Vintage Block Along - Week 15 - Memory and Granny Square Blocks!!

Well hello again and thanks

 sew much for tuning in to my

Vintage Block Along

Today I have another vintage block 

from my grandma's pattern basket 

to share with you:)

I'm using Farm Girl Vintage Fabric...

And today I'm going to 

show you how to make the 

MEMORY BLOCK

I made 2 different versions

 to show you of this block.

You can choose which version 

you would like to make for your quilt!

This was a very popular block 

and it was commonly known as the

 Album Block...

the Friendship Block or the

 Signature Block.

Grandma and her sisters often made 

these kind of quilts to commemorate

 an event or as a gift to someone

 who was moving or retiring etc.

Each woman would make a block

 and embroider their name on it 

and then all of the blocks 

would be sewn  together and quilted:)

You can find many different 

kinds of vintage signature quilts

 still around today and I think

 that they are so sweet!

I decided to write grandma's first

 and middle name on my quilt.

I wrote mine in pencil 

(the first photo) 

because I wanted to 

embroider her name in red.

I wrote this one with a 

micron pigma pen 

just to show you that if you 

don't want to embroider you can

just write it with this type of pen

 because it's permanent on fabric

 and will not smear or wash away.

Whichever way you decide 

to do the signature...

you will need to cut a piece of

 2 1/2" x 6 1/2" fabric

to write the name onto.

I use Riley Blake

 Confetti Cotton in CLOUD.

That is the solid that matches 

all of my Bee Background fabrics

 and of course my Farm Girl Vintage.

For the remaining background 

you will need to cut:

2 - 2 1/2" squares

12 - 2 1/2" x 3 1/2" rectangles

From the print you will need to cut:

8 - 2 1/2" squares

Simply lay your pieces out

 into rows like this and sew together.

Then sew the rows together

 and your block will look like this!

Remember when we did the 

EGG MONEY BLOCK

 and we used the 

12 1/2" Trim-It Ruler?

Well you trim this block up 

the exact same way except you 

will need to use a

 9 1/2" Trim-It Ruler

Lay the ruler on top of the

 block like this and use all of the

 lines on the ruler to make sure 

everything is centered.

Trim away the excess like this!

Your block will now measure

 9 1/2" square...

easy peasy!

Whoops!

I was going to embroider grandma's name

 first before trimming but I 

got too excited to show you

 the next step lol!

Anyhoo...

I used 3 strands of my red Aurifloss

 and a backstitch...

and of course a

french knot to dot the "i"

MEMORY BLOCK

9 1/2" x 9 1/2" BEFORE

you sew it into your quilt.

Sometimes they set their

 blocks on point and 

sewed alternate blocks with 

colorful feedsack prints in-between.

This block is very simple

 and very versatile!

Now for the other version 

without the signature.

It's sewn the exact same way...

and here is cutting:

Yellow - 1 - 2 1/2" square

Teal - 4 - 2 1/2" squares

Coral - 8 - 2 1/2" squares

Background - 12 - 2 1/2" x 3 1/2" rectangles.

Sew it and trim it up 

the exact same way with the

 9 1/2" Trim-It Ruler

Cute!

This block is just a smaller version 

of my Great Granny Square Block ...

from my book called 

Great Granny Squared

I guess we can just call 

this one a Granny Square Block!

An entire quilt made from my 

Granny Square Block would be 

sew super cute and 

scrappy happy vintage:)

Now that I'm back from retreat 

I'll be here next week with

 another popular vintage block 

tutorial that I want to

 add to my quilt.

If you are just joining us 

here is the list and links to the

 blocks that we have made so far:

1. Grandma's Star

2. Pattern Basket

3. Around the Corner

4. Little Farmhouse

5. Rhinestone 

6. Vintage Lily

7. Star Shine

8. Humble

9. Egg Money

10. Quilting Bee

11. Sunday Star

12. Sweet as Honey

13. Bear Hug Block

14. Front Yard Flower

Farm Sweet Farm Sew Along - Week Nine - Cow and Beehive Block!!

Well hello and welcome!!

It's the very last

 block tutorial in the

 Farm Sweet Farm Sew Along!

Today we will be doing the

 very last block...

Cow and Beehive!

