Ooooh how I hate it when I don't get emails notifying me of new postings on my "watched topics"!! I'm just now catching up on the new postings to the topic. No wonder I was having withdrawals. Glad to see you're all doing well and certainly enjoyed QuiltE's fair photos -- not our regular eye candy but lovely anyway! I miss the quilt-along!! :)

I have ...E.X.C.I.T.I.N.G...N.E.W.S !!!!!!!!!!!!!

My Farmer's Wife Pony Club book arrived today ... wheeeeeeeeeeee

Just spent some time reading the intro info and the first couple of letters. Now starting to dream about fabric choices. Will I go with the novelty pony type prints? or broaden the scope to kid prints? or go totally scrappy? one colour family? one repeating fabric in every block?

Wonder how many times I change my mind between now and when I start ........ and finish?

Just got back from the Fair last night. I haven't posted my results yet. A much larger showing of quilts, and all went good with mine, so I was VERY pleased! Best part, Mazel scored another red ribbon (and for you Americans, remember in Canada, that means first!) and created quite a stir of excitement!!! :)

One more Fair to go (week after this) and then it'll be over for the year. Before it, hoping to start getting my sewing room and fabrics sorted and organized (it's become such a mess lately!! too much abandonment has been going on), and get using my new machine to work on UFOs and PhDs which includes my FWSQ!!! :)

Here are a few of my blocks with the sashing triangles added and quilted with feather stitches.
I was going to sew them in strips and add a small print between the rows, but when I put them together, a secondary pattern developed which I really like.

The chalk marks haven't been marked out yet. But so far this is my plan, then maybe the small print for the border.

Violet, This is turning out soooooo pretty...Love the feather quilting. Anne

Violet, your quilt is going to be lovely!

I think you've got a winner there, Violet.

Thank you Honchey, Weezie and Evie, this has been a wonderful project. Hope to do another one next year. Of course I am always working on 5 or 6 projects at the same time, but there is always a desire to do another one.

Violet, I love it. Your quilting is fantastic-I love all the space around the blocks. The quilting really makes them stand out. Great job!!

WOW!!
Looking pretty impressive ... nice soft background and all those circular feathers too!

Wow what a gorgeous quilt this is going to be. Love your feathers. Well done

Violet, your quilt is looking beautiful! I love the feathers in the triangles. They showcase your blocks very well while adding great movement of their own.

Oh Violet, that is coming out wonderful! Love your quilting!

I received my Pony Club book this week, I'm all set to start our next adventure.

What type of fabric will you be using for this next journey?

I picked up some of the novelty fabric that Laurie listed on her Yahoo site (cowboy, horses, farm animals, bandanas - stuff like that while on vacation this year. I just got fat quarters and plan to use fabric I have on hand (hopefully).

For those who missed what she wrote, here is the Yahoo information she gave earlier:

Hi Cynthia,

Thanks for the question. I had thought someone would like advanced notice about the fabrics. I have to be gone most of this weekend, so I will give you a little information now, and get back to you tonight or tomorrow. I used mostly primary (darker) fabrics, with no pink at all. I tried to use stark white sparingly, and there is no common color theme throughout the quilt. (As you know, The Farmer's Wife didn't have one either.) You will need many SMALL scale novelty fabrics. I found horses/ponies, barbed wire, cowboy hats, lasso rope, saddles, little boys and girls with horses, horseshoes, bandana, etc. (Absolutely adorable, too!) There is also room for lots of plainer fabrics from your stash to go with these novelty fabrics.
I also used a dozen or two rather strange fabrics (at least strange until you read the letters) such as Christmas fabric and train fabric. I'll get back to you later about these. Thanks for the good question!

God bless you,
Laurie Aaron

Hi Anne
I have a fat quarter bundle called American Banner Rose by Minick and Simpson for Moda, I just can't see myself using novelty prints.
But now I am wondering whether or not to go with 1930's type fabric. I guess I have a while to make up my mind hehehe.
I have been reading the Pony Club book and a huge round of applause to Laurie for writing such a wonderful book. I love the history behind patchwork and quilting
Now I have 3 months to finish a few or maybe several ufo's so I had better get to it....

I've been debating whether to go the novelty route?
Or going with one colour theme, such as blues? or greens?
Or picking one or two staples to use throughout and add in whatever for a real scrappy look??

While the novelties would be cute, it means a lot of new fabric.
I'd really like to work on "bash the stash".

And then yesterday, I signed up for a monthly Mystery Quilt at my LQS!! Silly me!

With all the nice compliments I feel like I am really a "quilter". It still has a long way to go, but just wanted everyone to know I am still in there.

Thanks everyone.

Violet, you're more "in there" than I am! I still have to set my blocks but haven't had much time for them right now. Am trying to finish two birthday quilts in the next couple of weeks (haven't you heard about how slow I am?) and then on to finishing at least four Christmas quilts. Did I mention what a slow quilter I am? :-) But, I do want to finish at least one of the twin FWS quilts for me for Christmas. So much to do! (sigh)

It's so good to hear from all of you! I went on the Blocks & BOM looking for finished FW pictures. This is the first thing I found and it has been great hearing about everyone's progress.

I have 70 blocks done, whew! After my summer fell apart and I didn't get many blocks done, school started. It's been 6 or 7 weeks and I think I'm in normal mode. I sure hope so. This past week I've done 4 blocks. I'm hoping to have it done by the beginning of next year since I have a week at Thanksgiving and 2 weeks at Christmas.

My hubby has been home on temporary disability for about a month. He's have feet problems and is not able to stand or walk far at all. His job is all walking and physical work. I told him he should take up quilting!

I can't wait to see the Pony Club! I'm feeling wishy-washy about doing it so soon after FW. I would like a break to work on some different quilts, but I love you guys and would miss not doing it with you!

