Amish Circle Quilt Project - "Collecting Eggs"

Block #3 - "Collecting Eggs"

Started on 6-21-11
Completed on 6-23-11

This writer and pattern contributor told her sons collecting eggs from their chickens and only breaking one out of 3 baskets full. I must confess that I sometimes wish we had a couple of chickens to collect fresh eggs from each day. I love eggs. Cooked just about any possible way to boot!

I think it would be good for the kids to have chores like egg collecting or coop clean-up. I don't know that I would want the daily responsibility for forever but I must admit it sounds like a wonderful life.

What do you know about chickens? Are they pretty easy to care for? Do they let you take their eggs? What farm animal would you most like to have? I think I'd have to say a goat or two. Or an Alpaca if it was a contemporary type farm!

Father, may our lives have the peacefulness and earthiness of a farm and may we appreciate your creativeness in the world you've made for us.

Yee haw ... three days in a row!

Amish Circle Quilt Project - "Fruit Trees"

Block #2: "Fruit Trees"

Started on 6-20-11
Completedon 6-21-11

I had a lot of fun with this block. I enjoy doing applique' but I get bogged down with big projects taking a long time. This was nice because it was fun and DONE!

I read a book recently of people who owned an orchard. I loved the descriptions of them walking through and under the shade of the massive rows of fruit trees. I don't know if I've ever visited an orchard. Hmmm ... Sounds like a fun fall field trip for me and the kiddos.

Some of my fabric colors are probably going to be too bright to reflect ones the Amish might use. But it will reflect me and my color choices so I guess an homage to the Amish in my own way is acceptable.

Blogged two days in a row. Will wonders never cease?

Father, help me see the small miracles of your design for this world in the simplicity of a fruit tree!

Amish Circle Quilt Project - "The Picnic"

Block # 1 - The Picnic

Started on 6-20-11
Completed on 6-20-11

I used reds rather than blues for two reasons. One, red said picnic to me more than blue did. Two, I didn't have blue fabrics I liked for this block!

When was the last time you got together with other families for a picnic down by the pond (or anywhere else for that matter)? That's what this block represented. A little family picnic that turned into 64 people and an all day affair.

We had a church picnic last month and it was so nice to get together with such a diverse group of people who shared a common faith and love for God. How nice to visit with people you simply don't get to know during a worship service.

I think perhaps such gatherings should happen more often. Getting together to picnic, play games, toss a ball around, or as my family often did sing together.

Father, help us all take time to spend time with people we love and whose relationships we value.

May you all picnic in your own way this week!

A Stitch in Time?

Anyone who knows me knows that I have an interest, shall we say, in the Amish culture and way of life. I read fiction and non-fiction books about them. I follow blogs and websites that are devoted to honoring and learning more about their way of life.

I'm also a quilter. Maybe still a baby quilter, since I've only been quilting for a year and a half, but a quilter none-the-less. I love it muchly.

So, it stands to reason that when I happened upon a book entitled "The Amish Circle Quilt" by Rosemary Youngs, I found my own little soul mate of a project to work on!

The book focuses on a group of women who keep a circle letter circulating throughout their small group. At one point they decide to begin enclosing a pattern for a quilt block with each letter based on what is happening in their life at the time of their writing.

There are 121 blocks. No, that's not a typo. 121.

So, back on June 20, I got started. Some blocks I work straight through to complete. Others I have to think about and prepare for. Still others require applique' stitching which I try to save up two or three of before completing.

I plan to blog about each block and include a picture of it as I complete it. I know myself well enough to know that I won't blog every day. Most especially because this time of year we are travelling and camping a lot and I rarely have internet service then.

I might even include my take on the block in a "what it means to me" kind of way. Hope this will be of interest to someone. If not, I will have beautiful, talented grandbabies someday that will find it fascinating. tee hee

Blessings to all!