe I will not reveal it yet... ;o)

See you on Palm Sunday... 

it's also Civil War Diary block day!

Mitä opin tänään, osa 3 - blokki: Square Dance

Pistettäisiinkö tänään tanssiksi?

I sewed today three BOWs... and I thought that I would like to sew one of them with you, too.

This week's Farmer Wife Sampler block is 

#85 SQUARE DANCE

You can make this block without templates like this... if you have a 90 degree ruler.

Tätä 6" x 6" blokkia varten tarvitset seuraavat palat...

 ... sekä viivaimen, jossa on 90 / 45 asteen kulma.

Leikkaa kankaat / cut the fabrics:

A: 4 - 1 1/2" x 1 1/2" squares for the corners

B: 2 - 1 1/2" x 10 1/2" strips

C: 1 - 1 1/2" x 9" strip

D: 1 - 4 1/2" x 4 1/2" square

 Leikkaa B palat seuraavasti:

Aseta kangassuikaleet oikeat puolet vastakkain. Leikkaa ne pareittain 2 1/2":n pituisiksi kaitaleiksi. Nyt sinulla on 4 paria 1 1/2" x 2 1/2" kaitaleita oikeat puolet vastakkain.

Place B strips right sides together. Cut 4 pairs 2 1/2" long. Then use your ruler to cut away one corner (see the photo below)

 Aseta kulmaviivain yhden parin päälle kuten kuvassa ja trimmaa kulma pois. Toista, kunnes olet leikannut kaikki 4 paria. Nyt sinulla on B palat leikattu.

Ota kaitale C. Leikkaa siitä 4 kolmiota kulmaviivainta apuna käyttäen seuraavasti:

 Cut from the C strip 4 triangles, as it's shown the photo above.

You have now all the pieces... so you are ready to sew;o)

Nyt KAIKKI palat on leikattu!

Ei ku tanssahtelemaan... tai ei sittenkään vielä, ensin ommellaan;o)

This unit should measure 1 1/2" x 4 1/2".

No, nyt näyttää jo siltä, että tanssilattia kutsuu!

Hopefully you enjoyed your visit here today!!!!

News for Jane Austen fans!

Barbara Brackman is hosting a new BOW

- Austen Family Album -

HERE!

(image from Austen Family Album)

Barbara Brackman offers 36 free quilt blocks, one a week with a guide to Jane Austen's England

and posts about the people in her life.

On the blog there is a lot knowledge of Miss Austen's life in 1800 century...

... and today the first block of the week, BRIGHT STAR is posted!

Cutting a 12" Finished Block

(image from Austen Family Album)

I'm thrilled... 

it's the lovely and inspiring blog and BOW-along... 

go and visit there, if you like the world of Jane Austen!

(image from Austen Family Album)

Giveaway at Lappetausa

Elin is organizing a giveaway on her new blog 

and her treats are very generous!!!!

The drawing is on Saturday 12th.

So hurry to her blog, Lappetausa!!!