BLOCKS 1-16

Grandmother's Choice Blocks in a 4 x 4 quilt setting.  I wonder what 50 blocks will look like.

GRANDMOTHER'S CHOICE BLOCK 16: CAPITAL T - SARAH PALLET

Grandmother's Choice Block 16 Capital T

We are now on Block 16.  It's been a challenge to do a block each week, but I'm having fun and learning some history while I'm at it. 

 

The "T" stands for temperance.  To learn more about the temperance movement and Sarah Pallet, visit http://grandmotherschoice.blogspot.com/

 

The block can be found on EQ as Capital T.  It's also on Blockbase No. 1662b and 1662c.  I modified it a bit by filling in the triangle at the bottom, making it more of a T.   

 

The fabric for the block came from my stash.  It's been really a challenge to use up what I have and not buy a fat quarter here and there.

Block 13, 14. and 15

Blocks 13, 14, and 15

No. 13.  Everybody's Favorite:  Universal Suffrage

 

 

The 13th Block in the Series is hand pieced.  The 14th Block was foundation and hand pieced as was the 15th.  I've continued to use only fabrics from my stash.  Universal Suffrage was a modification of Block Base 2112.  

Block 14 (Blockbase 1850) is also known as double wrench or monkey wrench.

Block 15 is Blockbase 2899

No. 14.  Brides Knot: Invisable Woman

No. 15.  Centennial:  New Zealand's Victory

Grandmother's Choice - Block no. 12 - Little Boys Breeches - Dress Reform

Hand Pieced

My grandmother never wore pants...never.  In the first 2 decades of my life, pants were not allowed in school or church or any kind of social events.  I did wear pants and shorts and what we called peddle pushers for play.  So different today.  I don't think I've worn a skirt for a long time.  Can you imagine being confined in movement with a skirt all day.

Grandma, as I said, never wore anything but a dress.  She cleaned in a dress, did laundry in a dress, sewed in a dress, knit in a dress, shopped in a dress, went for walks in a dress, killed chickens in a dress...the list goes on.  We have come a long way...but don't we still wear high heals?   I stopped wearing them and my feet and whole body are the better for it. 

 No. 11

Little Red Schoolhouse - Lucy Stone

This is my version of Grandmother's Choice Block 11.  If you have EQ, you can search under schoolhouses and find several that can be modified to suit you.  I used Contemporary Pieced - Frames - Schoolhouse and then modified it. 

 Click the link below to follow along on the Grandmother's Choice Votes for Women Blogger
Little Red Schoolhouse

BLOCK NO. 10: NEW YORK - SUSAN B. ANTHONY BREAKS THE LAW

BLOCK 10. NEW YORK

Block No. 10:  New York - Susan B. Anthony Breaks the Law.

Ms. Anthony Broke the law by voting.  For this they imprisoned her and put her on trial.  We are so fortunate to have been able to hold on to her skirts and all the women like her who fought so long and hard for our rights.

I created this block in EQ 7 and enjoyed piecing it.

For more information on this time in our history see

http://grandmotherschoice.blogspot.com/ 








Just an update on this post.  I created another Block 10.

2ND BLOCK NO 10: NEW YORK - SUSAN B. ANTHONY BREAKS THE LAW

Block 9 - Brick Pavement: March on Washington

Block 9 -  Brick Pavement: March on Washington

On Monday March 3, 1913 women from all walks of life marched down Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington DC on behalf of women's right to vote.  There were more than 5000 marchers.  The women were verbally and physically abused by crowds of men.  The police rather than protecting them joined in on the abuse. Many women were hospitalized.

I think it will do us well to remember how far we have come and never miss our chance to vote.

There is  a very good explanation of the march and links to other sites on The Blog: Grandmother's Choice: Votes for Women.  See also  Marching for the Vote: Remembering the Woman Suffrage Parade of 1913

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The instructions for this block are on Grandmother's Choice: Votes for Women.


I chose to do an 8" block directly from Block Base (Nancy Page's 1938 Block from her syndicated column). For more information about historical quilt blocks see The Ladies Art Company .

I used EQ7 to print the pattern and then hand pieced the block.

This entire process of a block a week has been a very interesting and informative experience.  I look forward the the weeks remaining. 

ROCKY ROAD TO KANSAS - 1912

Grandmother's Choice 

Block No. 8:  Rocky Road to Kansas - 1912

Within an American Magazine article of the time:  Getting Out the Vote by Helen Todd, Ms Todd relates the story of a plains woman impressed by the idea that if women could vote there would be "bread for all and flowers too". 

