Several months ago, I came across a group of bloggers making the Country Homecoming Quilt.
By the time I discovered what they were doing they were nearly done and, after all I was happily consumed with Country Charmer at that point. I fell in love with the homey feel of those bloggers homespun quilts, and particularly with the applique border. Having had little experience using homespuns, but a healthy sized collection of them picked up on sale, I put it on my "to do someday list" and began what turned out to be a lengthy search for the book!
That was a rude awakening. I couldn't find anyone carrying the book, my one attempt at ordering it through a shop fell through when they wrote back and said it was out of stock. Searches on Amazon and eBay revealed prices that made me gulp, usually twice the original list price! Then one day several months ago, while on Amazon for a different reason, something just spoke to me, I plunked the words Primitive Gatherings Quilt into the computer, and lo' and behold, there it was! Someone had listed a new copy for the original list price! I didn't blink! SOLD!!!! Ka Ching!
I crossed my fingers, hoping that this time the book would actually arrive...and it did, in brand new pristine condition!
I've since bent it, drooled on it, & drug it to my bedroom and back, giving it that lovingly used patina!
Still, I hesitated to begin. Homespuns fray...A LOT! Aargh! Then I recalled one bloggers post about what a struggle this quilt had been for her to complete. EEK! I still wanted to dive in and do it, but then there are all those other projects going...TWO Country Charmers as it turns out, a stack of UFO's and WIPS, not to mention the holidays...and THE JOB. UGH.
Then came January...everyone was chatting about goals vs. resolutions and what new projects they might do this year and I was making my list of unfinished quilts to finish, and setting goals to have things completed by certain birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera! I had also committed myself to The Quilty Fun Sew Along and strrrrreeeetching my style horizons in that way!
Well, then Kim, you know, that little overachiever at Kim's Big Quilting Adventure posted that she'd really like to make this quilt too and was anyone else interested? Well heck, yeah! I was hopping up and down with my hand waving frantically in the air! This was just what I needed. Another Quilty Support Group! This was a quilt I really wanted to do in conjunction with others who wanted to tackle it!
And who says all those other projects have to get done this year, anyhoo? I don't see no Quilt Police hangin' in my 'hood! Weeeelll...there is that little devil on my left shoulder and the little angel on my right shoulder...
Kim outlined a plan to do 2 blocks a month for 6 months, then take a couple of months to complete the outer border which sounded quite reasonable to me.
Maybe I'll have time for some of those UFO's & WIP's after all! One can only hope! I have a couple of daughters tapping their toes in a rather testy manner.
So! I got out my saws, hammers & nails, and began construction on my first two houses,
with an ample supply of heavy spray starch to help keep my foundations from raveling!
I'm being extra careful with my pressing to avoid distortion and have found the piecing to be really easy and fun! The seams matched up beautifully!
Then it was time to add doors and windows. I created a few originals, 'cuz that's just the way I am!
I decided to go with the old fusible web and buttonhole stitch 'em down method on this project. The book gives destructions...'er instructions for needle turn, but I'm going to save needle turn for things that I feel are more heirloom in nature than this project is intended to be.
I'm doing my best to let go of my perfectionism and let plaids fall where they may...out of line, off kilter and out of whack! By George! If the author of the book can do it, so can I!
This is a primitive project after all!
So here are my 2 houses for February! Be still my pitter pattering heart!
I decided that I wanted the first one to look like there were candles glowing inside the house. The thought just makes me feel all warm and fuzzy on wet, overcast, soggy, drippy days like these!
The second one I decided that I shouldn't get quite so overzealous with and simplify a little...
that won't last forever though! Heavens no! Not me! Take the easy way out? Never!
I hope you, my bloggy friends, had a Happy, Happy Valentines Day!!!
~ Nancie Anne
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