Just Can It!  or Put a Lid on It!

I’m not sure of the historical timeline of these phrases, but as a parent of tweens,  I am positive that when a Mom says these things, she is definitely thinking something else!

So while we enjoy the very momentary silence that might follow this canning reprimand,   let’s take a look at the very last picture block from Farm Girl Vintage that I am including in my quilt, Canning Season.  I plan to use the Haystack layout in the Farm Girl Vintage book but with large 12″ scrappy haystack blocks instead of the smaller ones suggested in the book.  You can really see some of grandma’s stash showcased here with some of mine.  It is definitely scrappy!

I chose the blocks for this quilt as I went along and thought of a story in my life that they represented.  I realized too late that I should have made the smaller blocks!  This final block is special to me and was very difficult for me to complete, as my grandmother passed away this spring.

My Grandmother, Sylvia, lived about 4 hours away.  Our family would take the road trip to visit fairly often.  As the oldest grandchild, I was able to share a long time with my grandmother at both the house she raised her family in, and then later in her new neighborhood.  I have so many memories.  My youngest uncle and aunt still lived at home when I was a little girl.  There were easter hunts (where we thought we lost the last egg), Uncle Don’s old green car in the driveway, sticks in my uncles stocking, Christmas parties, Grandma helping me clean rust off an old bicycle in the shed, Airplanes that flew over the house (all the time),  her old-fashioned washing machine, homemade Christmas ornaments, aunt Kathy’s Barbie doll and clothes that they would drag out of the pull-down attic when I would visit,  Aunt Kathy asking me to be her flower girl, Coffee and Scrabble / Crossword / Cards.  (Yes, I have Grandma to thank for my coffee habit!).  I could not even begin to name them all.

She also taught me to quilt.  I am forever grateful for her encouragement.

Canning Season represents another little memory.  Every time I would visit, she would let me open a new jar of jelly.  We would go down to her pantry shelf and she would give me one to open for our toast.  I loved to open them because the top of the new jelly jar had a wax plug in it and I always thought that the jelly at the top, that had never been used tasted the best!  For some odd reason, I thought that was really fun…
(Aren’t kids strange?)

The quilt is coming together now.  I am using the blocks you see here with white sashing and scrappy cornerstones.   When complete, it will be a happy quilt of warmth and memories.

Old Glory – On The Farm

Patched Strawberry

PIECES OF MY HEART.