Farmers Wife #55 Malvina

At this point in the Farmer's Wife sampler, I am trying to use fat quarters that I have already cut. Can you see the selvage that snuck into the block? Think I will write something there.

The Gnome Angel tutorial can be found here.

I'm still playing catch up,  and this block was ok to make, and I didn't do too bad with the points.

My Thoughts on the Letter 'Fun for the Family' 

by Radio Fan 1935

Radio Fan talks about the joy her family gets from the radio. She talks about each family member's favourite broadcast.  Some they share and some they don't. 

I tried to think what today's 'radio' would be - television? Netflix? 

I love television and tv shows and movies. I share my enjoyment of crime and mysteries with my daughter. I wake up to the news in the morning and tv is on most of the day. I record a lot of shows and watch while I'm doing other things - like sewing ☺. 

When the kids were little,  we would watch movies together, and now hubby and I will watch The Block, Master Chef,  and any Star Trek show together. So I guess television has taken the place of radio in today's fast paced, multi-tasking society.

Quote: They say that 90% of TV is junk. But 90% of everything is junk. 

~ Gene Roddenberry.

Another quote: Television is the most perfect democracy.  You sit there with the remote control and vote.

Farmer's Wife # 09 - Autumn

While away camping, I realized that I needed to print out some of the Farmer's Wife templates, so I made a list of what I needed and what I had, and I was able to make this Autumn block. Not a hard block to make, but it did use some small pieces. 

My thoughts on the letter "A Precious Half-hour"

By L.O.L. April 1939

I feel I need to point out that this was written in 1939, well before LOL meant 'laughing out loud'. L.O.L. talks about her busy life and no matter how busy she is,  she still finds 30 minutes in her day to recharge.

This is something I can relate to very well. I have always been someone with hobbies, something that I do to relax and de-stress. 

When our girls were babies - only 11 months difference, I would make sure 

I was showered and dressed, before I even got the girls out of bed. I always made time for me, back then it was fabric painting and ceramics.
As they grew, and our son was older, I went back to work full time. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed my job. It was my passion, my hobby. I enjoyed writing lesson plans and making resources and PowerPoints to share with my colleagues. I would always put aside Saturday to play an online game - Fairyland,  and to sew. Sunday, and most nights we're all school work. This one day was enough to de-stress. Sadly, increasing work commitments, left no down time - not even 30 minutes a day. 
L.O.L. knew the importance of 'me' time.
I have now left that uncaring, and toxic workplace, as the passion had been destroyed. I don't feel guilty,  although I did, now that I am doing what I want to do. I gave taken back my time,  as my time is precious. 
Quote: - Taking time out each day to relax and renew is essential to living well 
~ Judith Hanson Lassiter. 

Am I in the Autumn of my life? 

Farmers Wife #26 Daffodil

I actually finished this block early December, but with travelling and other projects, I didn't get around to posting about it.
This block was paper pieced and because I don't have a lot of yellow fabric I think I should call it tulip. I'm not a fan of paper piecing, mainly due to the wastage of fabric.
I am not concerned with mirror image,  either way will still look good.

My thoughts on the letter "Snappy Though Married"

 by Mrs. Nineteen. December 1935

This was a lovely letter about one day in the first year of marriage. The house work was not done,  sewing 'mess' was not yet cleared away and hubby came home. 

I can really relate to this - as can my daughters. I do the housework that needs to be done, but my relaxation, my calming mindfulness activity is my sewing.

I am blessed to have a hubby like Mrs. Nineteen, even today after 35 years and 5 months, he still asks me to come for a walk, he still holds my hand, he doesn't say a word about the fabric, and notions and machine on the table. Even camping, we often eat at the table with the machine pushed to one side. 

We don't have 'his' jobs and my 'jobs', we both do what needs to be done, when it needs to be done. What is important is being together,  and doing what we like to do. We have the same dream - to travel together and be happy - AND to win the lotto!!!

We love spending time together and also value the needs of each to have our own relaxing pursuits. Marriage is forever and we love each other dearly. 

QUOTE: A successful marriage requires falling in love many times with the same person.

QuiltBug Apple Butter NYD Mystery

Happy New Year.

Each year QuiltBug run a couple of quick one day mysteries where clues are posted every hour - US time. It works out about 4am here, and I have been known to get up at 6am to start. I have made the last few New Year's Day ones, which comes out on the 2nd here, but this year we were on the road travelling between spots, so I could start until we were settled and I could get the machine out again.

This mystery used a jelly roll and three contrasting fat quarters, all of which I grabbed from my stash.

 Each step clearly lays out what needs to be done.

It took me all afternoon and some part of the evening to get to this stage.

 I had other things that needed attending to, so two days later I had time to sew all the units together.

The following day was borders and pinning ready for quilting.

On this quilt I used fleecy as the backing.

 I wasn't sure what design to do the quilting, so spent some time on a grid (graph paper) on the computer working some ideas out.

 I decided on a diamond quilting pattern, as always starting in the centre. You can just make it out in this picture.

The finished quilt is approximately 46" x 56" (117cm x 142cm)

 The next mystery is on Super Bowl day - can't tell you when that is, but U.S. readers will know. It is called Peek-a-boo, and the fabric requirements can be found on the QuiltBug News site now.