Friday, June 29, 2012

Farmer's Wife Friday--Searching for the Happiest Life in the World

Five, four, three, two....!  Next Friday, I will post ONE and then it's "Blastoff" as Cindy and I finish up all 111 blocks in the Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt. Our Blastoff will mean: Time to put these babies together into one awesome quilt. I have to admit that we are both patting ourselves pretty hard on the back , being the UFO queens that we are!!
 So, here we are with the next to the last letter ( I counted, and there are 56 letters!) and only one more block to create after today. I enjoyed making all of the blocks again this week, and thought that our letter writer, from Franklin County, Iowa,  summed things up pretty well in her realistic penning about the life of a farmer.
 First up, is this pretty block called Noon and Light. I paper-pieced this one and it came out so nice and square. It will be interesting to see how my color combinations line up when I begin laying out the quilt. I stopped using a design wall for these long ago. I do know that I love both of the aqua fabrics in this block!
 Whirlwind, is the second block....easy to create from squares and half-square triangles. Our farmer's wife begins her letter with several paragraphs recalling many of the hardships she and her husband endure as farmers. A lot of them are still true today, almost a hundred years later. She laments, "Do we feel our ineffeciency when our city friends say, 'Why does John insist on farming?" Their life is a whirlwind of activity, for sure.
Just as did the farmer's wife of 1920, all of us experience the ebb and flow of life. She goes on to describe the many plusses of living the country life. Remembering the good things helps all of us to make it through the bad, doesn't it. Here's the block called Autumn Tints.....
 One of the most endearing parts of this letter for me was when the wife referred to her husband as "Friend Husband" and herself as "Friend Wife". Friendship in marriage, whether on the farm or in the city, makes for a more pleasant life! This block is called Friendship Block. I like it because it also represents the bond that Cindy and I have through our tackling this project together, blogging weekly about our progress.
 Next week, I will post a picture of all 111 blocks, but today, here are the four that accompanied this letter, all lined up on a handmade box that houses the toy food for my grandchildren's play kitchen.  I have no idea how old it is, but perhaps this farmer's wife's daughters played with something similar.
 Friend Wife ends her letter this way, "Would I have my daughter marry a farmer? Yes--if she is strong, and eager to work; if she is searching for the happiest life in the world; if she wants a husband with the ability and desire to use his body as well as his brains; if she can take his disappointments as well as joys."
See you next Friday for the reveal of the very last block! Be sure to check out Cindy's four today, as well.

12 comments:

  1. It is amazing how two exact blocks can be made, but have such different looks! I have enjoyed checking into Farmer's Wife Friday every week. What an awesome project to share with a friend! I have enjoyed each week.

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  2. Well I started my twin size Farmer's Wife quilt yesterday.

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  3. Terrific~~you are rocking that quilt!

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  4. Looking forward to seeing the WHOLE thing! These blocks are beautiful!

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  5. I love your blocks this week. What a cute little chest. This has been an awesome project to share with you!

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  6. I really love the colors you've used! I haven't made any of the blocks yet although I've been following along in my mind and am anxious to have time to do this! You have certainly been an inspiration. Thank you!

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  7. Great colour of fabric again! Only one more block to make, how fantastic. I have now made 19 blocks, so along way to go, but at least I am back making the blocks.

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  8. Fabulous blocks! Can't wait to see them all together.

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  9. I didn't know where to look! All those pretty colours and fabrics AND the sweet kittie box! It's so close now I bet you can hardly believe it!

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  10. I'm patting you on the back too. This is a remarkable accomplishment, even knowing you have one more week to go. Your fabric selections make these blocks just wonderful. The quilt will definitely be an awesome finish.

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  11. Hurrah! You did it. Well done you!

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  12. Wow, what an accomplishment! I love all the bright prints...I had some friends who wanted me to do this with them, now I wish I would have. Sounds like the stories are right up my alley! I went to your friend, Cindy's blog and her husbands story brought tears to my eyes.
    I hope to see you on Tuesday at the Blue Valley guild meeting. It will be exciting to meet fellow bloggers!

    Brenda...the Farmer's Dotter

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