July 4th weekend we decided to meet up at the eldest daughter’s place for some home-cooked vittles before starting out on a long day trip.
Out the window we caught a glimpse of this rainbow. Bye Bye rain!
We enjoyed eggs, bacon, hash browns and toast—not to mention some ‘pour-over’ coffee. You know, I do believe she payed attention to my cooking tips. 😉 Click on photos to see ‘Captions”.
About the drive…..we headed off after this supercharge breakfast on the Kansas Quilt Trail. Here’s a portion of the map.
Starting point for us was Lawrence, Kansas
As beginners, we learned that there are no warnings of quilt blocks coming up. The map is just a general reference and you must be on the lookout for them. GPS markers would really help if anyone has the ambition to enter them(clears throat). In the next few Thursday Doors, I’ll be sharing our experience. To start here is a little taste of western Kansas.
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!
Did You Know?
Black bears are a native animal to Missouri, are depicted on the Missouri state flag, and nearly became extinct until lately. Pettis County has been marked on a map in 2008 and 2010 created by the Missouri Department of Conservation. Locals will tell you there are more recent sightings but apparently it’s not something people report. They’re on the comeback and if you are interested, the Missouri Department of Conservation has a Black Bear Sightings map. click here.
Size Comparison
First off, a complaint. This is not a 12 inch block as stated in the book. It’s a 14-inch block. And do you know that nearly all of the tutorials online offer 14-inch blocks. I’m sure it’s a quilt dimension thing, like making it a desirable size when completed. But it’s frustrating for me personally when I need all 12-inch blocks. Enough said about that though. On with the block.
Both photos above are cellphone captures of mine from the Star Quilt book. They show a completed quilt on the left using only Bear Paw blocks and a photo as depicted in the Kansas City Star in 1937.
Stacks of lights and darks sorted, Darks counted out, and the Marked Blocks ready to sew are in the 3 pics above. Organization is pretty important in quilting, as is fabric choice, accurate cutting and correct seam allowances. I’m blessed to have years and years of tutoring from my own mother and grandmother in making this daunting task to some come so easily for me. But remember, there’s always Youtube when problems arise. 😉
Finding out the size at the start is something I neglected until the moment I began this layout process. By the time I made it to the last seam (Middle Photo), I knew I had a pretty large block on my hands. So what to do?
Bear Paw completed
By the end of the A to Z Challenge I’ll have a solution for this large block. It may or may not fit into my quilt in this instance. Other options may include a new block with the correct dimensions, or a pillow creation, or possibly a whole quilt with only Bear Paw blocks? Each of these are possibilities that I’ll consider.
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.
I have rarely participated in Black Friday. I happen to think it’s a ploy to rob me. But this year was different. I actually called my mother to invite her along. Stop The Press!!
Yes there was some urgency.
Not my photo. Too rainy that day for me to worry with it.
There was a notice in our paper that the owner of this shop had passed away. And they are selling her fabric at a significantly lower price and closing shop. This local business has been a very big blessing in our area. We live an hour in any direction from the nearest big chain fabric store. (Until recently, we acquired a Hobby Lobby) But let’s get real. This was the Ultra fabric stop for serious quilters.
Mom and I decided to check out the bargains and show our support for the family. This must be difficult for them.
Below is my ‘haul’. I am planning some serious sewing this coming year.
Mom thought the blue floral reminded her of something her own mother would have used for a dress. Can I get an awwwww?! Miss my grandmother very much! So blessed to still have my momma!
This is a better look at the fat quarters.
Buy 50/ Get 50 free. And they were already reduced. An irresistable deal. Mother and I both succumbed.
A peek at the gallery will show you all the tiny ‘doors’ I found in this treasure trove. I hope you’ll, somehow, identify with this version of Thursday Doors and take time to visit Norm 2.0 for beautiful door posts around the globe.
