The corn has been combined in the field across from my porch and I can see the highway again. Too bad the field can’t remain as it is in this picture throughout the winter but the farmer will work the ground leaving it black instead of gold so that the field will be ready to plant in the spring. And this is why I get so much “snirt” (snow mixed with dirt) in my yard in the winter which in turn ends up in my living room on dogs’ feet.
And the pumpkin patch will need clearing soon, too. Always so much to do before winter!
I’m going to give you some extra time to catch up on Gypsy Wife. I’m not sure where everybody is at this point but I have spent hours on the assembly and I’m not finished yet! I simply cannot believe anyone would publish a pattern with so little information – it’s been a real puzzle to figure out which for me has been sorta fun and very challenging but as Connie says, “this quilt is not for the faint of heart”! So I will not post a new assignment next Monday. Are you caught up with me? Do you have all the blocks made? Let me know.
Here’s a long distance photo to give you an idea of what I’ve worked on.
Still working on it.
Gypsy is a real challenge especially for the color challenged!! Other than being extremely busy, it is quite interesting. I don’t think that I could ever use the fabrics you have in the blocks — not even sure I have a lot like them. It would be fun to try Gypsy Wife, but it would need a lot of encouragement. Last summer I made 2 log cabin quilts the true scrappy way: reaching into the box and using the piece that came out — and it hurt! Surprisingly they both turned out great. The centers were all different, too.
Did you ever know how tall the corn was in the field to the east of your house? A few years ago there was a contest to see who could grow the tallest corn in Iowa. A man in Wright County, my county, grew some that was 14′ tall coming in second, but he was beat by another man somewhere between Des Moines and Iowa City whose corn was 17′ tall. I wonder how much water and fertilizer they used.
So glad to see everything going on around your farm, your house, the quilts, the dogs and cats, goats and chickens. I do miss visiting your quilt shop, but all things pass.
Betty, Rapid City, SD
Mary, The Gypsy Wife pattern looks fine from where I sit. I know another of her patterns that I have and it is done in sections with plenty of scrappy bkgrnd sky.
Keep at it.
I like it!! I”m not doing it, but now that the quilt show is over, I’ll be working on the rug:) I need to watch the DVD, read the book, and get hubby to make the loom. All in good time!! Nice here in Central Ohio–68.
The minute I saw Gypsy Wife I wanted to make it and once you started I went ahead and purchased the pattern. Still looking at the pattern – can’t get started yet until after the first of the year. Reading the instructions left me confused and I almost said forget it. I am glad you post the truth, instructions are a bit confusing. I wondered which size of filler blocks go where. I am using this pattern to get out of my rut of always co-ordinating colors. I also wanted to let you know how I appreciated your posts on animal boarding. How wonderfully you care for them, so good to read during a particularly bad time here when 23 dogs died in a boarding kennel. It was sad to be bombarded every time the news came on, I felt so much for the dog owners. I really just enjoy all your posts, thank you so much.
Anita – I can hardly comprehend losing that many dogs in a kennel! How horrible! What happened? I’m not even sure I want to know. I love keeping dogs and I know they have a great time here. Keep your book – someday you’ll want to start.
I did not know any one involved just what was on the news, apparently the owners went out of town and left the care to friends (who happened to be a state senators son so it went political of course) and they put the 23 dogs in a 9×13 room and left. In Arizona air conditioning is a must and it seems the wires were chewed and no air with room closed up. I don’t want to go any further as it got worse. Litigation is still going on, but deemed an accident. Reading how you care for your boarders made my days better when it was on tv over and over.
I have a temporary job and then with the holidays coming after that, I put everything on hold, but definitely want to do it , may pull fabric, get some ideas in mind. I have some jelly rolls purchased with nothing in mind, wondering if I should just cut to size needed for the strip units.
Anita — situations like this should be classified as crimes! Thank you for not going into more details.
Your progress on gypsy wife looks fab! I’m not doing this quilt, but have kept up with what you’re doing. Great job!
Something definitely to be proud of when FINISHED. Can’t wait to see it.
Your Gypsy wife is looking very good. I had the same thought, why didn’t they provide a little more instruction for the assembly… I finally just went with it but truly would rather have had better instructions. I also did the Jen Kingwell pattern in Quilt Mania Magazine “My Small World” it was the same lacking of instruction, but I perservered and have it completed as well.. You did not mention that this one is actually put together backwards, meaning section 1 is actually the far right of the quilt… That really threw me for a loop!
