Sunday, January 27, 2013

Block 22 - JACK'S DELIGHT: RIDICULE AS HUMOR

Jack's Delight - Clara Stone
Block No. 22 
Jack's Delight
Ridicule as Humor

From Blockbase 2846 (Clara Stone's Jack's Delight) 
The sawtooth block was first published by Massachusetts columnist Clara Stone over a hundred years ago.

Paper pieced sections and then hand pieced the sections together.  Last step was to put the applique circle and star in the center block.  Not in line with the pattern which is to represent the jagged edges of ridicule..those jagged edges are in my block but the circle and star represent the perseverance of the women's movement...be it in the quest for voting rights, or other rights of equality.    

Friday, January 25, 2013

Block No. 21 - Parasols and P.R.

Block No. 21 - Parasols and PR

Blockbase 951. Patty's Summer Parasol (KC Star 4/1/53)

Paper pieced the fringe.  Hand pieced the body to the fringe, Appliqued the body of the parasol to background as well as the handle and top.  Handle and top knot were appliqued on with wood grain fabric

Started with Block base 951 and printed foundation pattern of parasol only

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

No. 19 and No. 20

No. 19 Old Maid's Ramble - 
Desperate Walkers

Paper pieced sections and then hand pieced the sections together.  Using my stash of brights.  Prepared the two red/blue/orange strips separately.  Prepared the green corner and the yellow corner.  Then removed the paper and hand pieced all the sections together.  Before removing the paper, I penciled in the 1/4 inch margin.

No. 20 Memory Wreath -
Emily Wilder Davidson

Paper pieced the sections - Middle and 2 sides.  Drew my 1/4 in lines for guides, removed paper and hand pieced sections together.  Once the piecing was finished, I appliqued the heart in the center.  This block did not have a heart in the instructions for the Memory Wreath but it called for something in the space.  ...and Emily had great heart.  Much I didn't know about in the struggle for a woman's right to vote.  The violence of it surprised me, but then it was as it had to be.



I am learning so much as I move through the blocks, both about the women's suffrage movement and about piecing.  I have always liked paper piecing because of the precision I can get with it.  Paper piecing is not faster than other methods.  It can be very frustrating... but the more I use this method, the more I learn about it and what to watch for to avoid re-doing.   I've also learned that putting sections together by machine is not any faster than hand piecing the sections together and machine piecing often leaves the parts mismatched for me.  With Hand piecing, everything comes together nicely and I can do this sitting in the same room with my hubby and dogs in front of the fireplace.  Very comforting work...and all my points match up

Blocks No. 17 and 18

Block No. 17
Mothers Delight Christabel Pankhurst

It's been some time since I finished the blocks.  Husband in the hospital in December and then I injured my leg and walking is difficult...on crutches until it can be fixed in February.  Now just catching up on the blocks.  This block is paper pieced in the four quarters and then the four quarters are hand stitched together.  I'm still using up my scraps from my stash.  Soon be running out of the bright colors.

Block No. 18
Cheyenne Wyoming Firsts
 
This block was paper pieced and then the parts were hand stitched.  I'm finding I like this method.  When I'm putting the parts of the block together that I've paper pieced, it's much easier to get the points to match if you hand stitch.

More to come.  Will be posting 19 and 20 soon