Grandma’s Kitchen Block of the Week – #20 of 25

This week’s Grandma’s Kitchen block of the week by Pat Sloan  is called Lovely Dishes and so our memory story is all about dishes. Neither of my mammaws had a full set of ‘matched’ dishes. I do not know where the dishes came from but there was an assortment of patterns and styles on their shelves. I remember at one time gas stations would give you a dish with a fill up, and each station had different patterns. This was when gas was twenty-five cents a gallon! Neither of my grandparents owned a car but my uncles would give them the dishes they received at the gas stations.

I loved the different dishes with all kinds of pretty patterns. I remember picking the  plate with my favorite color or flower and filling it full of good food.

On a sad note, the quilting world lost one of our stars this week. Nancy Zieman of Sewing with Nancy passed away from cancer. She will be missed.

Thank you for visiting with me and reading our blog. Sami and I always enjoy having company stop in for a visit.

 

 

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Moda Blockheads Block of the Week – #37 of 48

It’s Block Wednesday again! Moda Blockheads block for this week, called Double Delight Star, is designed by Lynne Hagmeier of  Kansas Troubles Quilters . I changed the construction a little by making the flying geese blocks using the no waste/four at a time method as described on the Lazy Girl Designs website.

I always enjoy working on Lynne’s designs and this one allowed me to add my chubby chicken to the center block.

Thanks for visiting our blog.

Please take the time to tell your friends and loved ones that they are important to you. They will not always be a phone call away.

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Grandma’s Kitchen Block of the Week #19 of 25

Grandma’s Kitchen Block of the Week #19 by Pat Sloan  is called Mending Basket and our memory stories are supposed to relate to that, so here goes mine.

My Mammaw and all of my aunts had a sewing basket where all the mending resided until it was repaired. Unless it was an emergency repair it had to wait until a rainy day or winter time as summers were pretty busy around the farm. I remember lots of denim scraps to patch jeans and overalls and lots of buttons in jars.  I can remember my aunt sewing on buttons and patches while we watched Bonanza, the Rifleman, and Roy Rogers on TV.

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Moda Blockheads BOW – Block #36 of 48

Moda Blockheads Block of the Week #36 is called Shoo Dat by Carrie Nelson. This block looks a lot more complicated than it is. It went together very quickly and the cutting was a breeze.

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Thank you for visiting my little blog. Sami and I love to have friends stop by.

 

 

Grandma’s Kitchen Block of the Week #18 of 25

Grandma’s Kitchen block of the week #18 is called The Fridge. It is designed by Pat Sloan. As the name states, our story this week is memories of ‘The Fridge’ and here is mine:

Our ‘Frigidaire’ was one of those with the rounded top and a very tiny freezer on the inside. The freezer had a couple of metal ice trays that everyone ‘forgot’ to fill with water so ice was never available. It was not self-defrosting either. I remember heating water on the stove until it was boiling and sitting a pan inside the freezer to defrost all the ice that accumulated. This was an ongoing process and it was a pain. I am so thankful for frost-free refrigerators now.

Our fridge was not full of condiments like we have now. Things like mustard and vinegar were not refrigerated and left overs were eaten at the next meal or put in the soup pot. No prepared food was purchased from the grocery as all our food was stored in jars in the cellar, in the smoke house,  in the hen-house, or in the cow.

This fridge was also very loud. It was not noticeable during the day but it would wake you from a sound sleep when it kicked on at night.

Thanks for visiting with me and reading about my ‘good old days.’

Moda Blockheads BOW #35 of 48

Moda Blockheads block of the week #35 is called Northridge and it is designed by  Lisa Bongean. It was not a quick block for me but as long as the seam allowances are consistent it goes together very well. I think it will be a great addition to our quilt. Thanks Lisa and Moda for bringing us all these beautiful block designs at no cost.

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Grandma’s Kitchen Block #17 of 25

Block 17 of the Grandma’s Kitchen Block of the Week by Pat Sloan is named Pantry Goods. My story that goes with the block is all about the garden and all the bounty that we enjoyed from it. My aunt had a huge garden that supplied food for her family (that included me) and my grandparents. The work started in the spring with plowing and planting and continued through the fall with the gathering and canning.

Everyone worked the garden. I remember spreading fertilize when I was very small. I used a little tin bucket that I filled from the bag of fertilize. I walked down the rows behind the plow that was pulled by a team of mules and threw handfuls into the prepared rows. One of my cousins followed behind me with seeds or plants, depending on what was being planted. Another cousin followed him with a hoe and covered the seeds. After all the planting came the hoeing….every day. This kept the weeds away from the plants and the dirt from hardening around the plants.

When the vegetables were ready to be harvested then came the canning.  Going into the cellar (our ‘pantry’) under the house to bring out the empty jars was not one of my favorite jobs. I was always afraid one of the boys would close the door on me. I still do not like going into tight, dark spaces. The jars were washed in hot, soapy water and since my hands were small enough to fit in the jars, I was assigned this task.

I usually sat on the porch and readied the green beans to start the canning process. My cousins would pick the beans and bring them to me so I could pull off the strings and break them into pieces. Each time I would get to the bottom of my basket the boys would bring me more. One time I broke beans for about six hours before we stopped to start making supper. I made the comment to my aunt that I was so tired and glad to stop for supper. In her old country way she looked at me and said, “I don’t know why you are so tired, you have been sitting on the porch all day.”  Those are still some of my fondest memories.

Each Sunday at church the ladies would brag about how many jars they canned that week. Not only did we eat fresh vegetables all summer, but all winter we had the wonderful canned vegetables. This was ‘fast food’ in the olden days. 🙂

 

 

Moda Blockheads BOW #33 and 34 – Catch Up Time

Moda Blockheads blocks #33 and 34.

I have been under the weather lately and just haven’t felt like sewing…believe it or not. Usually I go to my sewing room no matter what because I feel that if I am sick I will be sick anywhere so I may as well be where I enjoy the atmosphere. This was not the case this time and it has been really hard getting my sewing groove back in place.

Block #33 is the Starz block by Jo Morton. I think everyone knows by now that I love the star design in quilts and this is another one to add to my list.

Block #34 is an applique block called (appropriately) House by Jan Patek. I am not good at applique but with Jan’s easy to follow directions and the big pieces, I managed to end up with something that I am not ashamed of.

I really enjoy being a part of this fun block of the week group. The designers have supplied us with beautiful blocks and I’m sure I am not the only one that has learned something along the way.

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Grandma’s Kitchen Block of the Week – #16 of 25

This week’s block of the Grandma’s Kitchen series by Pat Sloan is called Small Change and the memories associated with what used to be called, ‘pocket change.’

The only time I remember having money when I was a little girl was when we went to Sunday School and church. As my aunt and uncle were farmers, actual money was not something we had a lot. Each Sunday we would load up and go to Indian Creek Baptist Church on Pinecrest Ridge and my aunt would give me a few pennies to drop in the collection plate when it was passed around. It made me feel very important to think that my pennies were helping the church.

Thanks for visiting with me and reading some of my memories.

 

 

 

Moda Blockheads Block of the Week #32

Moda Blockheads block #32 is called the Dutchman’s Puzzle by Betsy Chutchian. After I figured out the placement of the gold fabrics to make the pinwheel it fell into place like a dream. I used the No-Waste Flying Geese method to make 4 flying geese at a time. Lazy Girl Designs has a good tutorial on making these units.

To find this block pattern or to download the previous blocks go to Moda Fabrics Blog.

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Thank you for visiting with me.