Forgotten Farms
60 x 60
I think this is the one finished quilt that I am most impressed with. It all came together, with ease and in due time, as if it was just meant to be!
I had seen this pattern in a magazine article. I instantly loved it and wanted it in the worst way. Sometimes a quilt pattern just screams ‘You Must Have Me!’ This one had old run down barns, which I love… and it was a quilt, which I love!! I took note of the pattern name and that it was by Nancy David-Murty. I quickly did some online research and found out where I could order it from. This was originally a block of the month series of ten patterns – meaning it would take ten moths to get all of the patterns to make it. Thankfully I found where it was available to purchase all at once. The problem with that is it was going to be quite expensive. This couldn’t keep me from getting a pattern that had screamed at me! So I hung the order form on my fridge for a few months until I had finally saved enough to purchase it…ooh, happy day!!
While waiting for the funds to buy the pattern, I began the joyful task of collecting the ‘building’ materials for the barns, the tree colors and the background fabrics. When my patterns finally arrived, I was ready to get started and I didn’t waste any time!
This was my first time to attempt to needle turn hand appliqué. Of course I would begin with something so intricate! No time to worry about that… I jumped right in as if I knew just what I was doing! The nine barn blocks went smoothly and surprisingly quick considering the number of pieces in each one. It was so rewarding to create each unique barn from tiny pieces of building fabric. Even though it probably wasn’t, the log cabin border seemed to be the most time consuming.
Unlike some of my other quilts, I didn’t waste any time getting right to the quilting part of this one. I hand quilted around all the appliqué pieces, around the sashings and the log cabin border pieces. I then stitched, what I hoped to look like, sun rays beginning at the center and fanning out to the edge of the blocks. The label on the back is made to look like an old weathered sign. It is embroidered with the title, signed and dated.
Within a few months of finishing I entered my sweet little barn quilt in two different quilt shows. The first show, it went unrecognized. But when I walked up to the display case at the Tulsa State Fair and saw not only a first place ribbon, but a Best of Show ribbon…I could have fallen over!! I’m not the squealy, screamy type but I promise, that’s just what my innards were doing at that moment!!
For me, these farms are unforgettable!
