Monday, November 12, 2012

Finishing off the Farmers Wife

At the beginning of the year I announced I was getting in on the Farmers Wife craze. So along with some other awesome quilting chicks that I know in real life I've been toiling away on making blocks when the mood struck me. That's the beauty of a sampler quilt,  you can do a few blocks in between other projects. I'd been wanting to do a sampler quilt for ages. 

The other lovely thing about the Farmers Wife quilt is that you can make the quilt whatever size you like based on the amount of blocks you complete.  So you make blocks for as long as it's fun and then bang it up into a finished project. 

I decided in August that I had enough blocks to start putting them together into a finished project. My enthusiasm for these blocks was non existent by that stage. I was so over the whole "it'll be fun to make a sampler quilt" thing. It wasn't fun. It sucked the big one.  So I counted up my blocks and was thrilled to discover I had enough to put together two projects! 


Behold my Farmers Wife Potholders ! The most amazing pot holders in the Southern Hemisphere or dare I say it? possibly the world. 

Things I discovered about myself during the making of these gorgeous pot holders?  Small pieces of fabric and I don't get along. The Farmers Wife is a cow.  And Sampler quilts are a completely stupid idea. 

Last week I showed you my new napkin rings. Napkin rings mean you have to have actual napkins. Cloth napkins just ooze class and require laundering and ironing and so I've never felt the desire to own any. But since I'm turning into a little old lady and liking things I have never liked before it was off to the sewing room to look for some suitable Christmas fabric. I'm going with a gold and white  theme for Christmas this year and these will look lovely as part of my table scape. And because I had the fabric in my stash these napkins were free because it's a universal law of sewing that once fabric hits your stash , it didn't cost anything. 


And lastly I've been working on a quilt made from bandanas for the last few weeks. Have you ever had an idea that is so ridiculously simple that you know it'll only take a  day or so to whip up? This was not that project. But it's done and I'm happy. 



I spent the weekend on Pinterest, baby sitting little P who watched the Christmas pageant on TV and has been calling Father Christmas  "Christmas Father" ever since, and running from one project idea to the next. I can't believe it's Monday already . 




33 comments:

Coloradolady said...

Shay, I laughed out loud....it sucked the big one!! I too am doing a quilt along and just cut out three more farmers wife blocks....I am so over it, but the last 9 blocks will be out before the end of the year, so I guess I will finish.

Whoever said it would be fun to make tiny, tiny bits in blocks...not me!!

Quiltn Mama said...

Gawd woman, you almost made me pee my pants! I never knew that once the fabric was added to my stash it became free...methinks I shall go out and buy more :)

seabreezequilts said...

Yes it is a universal law i is free. At least you got further than I did on the Dear Jane quilt all I managed to do was buy the book and then it all got too hard.

Sue SA said...

I was forced to make a sampler quilt in my beginner lessons, hence will NEVER make another one...ever, so I can completely understand! I totally subscribe to that theory and puff my chest with pride..it came from my stash so therefore cost nothing AND how good am I for using my stash instead of hoarding it!
DS asked me if Christmas Day was Santa's birthday (!) but lucky was happy to just watch on TV, cos DH was sick so we didnt make the real deal either.

Sue SA said...

Love the bandana quilt, its a great idea ...but where did you get eight bandana's!

Karen said...

You totally had me going with your title! I have like 42 of those blocks done and potholders sound perfect :) done, done and done with those templates

AMW said...

LOL! I just finished a bandana quilt, too! Not as easy as I though, but it was fun...

Marg said...

I'm hoping the Farmers Wife is dead and buried. Now you know why I didn't jump on the bandwagon, and I don't intend to, ever.
THe bandana quilt looks fab on your front porch.

Marg said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Mistea said...

I'm sure the farmer's wife will be happy hanging out in the kitchen. Perfect use of your pretty blocks.

Swish napkins - all for nix!

Lovely new bandana quilt to brighten a shady spot.

Enjoy the week.

Kris said...

I thought you were confessing to a murder when I saw the title of this post. Boy am I glad I was wrong! (I'd miss you!) Love your pot holders!

Rachel said...

Laughing SO hard. I met the cow they call Farmer's Wife. I feel the same way about her...however I can only make one pot holder. I looked at her friend Dear Jane, I am pretty sure she lives in the same pasture. I did not know the stash/free rule. Makes perfect sense! OK, (I am gonna be sorry I asked this)Why did the bandana quilt take longer than you thought? (Because I like it and I think I want to do one and a day or so sounds good......)

Dianne Neale said...

You know I agree 100% with you about the farmers wife. Never again! But she scrubbed up well!

Rachaeldaisy said...

I bought the book and that's as far as got so you've done better than me!! The pot holders are the best in the universe without a doubt!! Lovely cloth napkins, very glamourous. The bandana quilt looks fabulous! You're you've been such a busy bee!!

Noela said...

Love your Farmers Wife block pot holders. Am thinking of doing this quilt but not sure if I could do all the blocks as there are so many.
Hugs....

Michelle Ridgway said...

Lol! I wonder if the Farmer knows....or did he tell you that. Your potholders are wonderful and love the free napkins and bandana quilt. Hope the Christmas Father comes to me.

