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Sunday, March 31, 2013

Honoring Women's Rights ~ Week 31

Tinted Chains


We are quilting along with Barbara Brackman's
Block of the Week, Grandmother's Choice.
http://grandmotherschoice.blogspot.com


This is how I made my block, it may differ a
bit from the original.

It is Easter Sunday here in the USA.  Finally, it
looks like Spring has arrived though I have heard 
rumors of snow flurries in a few days.  Noooooo!
I am so happy to see Spring-like weather that it 
inspired my fabric choices this week.  Something
bright and happy and floral.


Fabric Requirements:

Fabric A: Large Floral
4 - 3 5/16'' squares

Fabric B: Pink Medium Floral
1 - 3 5/16'' square

Fabric C: Pink & White Print
1 - 5 3/16'' square - cut twice
on the diagonal.

Fabric D: Turquoise Floral
2 - 2 7/8'' squares - cut once
on the diagonal.


Make Triangle Units - Step 1:

Layout 2 Fabric C triangles and 1 Fabric A
square as shown and sew together.  Press 
seams to the inside.  Trim dog ears.


Step 2:
Sew a Fabric D triangle to the top as shown.
Press seam to the triangle.  Trim dog ears.
Make 2.


Make Center Unit:
Layout units as shown and sew together.
Press seams to the outside.


Sew a triangle unit to the top and bottom
of the center unit being sure to lock seams.
Square to 8 1/2''.

Checkout everyone's work on Dustin's Flickr site:
http://www.flickr.com/grandmotherschoice/

American Homestead is now on
 Facebook.  Please "like" my page!
http://www.facebook.com/americanhomesteaddesign/

For those who celebrate, I hope you have
a Joyous Easter.

See you next Sunday!  ~ Ellen










Thursday, March 28, 2013

A Happy Mistake

 
This week our cable company is having a
Watchathon.  Since we don't have any premium
channels, we have been spending many hours in
front of the tv, watching all of the "new to us" shows.
 
I have been keeping busy as we watch, I have been
doing a lot of hand embroidery for a future project.
 
Doing all of this embroidery reminded me of this
box of cards I bought for a dime, a few decades ago
at a rummage sale.  I loved that each card contained
a packet of seeds.
 
 
It wasn't until I got home and opened it and realized
it didn't have any cards but was filled with this
collection of vintage embroidery transfers.  I love
to think of a time when it was common for people
to embroider on their aprons, dishtowels, etc.
 

Sunday, March 24, 2013

Honoring Women's Rights ~ Week 30

Broad Arrow
 
 
We are quilting along with Barbara Brackman's
Block of the Week, Grandmother's Choice.
 
 
This is how I made my block, it may differ
a bit from the original.
Note:  We are dividing an 8'' block into 3
units and that is never going to be simple,
so get ready for 3/16'' measures...
 
 
Fabric Requirements:
 
Fabric A: Blue
3 - 3 3/16'' squares
1 - 4'' square
1 - 5 13/16'' square
 
Fabric B: White
1 - 4'' square - Mark a
diagonal line on back.
 
 
Make Half Square Triangles:
Pair Fabric A and Fabric B 4'' squares
with right sides together.  Sew 1/4'' away
from each side of drawn line, cut on drawn line.
  Press seams to the darker fabric and square
to 3 3/16''.
 
 
Layout square units and sew together
into 2 rectangles, press seams to the
solid squares.
 
 
Place small rectangle unit on the left side
of the large square and sew together.  Press
seam to the large square.
 
 
Place large rectangle on top of above unit
and sew together.  Press final seam open
to reduce bulk.  Square to 8 1/2''.
 
Checkout everyone's work on Dustin's Flickr site:
 
 
Please "like" the American
Homestead Facebook page!
 
See you next Sunday!
~ Ellen
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Friday, March 22, 2013

On Broadway!

 
It is not only quilts and craft designing
going on in the American Homestead
studio.  Sometimes special projects
come in too.
This is a doll I recently made as a prop
for the Broadway production of
Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike.
 
 
I heard this morning that the stars
love it ~ always good to hear.
 

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Happy Spring!

 
Today is the first day of Spring!
Sadly, it doesn't feel like it around here.
This photo is from last year...
 
 
Our poor daffs are trying to grow,
but it is so cold... When I woke up
this morning it was gray and we were
having snow flurries.  That's not a good
way to start Spring off.
 
 
Later in the day the sun came out and
I headed to the park.  There were hundreds
of Robins ~ did they know it was the first day
of Spring??  Of course, I didn't have my camera
so here is a photo of one of our Robin's stealing
the threads from our old outdoor cushions to
feather his nest.
 
 
We look forward to seeing the Robin
families that will grow up in our garden
later in the year.
 
The funniest thing is I saw a groundhog.
He looked perplexed ~ I think he was saying,
"Hey, wait a minute, I said Spring was coming
early!"
 
