Welcome back to week 3 of Lala's Irish Chain Sew Along.
Were you able to get all of your cornerstone units pieced?
It was an easy task to be done. If not... you can easily catch up, I'm certain of it!
How did you do with your scant 1/4" seams?
I was remiss in noting the importance of it... sorry! "What do you mean by a scant 1/4" seam?" some may ask.
A scant 1/4" seam simply means that you will stitch the seam so that the thread is just to the right of the 1/4" line... instead of ON the 1/4" seam line.
Why?
So that when you press the seams the 1/4" seam line is in the fold. The scant 1/4" seam helps with the accuracy of the finished block size.
No, I do not mark every seam. But it is helpful to mark a few so that I can see the position of the pieces in comparison to or in relation to the edge of the presser foot.
This week we will be "framing" the setting blocks by sewing a 2-1/2" x 6-1/2" rectangle to two opposite sides of the 6-1/2" square. Press seams to the center square.
Sew a cornerstone unit to the two remaining sides. If you pressed your seams in the direction that I stated, your seams will nest together nicely, and your corners will be aligned perfectly.
Lala and her quilting group would be pleased with the effort, extra attention and accuracy.
Lala married David William Teegarden (known in the family as William David or W.D.) on June 11, 1893, in Lawson, Missouri. They had five children. Luna, Viola, the third one was stillborn, Donovan and my grandpa, Forrest, was their youngest... with an age gap of 18 years between Luna and Forrest.
William David was a farmer in Missouri. He was forced to quit farming because the dew on the corn in the early mornings poisoned him. It was shortly after the loss of the baby that they went to Oklahoma. It was about the time the Indian Territory was opened up for homesteading.
A cousin of Lala's from Trinidad, CO persuaded W.D. to go to Trinidad to find work. He was hired by the Santa Fe Railroad. In November of 1902 they left for Trinidad by Train. They moved into a new house that was located on the corner of San Juan and Western Ave. They rented this house for a few months until Lala's brother, Albert Davis, was able to build their new, two-story house across the street.
W.D. went to work for the Santa Fe RR as a freight agent in December 1902. He worked for the SFRR for 37 years until his retirement on September 30, 1939.
I'll pause the story there... join me next week when I announce the next step of the sew along and share some fun family stories. But first I want to ask...
Do you know the differences in the Irish Chain quilt designs?
Single? Double? Triple?
I had to do some reading on it... I found it interesting. I'll fill you in on some of that next week as well.
Keep Piecing,
Melva
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While I have cut the squares for this project, now that I know the orientation of the strip/corner stone units, I'll cut the 6 1/2 inch strips and perhaps, I'll even get the pieces sewn! That was a lot of moving for a family during that time in history. I think of Irish chains this way--single--pattern is one square wide, double--pattern is.two squares wide and triple--three squares wide.
ReplyDeleteLala and W.D. are a very attractive couple! I finally got started with my pink fabric and have a question about Lala's colors in her quilt. Looking at the photo of her quilt on your guest bed - is the green a sort of sage-y green or mint green or aqua - or what? Is there any yellow in her quilt? I see some brown-ish scraps and that green, as well as blue and pink. I know I cannot truly replicate that color scheme, but it is my inspiration!
ReplyDeleteI love all forms of Irish chain, and Triple might be my favorite.
Your sweet floral squares are perfect for those blocks, Melva! Mike and I do a lot of genealogy and it has made us very curious about why our ancestors moved to the places they did. The railroad was a big employer for many in those years of Lala and W.D, and brought many people out west. So fascinating! I don’t know the difference between the different Irish Chain designs - looking forward to learning more!
ReplyDeleteI think it's wonderful you have time to sew! It's complete chaos at my home with everyone here but soon they will be gone and peace and quiet will be here again. Of course then I'll miss everyone! If only they all lived closer! Blessings!
ReplyDeleteYes, I’m working on my squares—I think I have six done. LOL! Good advice on checking the quarter inch seams. I sew on several different machines, and I have gotten in the habit of checking my seams when I switch to a different machine. I may get behind on the sew along but I will catch up eventually!
ReplyDeleteHow neat that you know so much of your family's history. No one in our family really did this so I'm trying to so this as much as I can for my kids. I know very little about Irish chain quilts because they have always seemed so difficult to me. Keeping a watch on your blog - maybe I'll get a kick in the lower backside to do one! ;-) Blessings!
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