Venice Doors
Scandinavian Doors
Log Cabin Doors
Birdhouse Doors
Amish Doors
Farm Doors
School House (no door)
Eiffel Tower Door
Doge’s Palace Doors
St. Mark’s Campanile (This one’s for Rachel)
I was neglectful in mentioning the transportation provided by my eldest daughter. Thank you Rachel for tolerating and enabling your mother and grandmother on this expedition. Love you bunches!!!
I’ve talked about our Missouri State Fair a few lots of times. I hope my readers will endure one more post. You see, I found the ‘mother-lode’ this year. I don’t recall ever seeing so many quilts in one building with doors on them as I did this year. And I’ve seen a lot of fairs come and go. After all, it’s only across the highway from our home. It’s The place of the year to see or be seen in Sedalia, Missouri. One of these days, I may enter my own quilt. But for now, I’m sharing this door extravaganza in quilts. Hope you enjoy!
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This next one, however, deserves extra inspection. I haven’t counted the doors, but someone has an enormous amount of patience to piece this work of art. I salute you as, apparently, do the judges this year. You were rewarded that purple ribbon. Much congratulations sent your way!
Because of the lighting (or lack thereof) and shadows this isn’t the best shot. It is, however, a huge inspiration to us quilters who try to use up all our fabric stash in one fell swoop. The Corner to Corner division in this quilt is what makes it different and loveable. The hand quilting is what got it a ribbon. Personally I think the creator deserved a blue one.
During the month of April, I’m participating in the Blogging From A to Z Challenge for my 4th year in a row – 3 of which are on this blog. Each day, except Sundays, there will be a post for the letter of the day as well as keeping with my personal theme of Quilts and Quotes. Feel free to leave a comment! I’d love to hear from you! Also check out the other A to Z’ers in the comment section of the Official A to Z Blog Page.
This is inevitable. There are Royals fans in the house. Fans from the beginning. I used to thumb-tac baseball cards to my paneled walls back in my teen years. I probably committed sacrilege unknowingly at the time. But to this girl, it was better than a Teen Magazine poster. Who needed Leif Garrett or Shawn Cassidy? I had George Brett, Amos Otis, Willie Wilson, Frank White, Dan Quisenberry and many more. Can you say plastered on a wall?? That was me.
Not a tomboy. Just a girl who couldn’t play ball due to bad knees. So I did the next best thing — cheer on my Boys in Blue.
Enter the era of my daughters. Ball became a huge part of their upbringing with games each and every summer until they outgrew the Girls Softball League. Now we attend the games and wear our gear and decorate the home to show our pride.
We want to extend our deepest sympathies to each and every one feeling loss this season of  ‘The Ace’. Some moments above captured on Memorial Day the year before our Big Win.
This True Blue quilt block was in the book.
The author has my appreciation for providing the best name ever in a quilt block!
Pardon my level of maturity. I really am a huge fan. Ask my sister. 😉 There are a few witnesses to say the least.
Quote:
Tony Muser: “There are 50 games a year when you beat the crap out of them, and there’s 50 games a year when they beat the crap out of you. The rest are swing games. You’ve got to win these games if you are going to win.”
And one more for good measure:
Charlie Lau: “There are two theories on hitting the knuckleball. Unfortunately, neither of them works.”
Join me again tomorrow for more of the April A to Z Blog Challenge 2017!
During the month of April, I’m participating in the Blogging From A to Z Challenge for my 4th year in a row – 3 of which are on this blog. Each day, except Sundays, there will be a post for the letter of the day as well as keeping with my personal theme of Quilts and Quotes. Feel free to leave a comment! I’d love to hear from you! Also check out the other A to Z’ers in the comment section of the Official A to Z Blog Page.
The light and dark of a quilt are to give contrast. It can give such dramatic appearances.
You can use light thread on a dark fabric as well to change the effect.
The light and dark can also give a 3-D illusion as in the Tumbling Blocks quilts.
A wave quilt is another take on dimension.
And last but not least are the photo quilts where pieces are combined to reproduce a picture, face, or scenery in a realistic fashion.
And this my friends is why quilters, sewists and other fibre-creative persons have a ‘stash’ of supplies. You never know when a certain color will come in handy.
Can I get an Amen?