I think the upper right is backwards, too, for Section 1, but wondered if that was just me and the way I do things always starting in the upper left and moving to the right.
I think it looks great so far!
I love your GW and am inspired and hope to make it someday.
This past June I moved my sewing studio to the garage and guest room because my daughter and granddaughter moved in to the upstairs part of our house. At this moment I can’t even get to my sewing machine, but once our garden is put to bed for the winter I will get organized and get busy sewing!
In the meantime I love watching your progress!
I live in western Oregon where it is 80 degrees today!
Thank you for the break. I am on section 6. Treating this quilt as if I was doing a jig saw puzzle. Very interesting instructions. I am beginning to think it is okay to start drinking at 9 Am If working on gypsy wife😄😄. I am doing most of the quilt in simpler times by Jeanne Horton.
Joanne
Joanne – you must be the only one making Gypsy Wife with me! I do know of several more but appreciate knowing where you’re at in construction. I thought Section 6 was very hard – it really is like a puzzle and yes, drinking at 9 am while working on Gypsy Wife is approved by me! Will you send me a picture when we’re finished?
When you start drinking because of Gypsy Wife it will be called Tipsy Wife.
Too funny
Will do,! picture of the empty beer bottles or the quilt? 😄😄
I’m not doing Gypsy Wife but have had one quilt which had a variety of sized blocks. The layout was presented without directions for trimming some blocks. It had a 2″ grid surrounding the finished quilt. So it was up to the quilter to figure the finished size of the blocks, sashings, and two borders. Good thing I was a math major as it took some undisturbed time to figure it all out. Good luck!!
I am just finishing the blocks for GW. August and September are busy times on the ranch but we will close the house up for winter in two weeks and life will simplify. 40-50 below in winter is not my bag so I guess I become a snowbird and leave. Cattle will be back out of the mountains, hay is put up, and the fair is over for this year. One more batch of company coming and then it is back to quilting and teaching. Love your quilt–Mary. Mine is done in 30’s fabrics and colors. I will post the top when it is together. As one of the ladies at the quilt shop says–“that quilt is a little daunting we will need a class on it”.
Are you in Montana or Idaho?
Hi Betty
I am in North Park area of Colorado–just under the Wyoming line. Nearest town is Walden. bEautiful secluded area.
I sure know where Walden is. I worked on the C Lazy U dude/working ranch a longgggg time ago. We were a few miles north of Grandby. What a wonderful experience and fabulous country — even in winter. It was a very deep snow winter that took out the fences and a lot of wildlife starved.
We live in Denver and spend most of the summer on the ranch. Go by the C Lazy U every trip up and home. There is a lot of dvelopement there now.
Your Gypsy Wife quilt is looking great! I am here using the like button. I sure enjoy reading all the comments. I am working on the Gypsy Wife. I sent you some pictures in July. I am using castlewood fabric by Jan Patek. I had fat quarters and a jelly roll of castlewood and a few charms square which would blend but this has been a puzzle for sure. I made copies of the layout sections and counted the one inch strips to figure out how large each section would be. I then layed in the quilt blocks in to fit the measurements. I still have sections 8, 9 and 10 to go. This has been a challenge for sure. Only you Mary could have made me consider this quilt. Now how in the world are we going to quilt it? Cheers to all!!!!
MJ – we are at the same place. I have Sections 8,9 and 10 left, too but have had to take a break. I figured out the block sizes the same way you did. Somebody ought to post a graph paper layout online but I don’t know how to do it! I will be glad to finish this and I’m going to quilt mine with straight lines on the longarm machine.
Mary, I am beginning to question whether or not I will finish my Gypsy Wife, still have blocks to finish but it’s looking less and less like something I want to finish. I really like yours, and hope we get to see Joanne’s done in Simpler Thymes by J Horton. This sounds pretty.
Judy – don’t beat yourself up if you don’t want to finish it. Bag the blocks and move on. You might find another project to use them in and there’s nothing wrong with that.
See a little black and white…your pinwheels…look terrific!
Mary, It looked so nice when you were making the squares for this. I doubt I would be able to do it. I am at a standstill on quilting. I like hearing your posts though. If anyone can get me motivated to sew it is you! Thanks for all your posts and show and tells.
Margie – when I don’t feel inspired to start a new project, I sew squares together which is just easy fun! Try it – you might like it!