Thursday, July 25, 2019

Vintage Block Along - Week 26 - Parade Block!!


Well hello there!
Welcome to the 
Did you have a nice vacation?
I sure hope so:)



I sure did...and now I'm back 
and ready to share
 another block with you from
 grandma's pattern basket.


This vintage block is traditionally called Cross and Crown
I'm calling it PARADE
 and here is why:)

Grandma was born on the 24th of July and as I've said that is our UTAH holiday...
we call it Pioneer Days or the Days of '47.

 It commemorates the year that our pioneer ancestors came across the plains from the east and made this their home:)

Originally Utah was called Deseret (definition from the Bible is Honey Bee)
 but eventually it was called Utah 
when we officially became a state ...
named after the Ute Indian Territories.

Anyhoo...
there are always lots of
parades in towns big and small...
and one big one in downtown Salt Lake City 
on the 24th of July.

Grandma always told us that she 
was born during the parade and
 that her mother 
(my great grandma Martha
 who was a beautiful quilter and gardener)
 asked for the bed to be moved
 and the window to be opened 
while she was in labor 
so that she could watch the parade
 and the fireworks.
Grandma came into this world with a bang... while everyone celebrated
 family and our heritage.
I have always loved that 
and grandma always loved parades.



Every year in our small town 
we also had a parade...
it was part of the 
Herriman Town Days celebration:)
Pretty much everybody in town
 made a float and our family did every year.

The planning usually started in March.
Grandma always helped us plan
 our float and helped us to make it.

Dad would make the base of the float...
using different things every year...
depending on how large 
of a platform we needed.

The floats were never big because 
they were always pulled
 by hand and by two people:)

Mom would decide who would ride 
on the float for the year 
and this year in above photo 
was my turn.
I think I was 4 years old.

What I remember about this float
 was the endless flower making 
out of white tissue paper.

I remember all of us helping 
to make them and Mom saying
 we still need more!
I also remember Mom making
 my dress and crown.

What I remember about riding on 
this float in the parade was
 wanting to go faster...
my oldest sister Debbie and my
 cousin Renee pulled the float
 and I kept saying 
go faster!!!
LOL I was too young to understand
 that you are supposed to go slow.


This is a year that Mom put me
 and my brother Morgan on the float
 because earlier that year I had
 taken a pair of scissors 
and gave him quite a nice a haircut....
or so I thought haha

I remember thinking that I 
wanted to use the scissors 
but I didn't want to cut my own hair 
so I asked Morgan if he wanted
 a haircut and then we both 
got into trouble and Dad had to 
give him a super short buzz cut
 with the clippers to 
even it all out.
 LOL
Of course being in a small town
 everybody knew everything 
so they knew all about it. 
I remember as the float went down
 Main Street in the parade 
they all snickered as we went by!
Ah...good times:)



Here's a pic of another year 
after the parade was just over.
 This is me in the pink and
 2 of my sisters and two of my brothers.
 Debbie is also in pink and she
 has her arms around Brian. 
She was always a little mother:)

Carolyn is in green and Morgan is
 in the red pants. 
Notice both of my brothers
 have buzz cuts again...
but through no fault of mine lol.

You can also see a few of my 
aunts and uncles and cousins
 in the background...
and also on the top right 
lots of decorated bikes.

If you weren't riding on a float 
you would often decorate your bike 
and ride it in the parade.

We would put streamers and flags 
on the handle bars and balloons 
on the back of the seat...
along with streamers in the spokes.
 We also put playing cards 
in the spokes so it created 
noise as we pedaled by:)





Okay...now that I've gone down 
memory lane and told you about
 this week's vintage block...
let's make it!



I used four prints from 
Farm Girl Vintage 
and the blue circles 
from my Bee Backgrounds.



From the background you 
will need to cut:
4 - 4 1/2" squares
12 - 2 1/2" squares
4 - 2 1/2" x 4 1/2" rectangles



From the red cut:
4 - 2 1/2" squares



From the denim cut:
1 - 2 1/2" square



From the yellow cut:
4 - 2 1/2" x 6 1/2"



From the gingham cut:
4 - 2 1/2" x 4 1/2"
4 - 2 1/2" x 6 1/2"


First step is to make 4 segments
 using 4 each of the 
background rectangles and squares...
and also the 4 red squares. 



Sew them together like this.
Your segments should 
measure 4 1/2" square.



Now grab the gingham rectangles
 and sew them to the segments...



Like this:)
Each of the segments 
should now measure 6 1/2" square.



Now add an easy corner triangle
 onto these opposite gingham corners 
using 8 of the 2 1/2" background squares.



Mark a line or use the 



Cute!
Trim and press:)
They should still measure
 6 1/2" square.



Now you will need to add a 
larger easy corner triangle 
onto the bottom of each segment 
using the 4 1/2" background squares.



Don't forget to place a pin 
right where the point underneath 
is so that you sew it
 right where you should.



Trim and press:)



Now that the four outside segments
 are completed...
 you can lay all of the pieces 
for your block out...



And sew it together like this:)



This block is really easy to
 put together and I love it!
I used Americana colors because
 I wanted it to represent 
our parade colors.
What colors will you use 
for your Parade block?



Here's the back of my block.



And another shot of the front!



PARADE 
should measure 14 1/2" square 
before we sew it into our quilt.



Thanks so much for joining me
 on this trip down memory lane today:)

Join me back here next week 
for another vintage block 
and more vintage memories:)
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



3 comments:

Joanne M said...

I can't tell you how much I enjoy reading your stories about your Grandma and your childhood! I look forward to them as much as I look forward to the next block! Thank you so much for sharing them and for the fabulous blocks and tutorials.

Brenda Beyer said...

Such great family memories ! The background that you used is one of my favorites. Thanks so much for sharing.

Dani said...

I just love the stories of your precious memories! Thank you so much for sharing with all of us and your wonderful talent as well.

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