(thanks to Pinterest for the above examples)
and now for my “Q” quilt block for the Challenge…..
For one block, this one works up very quickly. It could double as an X quilt block, but the quilt book author didn’t see it that way.
“Quilt in Light and Dark” is not the fanciest name for a quilt block, but for the sake of this Letter Q, I’m thankful the author had this one single suggestion in her book for Q.
One Quote for the Day:
Join me again tomorrow for more of the April A to Z Blog Challenge 2017!
During the month of April, I’m participating in the Blogging From A to Z Challenge for my 4th year in a row – 3 of which are on this blog. Each day, except Sundays, there will be a post for the letter of the day as well as keeping with my personal theme of Quilts and Quotes. Feel free to leave a comment! I’d love to hear from you! Also check out the other A to Z’ers in the comment section of the Official A to Z Blog Page.
“Should I give up, or should I just keep chasing pavement, even if it leads nowhere?” Adele
This block is apparently supposed to resemble brick pavement. With the quote above, I attempted some views around town. They went something like this….
3rd and Ohio brickwork
3rd and Ohio,Sedalia,Mo
It’s lovely the way they enhanced this intersection in our downtown historic district.
I find a bigger beauty in where there’s no pavement. Where land meets sky and colors are not man-made.
Quilts, though they are made by hand, give us a chance to mimic shapes, colors and scenes around us. I’m sure the name Pavement could also be substituted with Tiles, Square in a Square or Four Windows. And the color is all in the hands of the maker. I’m just thankful for photographs to get me through this post.
Join me again tomorrow for more of the April A to Z Blog Challenge 2017!
During the month of April, I’m participating in the Blogging From A to Z Challenge for my 4th year in a row – 3 of which are on this blog. Each day, except Sundays, there will be a post for the letter of the day as well as keeping with my personal theme of Quilts and Quotes. Feel free to leave a comment! I’d love to hear from you! Also check out the other A to Z’ers in the comment section of the Official A to Z Blog Page.
The Ladies Wreath pattern is not too difficult and would make a good quilt block choice for a whole quilt. It would have plenty of movement with the way the triangles change direction. I chose it with my daughters in mind.
A lot of mothers want to raise their daughters to be ladies. One of the greatest examples of a lady in my life was my grandmother, Inez. Slow to anger and a very intelligent, gentle woman. I credit my love of learning to her. She was never too busy to stop and help with my homework questions. As having been a one-room school house teacher from Iowa, she was masterful at multi-tasking and never complaining about any of it. At least not within my earshot. I can only hope to be half as admirable as she was. I think she would have loved this shade of blue.
“Carry out a random act of kindness, with no expectation of reward, safe in the knowledge that one day, someone might do the same for you.” Â Â Princess Diana
Join me again tomorrow for more of the April A to Z Blog Challenge 2017!
During the month of April, I’m participating in the Blogging From A to Z Challenge for my 4th year in a row – 3 of which are on this blog. Each day, except Sundays, there will be a post for the letter of the day as well as keeping with my personal theme of Quilts and Quotes. Feel free to leave a comment! I’d love to hear from you! Also check out the other A to Z’ers in the comment section of the Official A to Z Blog Page.
Jefferson City is the name of today’s 6-inch block. It’s also name to my home state’s (Missouri) capital. Apparently there are a couple other Jefferson City’s in both Montana and Tennessee. First I’d heard this until I started writing about ours. Here’s a pic taken by myself of our capital building.
Sitting on the bluff of the Missouri River, its open for tours daily except for major holidays. There is a museum and many Thomas Hart Benton paintings throughout. I always enjoy a visit there seeing exhibits and reading about our state’s rich history. And this time of year the flowers are in full bloom. The magnolia trees are my favorite.
The author of the book I’m taking my blocks from is not shown to be from Missouri or lived here as far as I could find out. I wonder why she chose this Civil War Era block? I am glad she did because I loved that I could use all three fabrics in it.
Famous Missourian Quote
Join me again tomorrow for more of the April A to Z Blog Challenge 2017!
