Monday, July 9, 2018

Farmland :: No Guilt - Go Quilt #6

I was in desperate need of some time in my studio a few weeks ago, but there was a list that seemed a mile long that had priority over my sewing time... 

One of the items was grocery shopping.  **Sigh** 

While I make weekly trips for perishables, the pantry (and the freezer) was a little low... 

It was a week that included a scheduled work day for my part-time, part-time job.  (Not a typo, because I work every other Wednesday).  And we were preparing for our trip to visit Illinois.

I knew it was going to be a "big" trip to the store.  But I was able to locate some fabulous sales and some buys in the discounted meat section.  I picked up several large packages of chicken breasts and some beef roasts.  

My original plan was to return home and head directly to my studio.  But since I had scored big in the meat department I decided to take the extra step of preparing some freezer meals.  While it meant that I would be delayed in getting to my studio, it also meant that I would have several days freed up because dinner required no attention other than simply needing to be popped into the crock pot with no extra time in the kitchen.

Just 30 minutes later I had six meals in the freezer, including one that would be used on my "work day", and those left-overs  I planned to be taken on our road trip.  Have I mentioned what a time saver this is???  

So, what's for dinner?

Chicken Fajitas, Mississippi Roast and Cool Ranch Shredded Chicken.  I have shared the Mississippi Roast and Cool Ranch Chicken before - follow the links provided by clicking on the highlighted text.



With the meals prepped, I finally wandered to my studio to get to work on my "Farmland" quilt.  This is a quilt I have wanted to make for a few years... it was just a matter of time and inspiration... and placing it on my 2018 goal list to get it done!  I made mention of it in March's UFO Blog Hop as well.  







I drug out my scrap bin and started pulling out browns and greens.  I needed to make log cabin blocks and decided that some wonky blocks would be fun to use in this quilt.





Being creative can sometimes be messy and dis-organized!




























I made great progress, but that came to a screeching halt when I was one block short to finish the top...  Dang it!

No automatic alt text available.

What's a girl to do???  I fretted about it for the next few days and finally chose to use a block from some of the fabric I had intended for the backing.  I had plenty... and it kinda fit in... 




It would just have to do...





I got the borders on and finished quilting it just before it was time to leave on our road trip!

You can read about how to do a two-color binding technique here.







Now it would have been really fun to take the quilt along and do a photo shoot along the inter-state somewhere in Nebraska or Iowa with the fields of corn in the back ground... or at one of the farm implement businesses along the way...

Someplace that it would have been really green... someplace that isn't in a drought and experiencing extreme fire danger. 

Who knows - I may have even been able to sell it!

None the less... My tree  and our fence does a nice job of holding the quilt, don't you think?




And that lower right block??? A little out of place... but adds to the character of the quilt. 😉

Would you have done the same thing?  
Or something different???

Leave a comment and let me know.  I may face-palm myself with some of your suggestions and say "why didn't I think of that!?"; but I still want to hear them.

By the way, Kathy Harris was the winner of the recent give away I had.  Congratulations Kathy!  Your Remembering Our Past pattern is in the mail. 😀 

Quilt happy!

Melva




Melva Loves Scraps - Home of the Quilters Through The Generations Series


Linking with :

Monday Making at Love, Laugh, Quilt
Moving it Forward Monday at Em's Scrapbag
Main Crush Monday at Cookin' Up Quilts
Oh Scrap at Quilting is More Fun Than Housework
Pieceful Sunday at Janda Bend Quilts
Sunday Stash at Quilt, Paint, Create
Wednesday Wait Loss at The Inquiring Quilter
Fiber Tuesday at The Quilting Room with Mel
Midweek Makers at Quilt Fabrication
Let's Bee Social at Sew Fresh Quilts




9 comments:

  1. I like how you finished the top. Maybe a house or barn block could have worked? A78mandel at yahoo dot com

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  2. I'd a done it, if I'd a thought of it! LOL It looks great, I think. Love the binding.

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  3. I love the solution you found Melva!
    Character is the right word and the quilt looks wonderful. The wonky blocks and scrappy fabric make it super cozy looking.
    Great job
    Cheers
    Terry

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  4. I would have taken all those blocks down, put them in a box and into the closet. They'd stay there for a long time. I like your solution! It got finished. The fajitas sound wonderful. I just might have to make some. BTW: I meant to tell you the day I read your post on the Mississippi mud roast, mine was already in the crockpot. I haven't made roast any other way since I found that recipe. Although, now, I'll be making mine with the homemade dressing/dip, thanks to you!! I used to make my own dressings years ago and then I started working and forgot all about it.

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  5. Love the quilt and the recipe sounds great!

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  6. Yep, I would've done the same thing. And it looks purposeful since it ties into the fabric on the back. If anyone asks, you can just say it was a design choice! :) Thanks for linking to MCM!

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  7. It looks great! I love the tractor in the bottom. It adds a little variety while still fitting the theme.

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  8. In my book, finished is always way better than fretted over. And your inserted fabric not only fits the theme perfectly, it has the same colors! Really, it just fits in perfectly and unless you point it out noone is going to notice without careful scrutiny of the top. Gosh it must feel awesome to get a long standing WIP off your list. Congratulations! Time for some fireworks to celebrate!

    Thanks for sharing this on Wednesday Wait Loss.

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  9. It turned out just fine! Think of it as all those other farms existing nearby to the one with the tractor - that's home!

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