Pokey said...

Wow, I cannot believe those beautiful potholders! Truth is, you need to hang them on the wall as mini quilts, because the first person to grab those and actually plan to use them under a sticky, burning pot might find themselves being threatened of losing fingers...having a couple "fancy" potholders myself, I kinda have experience...like the "fancy" towels that are there for show only (and everyone but the guests know they are NOT for use).

I live by the same universal law re: fabrics, I swear it is true!

Have a lovely day, Miss Shay, you have once again brightened mine ~
:-}pokey

Elizabeth said...

Those potholders are the bomb-diggity. Nice work!

I absolutely LOVE the bandana quilt. Amazing! It is perfect for that spot.

The fabric you picked for your Christmas napkins is beautiful! I love it! Can I be invited to your Christmas dinner?

And finally, I love the hear what Little P is up to. Kids say the cutest things. Unfortunately, my kids have grown out of saying cute things. Now they say rude teenagery things.

xo -E

AnnieO said...

There have been few potholders in the world that could even hold a candle to yours, Shay! I've never had a desire to do sampler quilt yet and hope that ague never grabs me. Love your napkins and the bandana quilt. Christmas Father is an adorable version to spout during the season. Wait, the season is here already?

Terri said...

Farmer's Wife pot holders- I don't think I've heard of anybody else having any. You are unique, to say the least. Love the Bandana Quilt! Looks good there on your patio. It is crazy how time goes. According to me it should be 1965!
Hugs

Shocking Hocking said...

ahhahahahahahah - so funny - gorgeous pot holders but i agree - mini quilts on the wall and every time you look at them you can remember not to start another! too funny shay - still laughing....

love the bandana quilt - looks perfect on the day bed

Katy Cameron said...

So glad you kicked that biatch to the kerb, her ideas for a quilt sucked anyway ;o)

As for the napkins, well I grew up with fabric ones (certainly not linen lol) and now I've grown up and moved away I use... baby wipes, I must be regressing ;o)

Loving the look of the blue bandanas

Unknown said...

Love the Bandana quilt on your front porch! I think it is a great color and looks good with your pillows. The pot holders are really cute! I don't think I could have made many of those blocks either. The older I get, the less patience I have for little things! Bet you had fun with little P.

Kirsten said...

Oh Shay, I had to laugh so hard. I like sampler quilts, but so far have only managed to finish one with pretty big blocks. Now I want to start a Sylvias Bridal Quilt Sampler in 2013. I wonder if it ever will get finished.

Helsie said...

I'm with you on sampler quilts. I ended up making mine into placemats and a matching table runner. I think a few pretty home made pot holders would make a great Chrissy present too!
Cheers

Unknown said...

Now you know that most of us think the Farmers Wife should be dead! I for one would never do any "sampler' type thing. And I totally agree about small fiddly little blocks..they suck!
Very funny, and pot holders....OMG at least at GeesBend the prices are a reasonable $25.00, how much are yours? Love the napkins though and they will look amazing with the rings!

Cindy said...

I agree on sampler quilts... but I agree even more that your pot holders are amazing. I'm glad you played nice with them. :) I LOVE the bandana quilt. LOVE IT!!

Char said...

You are too funny! I bought the Farmer's Wife book when it first came out. I am not a fan of sampler quilts at all, but I thought I'd still use it for single block quilts. Haven't touched it yet! Lol love your pot holders.
The napkins are beautiful and I really love the napkin rings. I haven't even thought about colors for Christmas yet! Maybe we can push Christmas back a month!

thea said...

I loved the sampler quilt I made, but that was probably because I could only do two blocks a week. I was a newbie and was super anxious for the next blocks to come along. (I got slapped by the blog police for being too anxious.) It only had 8 different blocks too, maybe that made a difference. I liked it so much I ended up making two of them.

I do have the farmers' wife book and have yet to make even one block so maybe the sampler excitement thing has worn off. I would like to make some of those blocks this coming year. Maybe I'll set my self a goal (in my list).

Lovely napkins to go with the napkin rings. Does your table cloth match as well?

Kay said...

Knew there was a reason why I showed no interest in The Farmer's Wife! Glad to have been saved from that angst. :-)

The bandanna quilt is fantastic -LOVE the colours!!

My daughter was IN the pageant this year!!! Super excitement in this household!! And I was in Melbourne and missed it - dh managed to get a photo of her hand (!!) but you do get a 5 second glimpse of her on the Ch9 telecast.

Kate said...

Love the bandanna quilt, the color is gorgeous!

Sorry you didn't like the sample quilt, those are one of my favorites to make.

Deb said...

Too funny....spit my coffee onto my keyboard! I thought I was the only one that felt that way about the Farmer's "Cow"......
I did get 49 done and it is a small wallhanging to be displayed in the dark hallway!!!!!
BTW, I have already handed off the book to my unsuspecting SIL....let's see how she fares.

Jindi's Cottage said...

Now they are my kind of Farmers Wife quilts! I wanted the book but to read the stories not actually make the quilt...love the idea of using bandanas to make a quilt, looks fantastic for an outdoor reclining space...