A Lovely Surprise...

Renee Steele-Smith's Farmer's Wife Quilt

Around July 2011, I wrote about the Farmer's Wife Cookbook I purchased, and then rambled on mentioned the Farmer's Wife Quilt book I also owned. I suggested a group quilt along, and by February of 2012, a group of my blog friends joined me in creating our own blocks from the book.

You can type "Farmer's Wife" into the search section of my blog to see more posts about our quilt along progress.

Renee Steele-Smith's Farmer's Wife Quilt

What I learned about myself was that I was a crummy sew along leader. I stayed with the project (which involved lots of paper piecing for me), for quite a while, creating new blocks as I was able. There were twenty eight of us in the group, including me.

However, quilts to be made for shows, and all the myriad irons I usually have in the fire, lured me away from my own Farmer's Wife quilt. (The pioneers might have frozen to death, waiting for me to finish a quilt to keep them warm!) After that, I never quite recommitted to working on mine, nor keeping in touch with the participants. (hangs head, scuffing toe.)

Renee Steele-Smith's Farmer's Wife Quilt

We were all working on our blocks well into 2013, but I have to admit, my blocks are still in a tote in the fabric studio. I have more more than a few blocks to make, if I want it to cover my current queen-size bed.

I don't know how many others are in my boat, but I do know that at least one person diligently worked toward completion of her quilt.

Renee Steele-Smith (of Wren's Nest blog) sent a note to me last week, with photographs of her gorgeous finished quilt. I asked if I could share, and Renee generously allowed me to post these.

Renee Steele-Smith's Farmer's Wife Quilt Detail

She told me that she used reproduction Civil War fabrics to make her blocks. Don't you just love the warm colors, and fabrics? Aren't they simply scrumptious?!

Renee Steele-Smith's Farmer's Wife Quilt Detail

 

I'm seriously smitten - and motivated - to start working on mine again. I'm getting ready for the upcoming crafter's event, but I'm committing to getting back to this quilt in January 2019...and will work on it until it's done. Renee, my dear. You are quite the inspiration. Thank you, sincerely, for sharing your incredible quilt with me, and for your permission to share it with my readers. I love everything about your version.

The Farmer's Wife...

The Farmer's Wife magazine was published from 1893 to 1939 by Webb Publishing Company of St. Paul, Minnesota. It offered a glimpse into the lives of farm women, including wonderful recipes along with ads for the newest gadgets and appliances available at the time.

If you're fortunate, you might find copies available through Etsy or eBay, but another place for find some of the information that lay within its covers is in some of the reprinted cookbooks you can still purchase. 

This is my copy of The Farmer's Wife cookbook. I really enjoy the recipes, which are wholesome (although not always healthy by today's standards) and simple. An example is an article reprinted from the magazine stating that one should be generous with butter when inviting guests for a meal. 

I happen to subscribe to that philosophy, favoring natural over manufactured any day. I'm the same way about sugar in our home. Sugar in moderation is better for our bodies than the artificial stuff as far as I'm concerned. Enough about food. Let's get to the main subject of my post!

Perhaps you've seen this book online or on other quilting sites. I purchased my copy months ago and have been content to read the letters (from the 1920s) contained within. The blocks in this quilt are really beautiful, and Laurie Hird (the author) has assembled quite a collection of information to accompany the blocks. She has also included instructions and templates to recreate each of the blocks. 

You can also go to Laurie's website to see samples from the cd, samples from her book, and a sneak peek at her upcoming book, The Farmer's Wife Pony Club quilt! (Something else I'll need to add to my list!)

Last week, I read about a Farmer's Wife Quilt Along through Jodi of Pleasant Home blog. You can click on her link for more information - as well as a free download for all the templates to make the quilt blocks. (These do not take the place of the instructions and information available in the book, but it's a place to download all the templates at one time instead of block by block from the cd that comes with the book.) Thanks a million to Jodi's friend, Lori who made the templates available in one place!

I've decided that I'm going to make a Farmer's Wife quilt from the book. I'd rather be spending more time with the puppy right now, so I'm going to start mine this fall. I think that will give me plenty of time to choose my fabrics, too.

Let me know if you're going to tackle this project. It would be fun to start our own little quilt along in the fall if there's enough interest.