 
 

 
 

Sunday, March 17, 2013

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

 
St. Patrick's Day has always been a big
day in our Irish household.  After all, if
you suffer the slings and arrows of the
effects of Murphy's Law all year, you
need one day to let loose!
 
 
We started our celebration last evening
since it is the last time we will all be
together for dinner for awhile.  Of course,
we had corned beef and cabbage with potatoes.
 
Did you know Murphy means potato?
 
 
Some delicious Colcannon.
 
More potatoes and cabbage...
 
 
And Irish Soda Bread.
 
We finished off the evening watching
Circle of Friends.  Today Brennan heads
back to Bloomington.  Katie Rose is here
for one more night ~ perhaps we'll watch
the Quiet Man...
 
Best wishes from the Irish-American Homestead
 
May the road rise to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
the rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the hallow of his hand.
 
All the best,
 
~ Ellen
 
 
 
 
 

Saturday, March 16, 2013

Happy Worldwide Quilting Day!

 
Many of my friends are spending the day with
other quilters at a local quilting event...  but I
am home putting the finishing touches on the
nine quilts for my book.
 
 
I have hand sewn the bindings, sleeves, labels and
even some yoyo's on 8 of the 9 quilts in the past
month ~ 4 of them since Tuesday.  It has been a long
 but wonderful process and now my fingers are tired.
 
 
Since I have done nothing but work for the past
year, my studio is looking a "bit" disheveled...
I guess I will have to add " Organize the chaos
that is your studio" to the to-do list.
 
So the quilts will be traveling across the country
next week to spend many months at the publishers.
There are photo shoots to be done and the technical
editing begins.  I will miss them, they have become
such a part of my life.
 
Best wishes for a Happy Worldwide Quilting Day
for those of you that are interested in this form of
artistic expression.  And if you are not a quilter,
maybe you are lucky enough to snuggle up with one.
I love thinking of all the quilters I have come to know
all over the world, I wish I could see where you work,
where you shop for fabrics and your finished projects.
 
All the best ~ Ellen
 
 

Thursday, March 14, 2013

Happy National Pi Day!

 
I realize it may seem a bit odd to have a day
that celebrates a numerical ratio... but it sounds
like "pie" so that's good enough for me!
 
 
Book deadlines are approaching so sadly
there will be no pie making at the
American Homestead today.
 
 
But we can revisit some of American
Homestead's favorite pies o' the past!
 
 
I love pie birds!
 
 
I love vintage baking tools!
 
 
I love fresh picked strawberries!
 
 
I love shells!
 
 
I love Paris!
 
 
I love chocolate!
 
 
I love hobnail milk glass!
 
 
 
Maybe we should have another
Summer of Pie!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Sunday, March 10, 2013

Honoring Women's Rights ~ Week 28

Ocean Wave
 
 
We are quilting along with Barbara Brackman's
Block of the Week, Grandmother's Choice.
 
 
This is how I made my block, the instructions
are a bit different from the original.
 
 
Fabric Requirements:
 
Fabric A: White Print
5 - 3 1/4'' squares - Mark a
diagonal line on back.
 
Fabric B: Blue
5 - 3 1/4'' squares
 
Fabric C: Floral
1 - 2 7/8'' square - cut on diagonal
1 - 4 7/8'' square - cut on diagonal
(you will only need 1 half)
 
Fabric D: Coral
1 - 2 7/8'' square - cut on diagonal
1 - 4 7/8'' square - cut on diagonal
(you will only need 1 half)
 
 
Make Half Square Triangles:
Pair Fabric A and B 3 1/4'' squares
with right sides together.  Sew 1/4''
away from each side of drawn line.
Cut on drawn line, press seams to the
Fabric B.  Square to 2 1/2''.
 
 
Quarter Unit #1 - 4 Patches
 
Layout half square triangles as shown and
sew together in 2 rows.  Press seam in row 1
to the left and seam in row 2 to the right.
 
Sew rows together.  Square to 4 1/2''.
Make 2.
 
 
Quarter Unit #2 - Step 1
 
Layout units as shown and sew the half
square triangle to one of the triangles as
shown.  Press to the triangle, trim off the
little dogear.
 
 
Quarter Unit # 2 - Step 2
 
Pin the other triangle and sew to above unit.
(I stress pinning this because it is easy to sew
this to the wrong edge...)  Press to the triangle.
Trim dogears.
 
 
Quarter Unit #2 - Step 3
 
Sew the large triangles to the units and
press seam to the large triangle.
Square to 4 1/2''.
 
 
Layout units as shown and sew together
in 2 rows.  Press seam in row 1 to the left
and seam in row 2 to the right.
 
 
Sew rows together and square to 8 1/2''.
 
Check out everyone's work on Dustin's Flickr site.
 
 
I've always been interested in the WAVES,
maybe that is due to my own time spent on
the high seas when I was a Sea Scout as a
teenager.  That's me above, on our boat, The
Seahorse ~ I'm the one with her hand clutched
to her throat...
 
American Homestead can
now be found on Facebook.
Please "like" my page!
 
See you next Sunday!
~Ellen