Crazy Anne/ AtoZ 2019

Posted on April 30, 2019 by slfinnell

The April A to Z Challenge is in its tenth year, I’ve now participated for 6 of those years, and this year will be my 3rd quilt theme. It’s my first quilt using only patterns from the Kansas City Star newspaper archives. Welcome to my blog!

Crazy Anne possibilities
Crazy Anne KCStar1932

This block from 1932 has a fitting title. It seems to go in all directions. And the author neglected a tad bit on the instructions on this one. I ended up fudging it just in time for publishing. close call.

Crazy Anne Completed — Crazy Anne Comleted

And for your viewing pleasure, I’m giving you the final block without too much hoopla. That’s because I’m ready to share with those Hunter family members of mine who are interested, a little gem I found from the January 1932 edition of the Missouri Historical Review. I found the perfect family trait that we can relate to (no pun intended.)

Did You Know?

Nancy Ann Hunter, daughter of Scotch/Irish immigrants, Heroine of the American Revolutionary War, was a young girl when her family moved to help establish a fort at ‘Clark’s Colony’ or Fort Jefferson. The expedition under George Rogers Clark was unsuccessful but the Hunter family stayed and lived in a hostile environment anyway until abandonment in 1781. The story concerning Nancy goes like this: While a period of extreme food shortage was underway, the fort found itself in a dilemma concerning a cow and her new calf on the outside with hostile native indians and the fort occupants trying to decide who would go save these animals. Nancy apparently took it upon herself to do it while said discussions were in still progress. She ran, retrieved the calf and ran back all the while being shot at by the hidden Indians. Clothes a little tattered by near misses of the arrows, she was unharmed. She earned her title from this act of bravery/ or crazy scheme in some minds. In my point of view, this last block for the AtoZ 2019 befits such bravery to a fellow Hunter. Proud to share the namesake!!

Thank you so much to my visitors this A to Z 2019! To the hosts, thanks to all your support and hard work to make this 10th year such a success for us all. Plus, be sure to visit the home of the A to Z here and see other entrants challenge posts. I’ll certainly be spending lots of time visiting the blogs I missed, returning to the ones I got behind on and hopefully submitting a finished quilt top by the time the AtoZ Road Trip rolls around this year.

Cla’Y’s Choice/ AtoZ 2019

Posted on April 29, 2019 by slfinnell

ClaysChoiceKCStar1930
clayschoicefabrics
Clay’s Choice, by Star Quilts Author

Clay’s Choice by the author in blues is lovely. I chose the reds for my own version as the middle pick displays.

Clay’s Choice Complete

Cutting to the chase today for this next to the last quilt block in the AtoZ. It’s been a long last 7 days for me and I won’t bore you with the details right now. But a lil’ tummy bug and a lot of yard work (excavation work) should probably be mentioned. Glad I’ve survived.

Did You Know?

American baseball legend, Yogi (a legit Y entry) Berra, born in St. Louis, Missouri was famous for Yogi-isms. One appropriate for today is: ” When you come to a fork in the road, take it .” And I really chuckle on this one,
“I’m not going to buy my kids an encyclopedia. Let them walk to school like I did.”

Come back here Monday for another quilt block for the A to Z Challenge! Also be sure to visit the home of the A to Z here and see other entrants challenge posts. There are excellent writers participating every year with topics in whatever you’re interested in

Letter X Waves of the Sea/AtoZ 2019

Posted on April 27, 2019 by slfinnell

Waves of the Sea in Star Quilts
Star Quilt Author’s version
Layout options

By the time you get to here you will have noticed (I hope) that there are no letter X’s in the block’s title. But I went with the visual direction the quilt block is arranged in. Do you see it??

I want to point out in the first photo above that I got a little over ambitious on those small half square triangle blocks. I only needed half of them. So another block in the future? Or maybe just another Waves of the Sea block.

Another non-conformist block. It will be fine. I hope.

Did You Know?

In 1937,native Missourian, Walter Cronkite took a job at United Press (UP) telegraph to cover an explosion in a school in New London, Texas. It was to be his first national headline breaking story. This gas leak explosion caused 295 + deaths as it occured as school was nearly about to let out.