Grab your 

Farm Sweet Farm 

Sew Simple Shapes

 and let's get started:)

Grab your Farm Girl Vintage fabric

 pieces that you have cut for this block:)

Here are all of mine...ready to sew!

Sew Simple Shapes 

that you will need are:

H1 - 1

H4 - 3

H5 - 1

H10 - 1

H11 - 4

H12 - 1

H15 - 12

H17 - 1

H19 - 1

H27 - 1

H35 - 1

H36 - 2

H37 - 1

H38 - 2

You will need to cut your

 prepared bias strips 

into these lengths:

1/4" geen for flower stems- 

one 7 1/2" - three 6" and one 2 1/2"

(I forgot to put the 2 1/2" in the photo)

1/2" dk.teal for the beehive stand - 

one 10" and one 4 1/4" with both ends

 of that one pressed under 1/4"

Cut two 1/4" ones 

2" long for the beehive stand brackets

1/4" wide coral-

cut three 1" long strips and

 press one end under on each.

For the cat tail and legs...

use the strip that I had you cut 

on the bias for the 3/8" maker and

 curve the shape for the tail when pressing.

The legs are not curved but I 

used the same strip for those 

and each leg is cut 3" long 

with both end pressed under 1/4"

Before you sew your shapes...

take one of the H-38 pieces(a cow spot) 

 that you traced and draw a line up 

from the bottom about 3/4"...

Like this.

This line is a new sewing line 

for ONE of the cow spots.

This one goes across the top of her back:)

Here are my pieces after they

 have been sewn and trimmed.

The pieces on the mat are ones 

that have inner curves and cleavage

 areas that need to be 

clipped before turning.

Turn and shape all of your pieces 

using the point to point turner.

Make sure that your background 

linen edges are zig zagged or served.

Before I layed my pieces

 out for glue basting...

I embroidered the barn cats face!

I used 3 strands of Aurifloss for

 everything because his face is tiny:)

Also take note that I cut one end off 

of the H-10 Sew Simple Shape 

to use for the door on the beehive:)

When I laid out the udders...

 I pinned one leg down first and then 

the udder and the back leg on top.

I trimmed the large circle used

 for the udder down for less bulk.

Here's a close up of my barn kitty:)

You cam make your tail longer

 or shorter...you're the boss 

of your own block!

This is where I put the spot on the cow...

the one that I had you 

mark a line on before sewing.

This block finishes at

 12" tall x 19" wide.

You will trim it down to 

12 1/2" x 19 1/2" 

when applique is complete.

When you are laying out your block...

do not let the pieces

 be wider than 18 1/2"...

Or taller than 11 1/2".

Once you have pinned everything down...

check your measurements one more time...

And it's time to use your Sue Glue!

Remove the pins...

lay your rulers on top with 

something heavy on top of that 

and let your glue dry 

for 10 to 15 minutes.

Trace your embroidery lines on and applique!

Fast forward and it's all done!

I used 3 strands of dark gray Aurifloss

 for the top of the beehive 

and the hens legs, eye and beak.

Embroider the hen's comb and wattle 

just like the others:)

I used the brown Aurifloss for the 

cows eyes and horns...

just like the goat block!

I used 2 of the Nutmeg colored

 tiny buttons for her nostrils:)

The 1/4" sized collection 

comes in this bag of 

Cute Little Buttons

I painted the lid of one of my 

original Cute Little Button jars

 yellow and put a few little 

packages in there to keep and use...cute!

I got so excited to add the buttons

that I almost for got to 

trim the block down first:)

You will need to trim this block to 

12 1/2" tall x 19 1/2" wide.

Take note...

that is 19 1/2" for this one 

which is 1" wider than

 the last two blocks...

so you will need to use 

a wide ruler for that part.

Now to sew on the rest of the

 buttons onto the flowers:)

Yippee and YeeHaw!!!

The last block is completed 

and you can now sew your last row together:)

It should measure 12 1/2" tall and be 55 1/2" wide just like the first two rows.

All of the tutorials are now completed 

and I have loved doing each 

and every one of them for you:)

Refer to your sew along guide 

where all of the measurements 

for putting the quilt together 

are there for your convenience.

Next week for the big finish 

I'll show you my quilt 

all quilted and bound!

And...

I may just have a fun surprise

 for you as well:)

xx

Lori