Prairie Women's Sewing Circle

We've just ended Journey 2 of our Prairie Women's Sewing Circle.  It's been such an interesting study in the women's lives in the 1800s.  I've really enjoyed using some of the civil war fabrics I've been collecting and hoarding over the last few years and we even get to swap small samples during our meetings.

Over the last few months I've gotten several lessons in yo-yo making and my friend, Debbie, taught me to applique felted wool.  I'm not sure she trusts me with a pair of scissors, though, since she cut out every piece of wool for me!  It was great fun!

"Peace Among the Flowers" & "Scraps from Home"

Both of the projects above required lots of yo-yos.  I got better at the technique over time.  The idea was to leave as little space in the center of the gathers as possible.  The first project, "Peace Among the Flowers,"is the wool felt project that Debbie helped me out with.  It was the bonus project at the end of Journey 2.  Notice that all of the yo-yos have button centers.  Can you guess why?  Yep, the centers are all huge!

In the second project above, I chose the best yo-yos with the smallest centers.  "Scraps from Home" was actually the final project of Journey One, but I ended up making so many yo-yos that I wanted to make this project, too!

"Remember Me"

"Remember Me" was the first project of Journey 2.  I altered it just a bit by piecing the signature blocks and adding star points around the outside cornerstones (the originally pattern calls for appliqued circles) and plain square in a square cornerstones).  Most of my blocks have been signed by ladies in the PWSC and my Sew Day groups, but I still have a few more to fill before I can get it quilted up.

"When this you see, Remember me!"

Scraps From Home

Prairie Women's Sewing Circle - Journey 1, Bonus Project

20x20"

Pattern Designer:  Pam Buda, Heartspun Quilts

Quilting Design (Freehand):  Checkerboard on the Diagonal