Thursday, June 27, 2019

Vintage Block Along - Week 23 - Penny Candy Block!!


Welcome to week 23 in the 



I picked another vintage block pattern
 from my grandma's pattern basket
 to share with you:)





I'm using Farm Girl Vintage fabric
 for all of my blocks:)


This vintage block is traditionally called Single Irish Chain.
It's the perfect scrappy quilt block 
and especially perfect 
for leftover squares:)

I chose to name this block
PENNY CANDY
and here's why!
Last week I told you that 
Grandma owned and ran the
 only store in our small town.
The official name was 
Herriman Mercantile but
 everyone just called The Merc.


Every week after we were finished
 with our Saturday chores...
Mom would give us each a dime
 and we all would head over
 to The Merc to see Grandma 
and get a little brown paper sack
 full of penny candy.
Some of the candy was even
 2 or 3 for a penny! 


Candy bars were a nickel:)


I usually chose one candy bar
 and then used the remaining
 5 cents on penny candy.

It took us FOREVER to decide 
and then we would walk home 
(it was in the center of town on Main Street) and our farm was on 
the outskirts of town.
We would eat our chosen candy bar
 on the way home and then 
save our penny candy and try to 
make it last as many days 
as possible until the next Saturday lol

Sometimes instead of walking 
we would ride our bikes...
or roller skate.


I chose the single irish chain block
 because I could just see the squares
 in colorful scrappy prints...
each representing a piece of candy:)



You will need 45 - pieces of candy 
for this block..
Also known as 1 1/2" squares lol

I used leftover squares from my stash.
Remember in the beginning 
of this sew along 
I told you that I always
 cut the trimmings from 
easy corner triangles 
into usable square sizes?

I am using mine for this block.
Waste not...want not
Grandma would be so proud!


I also have several 1 1/2" squares
 from my Bee Backgrounds 
and I used them as well.
You will need 40 of these:)


I chose this sweet little daisy print 
from Farm Girl Vintage 
and the yellow circles print 
from my Bee Backgrounds 
to use in my block.



From this print I cut 
20 - 1 1/2" x 2 1/2" rectangles



And from this one I cut
 4 - 5 1/2" squares



You will need to make a total of
 20 - 4 patch blocks.
For each one you will need 
2 colors and 2 backgrounds...



Like this.
Each 4 patch should measure 
2 1/2" square at this point.
I pressed my seams open.



I just grabbed a bunch and randomly
 matched them up while chain sewing...
I didn't do a lot of planning 
other than tried to use 
a few of each color and 
not to repeat prints 
if I could help it.
I think I repeated a few though 
and that's okay and totally fine with me.



20 cute little 4 patch blocks!



Now lay 4 of them out onto your
 design board like this and add 
the background rectangles
 and one more penny candy square 
in the center.
 Sew them together into a block



Sew five of these blocks...
each should measure 
5 1/2" square at this point.



This is how I pressed mine.


After you have 5 blocks 
lay them out like this...



Add the 5 1/2" squares...



And sew into three rows...



And sew the rows together 
to finish your block!



This is how I pressed mine.



Oh my goodness I LOVE this block!
It turned out just like I imagined...
sweet as candy!
PENNY CANDY
should measure 15 1/2" square 
before we sew it into our quilt.


I hope you love making your block
 as much as I did making mine!
Join me back here next week
 for another vintage block
 from grandma.

This time I'm telling you
 what it's called...
MERCANTILE
See you then!
xx
Lori

If you are just joining us...
click on each block that we have
 done so far to go to the tutorial:


8. Humble
15. Memory
19. Picnic
20. Sparklers


Wednesday, June 26, 2019

Fun with Cross Stitch!!


Today is a show and tell day:) 
I wanted to show you a few of
 the accessories designed by me 
and produced by the fabulous 
It's Sew Emma!

 Above you can see my new 
Any kind of stitching definitely
 makes my heart go pitter-pat...
which I why I chose to put 
this saying on there along with
 a cross stitched heart:)



This is The Beekeeper...
I like to keep all of each project
 floss colors on it when I'm using
 something other than my Aurifloss ...
because Aurifloss is already on a spool:)



I also like to keep individual colors 
of floss on my 



First let me tell you about 
The Beekeeper.
It comes with several cards
 so that you can write the projects
 and the floss numbers on one card 
for each project.



I like to use my Planner Pens...
or  you could use a pencil if you want
 so that the card could be re-used.



I've filled out the card...
listing the DMC colors 
that are called for in my...


cross stitch pattern.
Fat Quarter Shop is hosting the 
right now on their 
FQS Cross Stitch Channel.
to view and join in on the fun!


You will see several different 
fabrics that it's stitched on...
this is what it looks like stitched on my
I used Aurifloss 
and 2 strands over 2.


Each of the holes on 
The Beekeeper 
are numbered and so you simply write
 the color of the floss on the 
same number that you 
placed in the hole.
For example...
you can see that 817 is written
 on line number 1 and 
817 floss is in hole number 1.



I like to cut my floss about
 18"- 20" long before 
tying onto The Beekeeper.
Now they are precut and I just 
take them out and use them as needed:)



Another thing I wanted to show you 
about The Beekeeper is that 
you can put a 
needle minder in the center...



To hold your needles like this!



This is what the back looks like
 with a needle minder on it:)



When everything's is gathered
 for the project I can
 put it all in the bag.



It holds a lot!



I added one of my enamel charms
 to the zipper for extra fun:)



When I use the Floss Flowers 
I write the floss number
 on a sticker (they come with several)
 and wind the floss onto the flower...


Like this...


And the sticker goes on the back:)


I think they are so cute and fun to use ...


I love to be organized for every project...
you can place the Floss Flowers
 on a ring to keep them 
all together for one project:)


This is my brand new pattern set called
This is set A and includes
 4 cute little patterns that 
coordinate with the
 quilt blocks from my books:)

I will be releasing 
Sets B-C-D-E-F-G etc
and so on every quarter:)

I'll be doing all kinds of 
fun things with these 
cute little patterns:)  


After I have each project 
in my project bags 
I like to put them all into my 

It's large enough to hold 
2-3 project bags along with 
Q-snaps..hoop or frames:)
I love this bag!
It's very well made and
 it's a thick soft durable canvas.
if you would like to 
see all of my cross stitch patterns!!


I use it for my crochet projects too!
It holds a lot of
 and all my hooks and
 yarn bowl and accessories.

I can grab it and go 
so that I'm never without a project:)
My favorite thing to do
 in the summer is to
 stitch out on my deck:)


I also use my Floss Flowers to hold 
leftovers of Chunky Thread yarn.
That little bit you see there is
 enough to make a round in a 
granny square or granny circle 
so I wind it on my Floss Flowers to use.


The bag has a nice sized pocket
 with a zipper in the front that I love!


I just load it all up with yarny goodness...


Cinch it closed and I'm ready to go!

Thanks for joining me while
 chatting about cross stitch
 and also a little crochet...
I'll see you tomorrow for
 the next tutorial in our 
xx
Lori