Sentimental Stitches

How is everyone? I've been so busy lately and feel bad I haven't been able to blog as much as I wanted. I hope you're all signed up for the weekly newsletters. There have been lots of free patterns there. If you missed them, look for them in the Pattern section of the online store.  You'll see them with the $0.00 price!

I have fairly easy blocks for you this month. I worry the Covid-19 virus is wearing down everyone's spirit so I thought I'd give you a little break. I'm always happy to see the sun when it shines and the warmer weather coming to Michigan sure feels nice. I've been making masks and setting aside fabrics for a couple of upcoming projects. Bright, cheerful colors are what I'm after so even if I reproduce something, I may make it scream with cheerfulness!

On to today's blocks...........

Block 33

attributed to: Hope Lelley

This is a pretty classic Dresden Plate quilt block. I've given you templates for two different types of construction of the petals. I usually pre-sew the points, sew the petals together, and then applique the ring to my background fabric. If you're comfortable appliqueing all those points, go for it! I take the easy way out. A reproduction red and double blue print would be perfect for this block.

Block 34

attributed to: Jemina R Bullock / Mount Holly 1842

You'll have this rotary cut, machine pieced block together in a hurry. You only need two fabrics. It doesn't get much easier than that.

Block 35

attributed to: Permelia Deacon

I've never heard the name Permelia and think it's so interesting. I had to see what Google had to say about it - 

Meanings and history of the name Permelia. From Latin, meaning "by sweetness". Another form is Parmelia. Some sources give it as a form of Pamela; others as an "American invention". It appears fairly often in American colonial and 19th-century records but seems to have dropped out of sight in the 20th century.

This block is rotary cut and machine pieced too but I have a confession to make. When working to draft this block I thought there were three fabrics. The background, dark green, and gray. After everything was finished and uploaded to the online store I realized there is actually another fabric in there. It's a dark blue. The triangles in the four hourglass sections are dark blue. The block will be beautiful either way so I decided to let you decide if you want to add in the blue. 

Block 36

attributed to: Clatyon Rogers / Mount Holly

Picking out the perfect fabrics for this block will keep you busy after you're done with the pieced blocks. 

For quite a while I've wanted to have a Facebook group where everyone could gather and share their work on all kinds of Sentimental Stitches projects. Some of our quilts have their own individual group but there are many other quilts from pre-Facebook days that need a home where we can help and cheer each other on through the process. I hope you'll join and become a Sentimental Stitcher. The next quilt along will take place in this group and I hope to do some Facebook live events and have a few drawings for prizes. It'll be fun!  

Until next month.....................

Ella Maria Deacon Quilt - Month 9