Vintage Block Along - Block Nine - Egg Money Block!!

Good morning!...

Hope you are ready for

 another tutorial in the 

Vintage Block Along

I've chosen another block from 

my grandma's pattern basket

 to share with you:)

This block from grandma 

is one that I have always loved.

Of course grandma and her sisters 

pieced this block using templates

 probably made with a cereal box:)

The angles are difficult 

as many vintage blocks were.

I was determined that it 

should go into this quilt and 

our Vintage Block Along so I persisted...

and with some extra creative 

quilty math my 

"Egg Money" block was hatched!

It finishes at 12" x 12"

 and you will need to 

sew one block for the quilt.

In grandma's day, 

gathering the eggs...

And taking care of the chickens 

was a typical chore for a farm wife:)

Eggs were gathered in 

wire egg baskets

 like this or if there were

 just a few to gather

...they were often placed in 

grandma's apron skirt or 

slipped in the pockets.

I have grandma's egg basket 

that she gave to me 

from the barn out back.

I keep it in my kitchen 

and have it filled with 

these vintage rolling pins:)

Some of the pins have 

original painted handles 

and some I painted myself:)

Grandma's quilt blocks were pieced 

with colorful feed sacks 

after they were emptied or

 from leftovers from making a dress.

Often yard goods and patterns

 were purchased with the 

carefully saved egg money:)

Nothing says farm life like

 freshly gathered eggs 

placed in the kitchen for

 breakfast and baking...

but they also provided means 

for special purchases:)

This is the kind of block 

that grandma would typically make 

with just one print and a background 

and so that's what I chose to do too.

Using just one print really

 makes the graphic design shine through:)

The print is one that reminds me

 of something grandma would have

 purchased to make an everyday dress.

 She wore this color often 

and I designed it with her in mind!

It was a perfect choice for the 

Egg Money Block for my quilt:)

From the print you will need to cut:

8 - 3 1/4" x 3 1/4"

8 - 1 1/2" x 3 1/4"

4 - 1 1/4" x 1 1/2"

From the background cut:

12 - 3 1/4" x 4 1/4"

4 - 3 1/4" x 3 1/4"

4 - 1 1/4" x 3 1/4"

4 - 1 1/2" x 1 1/2"

1 - 1 1/4" x 1 1/4"

First make the center of the block.

It's sewn together like a 9 patch.

The center square is the

 smallest background square (1 1/4")

 and the four outside squares 

are the 1 1/2" size.

The prints are the small rectangles...

(1 1/4" x 1 1/2")

I pressed my seams open:)

Now take the print rectangles and 

place the background rectangle

 in the center and sew.

Make 4:)

Set those segments aside and then 

pair up the 3 1/4" squares 

to make half square triangles.

Mark a diagonal line or use the

 Seams Sew Easy Guide

If you want to find out how 

and why I use it

and how I put mine on my machine...

CLICK HERE

Trim the excess and press 

for a total of four.

Now lay the segments out 

on your design board and 

sew them together like this.

Another 9 patch!

This is a cute block all on its own

 but it becomes spectacular 

with just a few more steps:)

Sew background rectangles onto each 

side of the remaining 3 1/4" print squares.

Make 4:)

Press them in half to mark the 

center and then press the 

remaining four background rectangles

 in half as well.

Place the rectangle onto the

 printed square and line up 

the pressed creases.

Pin and sew...

like this!

I know this segment looks 

strange but stick with me:)

You will sew one to all four sides

 of the block.

Sew two opposite sides first and press...

then sew the two remaining.

Before you sew them use the 

Double Pins 

here to make sure these seams line up.

I didn't pin them for the photo 

because I wanted you to sew

 which seams I meant.

This is what it looks like when you are finished sewing them on.

A little strange looking right?

Well...

just turn it a half a turn 

and looky what we have here:)

It's starting to look 

a little more like it should!

All you need is a 

12 1/2" square ruler to trim it up.

I'm using my 12 1/2" Trim - It Ruler...

if you don't have one no worries.

Whatever 12 1/2" ruler that you use 

just make sure that the block

 is centered before trimming.

And there you have your 

Egg Money Block:)

So much easier than templates!

Grandma was amazed with the

 quilting tools that we have now.

I love this block so much.

To me it is so vintagey adorable!

It looks super hard to make 

because of all the difficult angles

 but as you just saw...

it's now totally do-able!

Another great thing about this block

 is that you will not need to

 worry about sewing off your points when sewing it into your quilt

 because they are farther in than 1/4"....yay!

I used my very same

 "turn and trim method" 

when designing my

 Great Granny Square Blocks.

This was several years ago 

during the Great Granny Along

 which was also a sew along 

right here on my blog:)

I made 12" and 6" blocks...

and made runners and pillows too.

They eventually made their way 

into my second book...

Great Granny Squared

Another thing that I did

 on my blog several years ago...

and also taught in my 

Farm Girl Vintage Workshops 

is my 

"Fresh Baked Bread Pincushion"

I thought I'd make a new one

 with my Farm Girl Vintage fabric

 and show you how I make them.

First you need a small loaf tin.

Sometimes I paint mine or

 they are fine left alone as well.

For the "bread slices" ...

I cut 20 - 1" strips about 10" long.

I sewed them together and 

pressed my seams open.

Basically I have a 10" square give or take.

If you didn't want your bread sliced...

you could just use a 10" square:)

I make it just like I showed you

 when I made my lady head vase pincushion.

Cotton thread...

Chunky Nifty Needle 

and wool stuffing.

Just gather with large stitches 

in about a 1/2" from the edges.

Pull up and add the stuffing.

Because this is a rectangle shaped pan 

that's the shape's going for.

This is what the underside looks like...

And the ends.

Now just stuff it in the bread pan

 and your bread is freshly baked!

I did use my glue gun 

on the bottom of the loaf only.

I like to keep my sides glue free 

so that I can tuck my scissors...

thread and add a tube of sewing needles:)

And of course some bumble bee 

Pretty Pins!

Freshly Baked Bread Pincushion...

it's delicious and 

Farm Girl Vintage cute...

not to mention handy!

I hope you enjoyed today's tutorials 

and that you have fun 

making your own Egg Money Block 

and pincushion.

I will do my best to

 be back here next Thursday 

with another block from grandma's basket.

Thanks for farmin' with me!

xx

Lori

If you are just joining us...

click on each block 

that we have already sewn

 for that tutorial:

1. Grandma's Star

2. Pattern Basket

3. Around the Corner

4. Little Farmhouse

5. Rhinestone 

6. Vintage Lily

7. Star Shine

8. Humble