Contrary Wife/ AtoZ 2019

Posted on April 26, 2019 by slfinnell

Contrary Wife 1941 KC Star pattern from Star Quilts

This block is about color values. Dark vs. light. This next pic displays a vintage quilt made from the Contrary Wife block.

Vintage Contrary Wife quilt from Star Quilts

In incompatible wife would have been considered ‘contrary’. Other synonyms are vexing, annoying, unaccommodating, troublesome and the list can go on and on. I find it funny a woman with an opinion is put in this light while a man with an opinion is ‘Strong’, dead-set on, confident, …. you get the picture. Here’s a couple pics of the quilting process while I try to keep on track here.

I won’t get into the politics any further of this woman vs man topic but just know that opposites are complimentary and this block displays that very well. Especially in that vintage quilt. Love it!!

Did You Know?

During World War II, Lyudmila Pavlichenko, a Soviet sniper was considered so deadly that the Germans addressed her over loud speaker requesting her to defect. Would you have trusted this proposition? I’m thankful she stayed contrary to the opposing side.

Weather ‘V’ane/ AtoZ 2019

Posted on April 25, 2019 by slfinnell

Weather Vane In StarQuilts
1929 Weather Vane in StarQuilts

I love how it states “Makes a Striking Quilt”. Weather can be pretty striking in certain instances. Kansas City is smack dab in the middle of ‘Tornado Alley’. Well known for that. Some other weather extremes were, most recently, 17 inches of snow dumped mid-January followed by another few inches a week later with pounding winds to boot.

I won’t go on a tangent about our Missouri weather any further. Everyone has extremes in the weather to some extent. So the weather vane in January 1929 might have been an unintentional foreshadowing of the stock market crash and the beginning of the Great Dust Bowl? I just find the irony in these things interesting. Do you?

DId You Know?

According to Weather Channel, Tornado Alley may be shifting east and it’s a mystery as to why. To read more on this phenomenon click here. One reason suspected is the drying of the Great Plains causing this shift. As for someone personally effected, I do believe there has been a shift.

Unexpected Reveal/AtoZ 2019

Posted on April 24, 2019 by slfinnell

This project is separate from the Star blocks I’m creating but still fits into the Letter U because the recipients will be Unsuspecting. And I love surprises don’t you?!

Lap Quilt Top with 3 of mom's blocks — Lap Quilt Top with 3 of mom’s blocks

She gave me an uneven number of blocks so it was up to me as to how to create with them. She gave me free reign. I’ll be using up mother’s blocks in this style in lap quilts. And maybe they’ll be ready by next Christmas??

Did You Know?

Sunflowers originated in the Americas in 1000 BC. In 1996 it was chosen as a symbol for peace and a world free of nuclear weapons. I think that makes it pretty special!

Double T /AtoZ 2019

Posted on April 23, 2019 by slfinnell

DoubleT KCStar 1947
Vintage Double T

This block was featured in the Kansas City Star in 1947 but its roots go back much further to the late 1800’s. Women of that day sewed/ quilted for a cause; in particular to promote prohibition of alcoholic beverages. Temperance quilts were the rage.

Did You Know?

The Women’s Christian Temperance Union founded in 1874 created more quilts for this cause than any other. Closing down saloons was the goal and they would pay 10 Cents to get their name on one of these quilts.

Quilts can still be for a cause. Over at Quilting Patch you can create a 12 x 12 inch mini quilt to benefit the tragic loss of Notre Dame. Click here for all the details.

Easy peasy, lemon squeezy is how I’ll describe making this block. I’d love to see a whole red and white quilt on my own bed from this one simple block. And to answer a question from a fellow blogger— Yes I would make the same blocks over and over for a quilt. The end result is worth all the effort.

Scottish Cross/ AtoZ 2019

Posted on April 22, 2019 by slfinnell

The 1945 Scottish Crown as appeared in the Kansas City Star — The 1945 Scottish Cross as appeared in the Kansas City Star

The Scottish Cross is typically created with plaids and I would suggest it’s a tribute of sorts to things Scottish. Nothing wrong with that! My heritage goes back to that area. But no more on that before I wander into another subject. Let’s focus here on the fabric for this one.