The flower is appliqued on the center block.  Rather than use Block Base, I made the block in EQ7 using Easy Draw + Patch Draw.  I strip pieced the star points and then hand pieced it all together.  The beige background represent home baked bread.

BLOCK NO. 7 - ALICE'S FLAG

There was no Blockbase pattern for this one.  So I made the block in a number of steps.

 

MAKING THE STAR

I saved a photo of Block 7 from Grandmother's Choice blog to my pictures .

From there I copied the image to EQ7.  This gave me the correct size for the star.
Once I had the image, I created the star in applique.

I printed templates on freezer paper and from there cut out my five pieces from five different scraps. (I'm using my scraps so took a color for each point from the small pieces scrap pile. )

I hand pieced the star.

 

 MAKING THE BACKGROUND

 I  used easy draw with a 6 inch block to make the exact proportions for the strips.  I printed a template for the strip in an 8 inch block on heavy paper - construction weight.  This was my no measure way of making it exact.
Adding a half inch to the template as I cut, I cut the strips from 3 different neutrals and machine pieced.   I now had a block that was 8 and 1/2 inches.

APPLIQUE THE STAR

Using my centering ruler, I centered the hand pieced star and appliqued it to the background.

 
  I loved making this block.  I love to use EQ7.  I love to hand piece.  I love to applique.  I love to use up my bitty scraps.  What fun!

Grandmother's Choice Block No. 6.  Aunt Eliza's Star - Child Custody

To create this block I used  BlockBase No. 2830.  If you don't have Block Base but do have a version of EQ Software   Electric Quilt Company  go to your block library - 9 patch stars.  There I found an Aunt Eliza's Star, a Variable Star, and a Twin Star. And of course, there is the Ohio Star (I'm from Ohio).  I found the Ohio Star  under Classic Pieced - Classics. These are similar to Grandmother's Choice Block 6.  Just eliminate the inner square. 

To prepare this block, I first appliqued hearts on the Middle Square and the Corner squares, then pieced the block.  I used foundation piecing. 

The middle heart represents the mother, and the corner hearts represent her children..two boys (blue hearts), two girls (pink hearts).  The green for the star represents their youth, health, and growth - and I love green.

A very nice block for stash busting.  Using up even the smallest pieces.  Actually went into my waist basket to get the fabric for the hearts.

Child custody is very important.  As a lawyer, I worked in this area for many years.  The world has changed since the 1800's.  Thankfully, the court system now looks for the best interest of the child.  Sometimes it's mom, sometimes dad, sometimes it's both but the attempt is to make the best choice for the children.

Happy Quilting! 

Block 5. Grandmother's Choice - New Jersey Suffrage Pioneer

Grandmother's Choice Block 5 - New Jersey - Suffrage Pioneer

I machine pieced the nine patch, then appliqued the cross.  To me this was the easiest way.

Why all the colors? I'm using up my scraps.

No. 4  - Grandmother's Choice Block - Kansas Sunflower.  This one was a little more difficult and I hand pieced the star and then appliqued the star onto the background.

Grandmother's Choice Block 3 - Union Square - I Stitched this block in two colorways.  Foundation Pieced.  Can be found as 9 patch Art Square in EQ 7 and probably in earlier EQ's.  Can be found as No. 2417 in Block Base

This is the 2nd Block. Amethyst Suffragettes.  If you have EQ7, you can find it as Priscilla. 

Each week the GRANDMOTHER'S CHOICE  BLOGSPOT
is posting a free block pattern "to recall the fight for women's rights".   The first free pattern (Block 1) is  called Grandmothers Choice, but you may know it by other names..(Duck and Ducklings).

I will be participating by sewing a block a week to honor all the women who fought so hard to get us to where we are now.  Each week I'll post my progress.

I love the color green so I may do the  50 blocks in some shade of green.  Each block is 8" square finished.  Here's my first attempt.  I made two.  I paper pieced this block, making a pattern with EQ7.  The pattern is available on http://grandmotherschoice.blogspot.ca/

The recommendation is an 8" block, but you can make this any size you want.  Colors are also recommended but you know we quilters always do our thing.

If you would like to participate, you may also post your finished blocks on Flickr  http://www.flickr.com.

                            Block No. 1 (Grandmother's Choice)  in two colorways