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Showing posts from February, 2018

Block 8 - Black Beauty!

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Yeah!  I love this block.   Black Beauty, by Nancy Cabot, appeared in the Chicago Tribune , July 14, 1933.  This is one of those blocks that has been known by several names, but rarely seen.   Block 8 - Michelle's Fabric Selection 1  In 1938, Nancy Cabot herself, published this block under another name, Stars and Stripe, again in the  Chicago Tribune .   Nancy Page, published it as Dover Square, in the  Birmingham News , in 1943, which is around the same time the original Black Beauty movie came out, so you wonder if that had anything to do with Nancy Page calling it by a different name.  Block, after block, I find references to Nancy Cabot and Nancy Page publishing similar blocks, often by different names, sometimes within the same year or only a short time apart. It makes you wonder what those two ladies thought of each other, or did then even know of each other given the distance.   Block 8 - Fabric Selection 2  Okay, let's talk color first.  Often when I'm

Rising Sun! Block 7!

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Woohoo!  Block 7 is  Rising Sun, published by Nancy Page in the Birmingham News , May 13, 1941.   Block 7 - Rising Sun I've searched several different reference materials, but I was unable to find another block that was similar.  I did give some thought to not including Rising Sun, but I loved it and I wanted to show the uniqueness of the block.  It really is striking with the Pickets/Quickets creating those tulips (my term) between the two-toned Quarter Square Triangles. We have a new technique in this week's block, it is those Pickets/Quickets , we are going to make them using our Wing Clipper !  It is a fabulous technique, you will love the accuracy! Let's talk color first.  For my first fabric selection, I went with a Split Complementary color plan.  I did cheat a bit and used the colors from that fabulous tulip print.  That is a technique that is really easy and will help some of you that claim you are color challenged.  Check the selvage circles and

Block 6- Eight Hands Around

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This has been a crazy couple of weeks; I had the flu 2 weeks ago, followed by two back-to-back retreats.  Therefore I didn't get as many block samples completed as I would like, but I think you will get the idea from my two selections below.   I hope to have a few more completed this weekend and will share on the weekend.  Be sure to follow my  Sew On the Go Facebook Page  to keep up on mid-week posts! Block 6 - Eight Hands Around Block 6!  Can you believe we are an eighth of the way through the 48 Blocks?  Eight Hands Around, first appeared in the Ladies Art Company’s catalog in 1897.   In that same year, also appearing in the Ladies Art Company , but without the half square triangles in the corners, it was also published as Stars and Squares.  Through research, I discovered that it is believed this quilt block derived from Square Dancing.   I personally remember my grandmother placing this block in her comfort quilts, stating that an Eight Hands Around Quilt would help

Block 5 - Summer Winds and Stash/Scrap Management

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Grandmom & me When I started this series, I had hoped that I’d get 100 of my students to follow along with me.  You all have blown me away.   Many have asked how I thought of this idea.  Well last fall, while straighten up my Quilt Studio, I came across my grandmother’s “under the bed box”.  The day was lost to me looking through her clippings.  Running my hand over the same pages she had touched and marked, and on many of days would stories about the blocks with me.  Missing her more than ever, I wondered if she would be happy with the direction I’ve taken with my life.   I started to organize the clippings, placing them into archival page protectors.  A few weeks later, I was at Quilt Market, fielding questions from a book publisher.  She asked me if I had any ideas for a book, I thought she would think I was crazy, but she loved it!  I wanted to share some timeless blocks, but add a twist to them, tell a bit about their history, share a little about my grandmother, and