I learned that in researching old Scottish quilts, they preferred to use ‘Turkey’ red plain or prints to prevent bleeding of the colors. Nothing more aggravating than to find all your work ruined by a fabric that can’t keep its’ color to itself. Nowadays, we prewash them. But to avoid this hazard altogether, I chose a different color palette for this block. And besides, I didn’t have much red plaid lying around. And I wasn’t going to use gingham. Nope.

Above you see 3 variations of color arrangments. The one I went with is the first one. I used Plaid-ish prints and stayed in the blue shades. The following pics will give you a view of the steps of this fabric puzzle as it went together.

Finally I present the 1945 Scottish Cross…

Did You Know

According to archives at the Truman Library, Missouri’s own President Harry S. Truman’s
ancestry was predominantly English, with a few German, French, and Scottish lines. Most of the families came from Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries, with many of them settling first in Virginia and later moving west to Kentucky. If you ever get the chance, I’d recommend a visit to the Truman Library in Independence, Missouri. You won’t be disappointed!

Letter R for Rambler/ AtoZ 2019

Posted on April 20, 2019 by slfinnell

The Rambler pattern in 1929 in the Kansas City Star recommended rose,pink, green and white to resemble a rambling rose. These days you can still find wild roses blooming in rural Missouri and the Midwest. But …….

Did You Know?

There are over 150 species of roses and thousands of hybrids available in pretty much whatever color you desire. You can even dip them in a favorite color if that isn’t enough. So I present today my version of the redraft Rambler in My color choice.

1929 Rambler from the Kansas City Star as in Star Quilts

Earlier in an A to Z 2019 post I’d mentioned I had neglected to show the whole process in creating Flying Geese blocks. So I’ve decided to remedy that in a picture tutorial for your viewing in case you decide to take the leap into the world of quilting. It’s the easiest method I’ve found. I definitely recommend it. For you mathmeticians out there who want a smaller block, simply figure your ratios and you can create any size you desire. These are going into the 12 inch block, Rambler.

Finally, I present the Rambler redraft in my own color choices. No green for me. No Pink either. I kinda like it this way.

The rest of my 4-day weekend is to be spent sewing. I have gotten behind and I do Not like it one bit! Thank heaven for some time off and Happy Easter to those celebrating.

Letter Q for Chain Quilt/ AtoZ 2019

Posted on April 19, 2019 by slfinnell

From KC Star Sampler book

Originally this 1942 block was pieced by Mrs. Matushek of RR3(that’s rural route 3 for you city folks) from Cuba, Missouri. It then measured 9 3/4 inches and in her quilt, she made ‘rows’ of chains in pastel shades. I am happy to say this one measured the size the book says, 12 inches (plus seam allowances).

I had doubts as to whether I wanted to tackle this one even though I’m not typically afraid of curved seams. But I just finished it Tuesday evening and I had fingers crossed that it would go smoothly. Thanks to the great instructions, I had no issues but once with a pucker that I had to rip a few stitches for and resew. Fully satisfied with my outcome even though I was in such a hurry. Naturally because of that hurry it could have done with some extra pinning. But this is a quilt block a day for April and I must move on.

Did You Know?

Cuba, Missouri, the home of the KC Star block contributor in 1942 is located on the historic Route 66 in southern Missouri. This highway was known as the Road to Opportunity back during the Great Depression as more than 200,000 people migrated via this road to California during the Dust Bowl days.

Come back here tomorrow for another quilt block for the A to Z Challenge! Also be sure to visit the home of the A to Z here and see other entrants challenge posts. There are excellent writers participating every year with topics in whatever you’re interested in

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Katy Trail Creations

I Quilt, Crochet and Sew as well as care for children in my day job. Never a dull moment!

Tag Archives: April

Crazy Anne/ AtoZ 2019

Did You Know?

Cla’Y’s Choice/ AtoZ 2019

Did You Know?

Letter X Waves of the Sea/AtoZ 2019

Did You Know?

Contrary Wife/ AtoZ 2019

Did You Know?

Weather ‘V’ane/ AtoZ 2019

DId You Know?

Unexpected Reveal/AtoZ 2019

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Double T /AtoZ 2019

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Scottish Cross/ AtoZ 2019

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Letter R for Rambler/ AtoZ 2019

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Letter Q for Chain Quilt/ AtoZ 2019

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