Chart 27: Mrs. Morgan, Block #72 in the Farmer's Wife 1930s Sew Along

Coming Soon! Blocks to Cut with Set S

In only 3 weeks we will start cutting pieces for 6-inch blocks that are designed on a 5 x 5 grid. Our Set S of Perfect Patchwork Templates was designed to make that easy. Because Set S includes the smaller pieces that combine to fit Set M pieces we offer a special price for both sets together. A few pieces from Set M are used.

Planning to make a King Size quilt? Volume 4 of the Encyclopedia of Patchwork Blocks can help you find more blocks that can be cut with Set S.

 

Mrs. Morgan Learning Opportunities

Mrs. Morgan is really a relatively simple block with only 32 pieces, but it is full of patchwork learning opportunities.

Grainline Geek! Prove you are a grainline geek by taking time to cut the same size triangle (D-29) from the same fabric with the hypotenuse on straight grain in one set of 4 and the legs on straight grain in the other set of 4….and then use them in the appropriate positions.

A Cutting Trick with Template B-13. Here is another reminder of the flexibility of templates to be able to cut pieces for which you do not have an exact-size acrylic piece.

Efficiency Practice. Cutting and stacking strips to reduce the number of cuts needed saves time and reduces stress on your hands and wrists as long as you use a sharp blade in your rotary cutter. It is a double bonus when you are able to position fabric strips right sides together and cut the pieces that are to be sewn together at the same time. Do not separate the pieces. They are ready to sew and much more accurately aligned than if you pick each color from separate piles and try to align them for sewing.

Fussy Cutting. As you have read other blogs and looked at pictures of Farmer's Wife blocks, you have seen lots of examples of fussy cutting. I have been remiss in not talking about fussy cutting yet, as it is one of those things that adds so much more interest to a quilt. The closer you look, the more you see and quite often a small fussy cut piece is the “frosting” on the block. I love my op-art polka dot squares in this block.

My Block

As you will see, I did not follow the values of the fabrics in the book or even the number of fabrics. If I use the book layout for the quilt, I feel confidant that I would want white or light gray fabric for the setting triangles so most of my blocks have dark fabric on the edges. I did not want that dark fabric in the center star so that meant I needed the fourth fabric.

Click on the image below for a larger view.

See the “mistake”? My friend Faye says to her quilting classes, “If you point it out, take it out!” Most things we point out as a problem can not even be noticed by others and when it is only visible from the back…..not taking it out! Look closely and you will see that the seam allowances on one of my polka-dot squares “marched to its own drummer!” Who cares?

Click the link to download the Template Conversion Chart for Mrs. Morgan:

From Marti Michell Template Conversion Chart #27
 

In addition to our template conversion PDF download, you will want to read Gnome Angel's tutorials for these blocks.

The Farmer’s Wife 1930s Sampler Quilt: Inspiring Letters from Farm Women of the Great Depression and 99 Quilt Blocks That Honor Them by Laurie Aaron Hird for Fons & Porter/F+W.