The Farmer's Wife

There's been much buzz around the Internet about The Farmer's Wife. It's a book by Laurie Hird which contains 'letters from 1920's farm women and the 111 six inch blocks they inspired. Liz and I had the privilege of meeting Laurie at Quilt Market in Minneapolis about a year and a half ago and getting signed copies hot off the press.
I've bogged before about my quilt group (The Grateful Threads) and our block swap of another book, The Civil War Diary Quilt. We make 8 identical blocks in Civil War reproduction blocks each round and trade or swap our blocks with each person, thus getting 8 different blocks each round. We've not been very good about our swapping calendar and are only halfway done. But we've been energized with a new swap! Now each month we are on the spot with Civil War blocks and our Farmer's Wife 1930's swap. I don't know why Laurie made her quilt with Civil War fabrics but then tied it together with the 1920's. But we are having fun.

Liz took this picture for me today...the book, HER book (notice that we have had our books spiral bound so they lay flat) and the blocks from Round 1. That's my basket block in the foreground. It's going to be so much fun! I'll be missing two rounds while I'm in Minnesota (I leave on Wednesday) so I've made blocks ahead for both swaps.
Here at Redwood Sewing Center we are going to start a year-long class on The Farmer's Wife. It's going to start in January. If you are in the neighborhood join us!