I can't wait to see pictures of finished quilts!

I plan to do twins also. Not that I need a twin quilt, but I just don't think I can handle anything larger.

Well, QN, I don't think there will be a problem with anyone jumping in whenever they can. Life gets in the way alot and can't be helped. What does help is encouragement from your fellow quilters/sewers egging you on to continue or to just stay in the game. You're experiencing that right now..right???
Here we are...a year from the start and we still have some doing the FWS ...including myself!! there will be others finishing and posting and we will all look and reply until there are no more posts about it. Fabric, stitches and thread bonded more than a quilt in this journey and I am so glad about it.

I'm doing a few fast quilts plus a block swap and cutting out 1-1/2" stamps for a future project?? and looking forward to the Pony Club. When this does start it will just be 'The Pony Club'. I don't want any confusion with the FWS in front of the title. The current will be ongoing. I am looking forward to the new 'Trip". Anne

Anne, will you be "heading up" the Pony Club? You did such a great job keeping the FWS group going when Muriel had to bow out you would be perfect for the Pony Club! I'm also looking forward to our next trip. :)

As far as I know...I will be.. I spoke to Patrice and was requested that I hold off announcing until a month before the actual start up. So December 1, 2011 will be the official announcement that we will be starting after the New Year. So, start all your gathering because we will be doing a 'giddy-up' before we know it. :-P

Giddy up and a Yahoooooooooo!!!!!!!!
:)

Thank you, thank you Anne, for taking us on the next journey. I hope you know how much we all appreciate your leadership and insight on these blocks. I was hesitant to sign for PC because some of the blocks look rather daunting; but with everyone's help here, I know I can learn how to do them. Really looking forward to it--you can't imagine how much I've missed the interaction with everyone on FWS thread. Feels like my good friends moved away! Now we can "get together" again soon.

It's been fun watching everyone else finishing up blocks now. I can say "hey, I remember doing that one" and comparing color choices, techniques, etc. Keep those pics coming, ladies.

LOL, that was a good one Anne!!! I'm also looking forward to The Pony Club quilt, thanks so much for taking on the task to "lead us" forward on this new endeavor! :lol: :lol:

Anne, thanks for the kind words. Once I get the FW ready for quilting and also have done some quick quilts I think I will join in! I appreciate your perspective. When I join I'll just start where everyone is and go from there and then double back to do the earlier ones.

I have so appreciated everyone's comments still coming in as I post blocks. What a great group! Looking forward for another mosey with you.

Thanks Anne for being the wagonmaster!

So glad you are going to join us Quilting Nonnie!

I'm game to join The Pony Club group, but I must say, after looking REALLY closely at some of the blocks, I think they will challenge what basic skills I have. I looked at Laurie's blog and perused the pages from the book she included. Yikes -- there are paper-piecing blocks! Those will definitely be a test for me. :shock:

I had not done ANY paper piecing before the FWS quilt. I found the video below most helpful! I use the thin scribble pad paper ($ store variety) for my paper. I cut it to 8 1/2 X 11 and it runs through my printer fine and tears right off. I think some of the blocks really need to be done paper piecing.

I used templates for most of my FWS blocks. I saved the templates for the FWS quilt as I did them on plastic from binder dividers, as someone mentioned when we started. Laurie mentioned that she printed the PCQ blocks on card stock for each block. I think I may start doing that, have not decided yet. I liked using the templates.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xv2gK...eature=related

There are a lot of other other video's on youtube too.

Jeanie

The new year is great timing for me. I am just too involved in the FWS to start the Pony Club yet. I have my book and it looks great. Love the options for piecing.

Hi everyone, it was good to read your postings and learn of your progress each of you are making. I seen the Pony Book at AQS in Des Moines, Iowa show, but budget did not allow me to purchase it. Nor do I expect to have the time to do it.

Since my Father-in-law's in August, I am putting together "foot quilts" in his memory for grandkids, and great grands...11 of grands (including our three) and I think 22 great grands. Now have collected the bibical blocks and fabric; also the hunting and fishing blocks and novelty prints to start on them. Hope to have most of the tops done for each by Christmas, but will see. Also planning a throw or two featuring Iowa Hawkeyes, and table runners. And a "Gone fishing" throw. He was an avid hunter, fisherman and Hawkeye fan.

Still short three blocks on the FWSQ..may be in the next week at home, I can get those done for the king size top. Never know where I will go next; the Michigan trip of four days was not a planned one, but it happened...because a good friend had a family member died there and needed another driver to help her out. We had a ball on the trip and, of course, discovered an excellent quilt shop there!!

Have suitcase...will travel. Especially to new (to me) quilt shops.

Hi QNS, Yes, I would say that you're going to be very busy...but that's no excuse for you not to stop by and say Hello and to comment on our blocks once we get started...Okay???

Agreed. Love hearing and seeing your progress. Good luck to all on the Pony Quilt as well. Had so much fun with you all on the FWSQ. You were a wonderful leader, Anne.

I think that January is the perfect time to start The Pony Quilt! Gives us all time to wrap up our holiday sewing and such! I'm looking forward to it and may even ask Santa for the book if I can wait til then...LOL!

Hi, Just 51 days before the official announcement for the Pony Club quilt. Got your book??? Got your fabric??? Get ready to Giddy-up!!!!!

LOL, I'm ready!!!

I hope we end up having a big Posse.

:lol: :lol:

LOL, I'm ready!!![/quote]

Trotting on in to say howwwwdeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!
Got my book ..... and one huge stash!
clip clop clip clop clip clop ........ and awaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyy!!!!!!!!
I hope we end up having a big Posse.

:lol: :lol:[/quote]