Farmer’s Wife

Awhile ago, I was looking on Amazon and saw a new quilt book called, Farmer’s Wife By Laurie Aaron Hird.  I put it on my wish list hoping that someday, I might purchase it.
FarmersWife
Being a farmer’s wife and admirer of sampler quilts, I thought the book might be something I would like.  Well, Kelli bought it for me for my birthday.  I was real happy but after looking carefully at the quilt, it looked pretty overwhelming….there are 101 different blocks in the quilt and some even have inset seams…something I don’t know if I am ready to tackle! 

Looking more carefully at the book, it was inspired bya 1922 contest in the Farmer’s Wife magazine.  Readers were supposed to write in answering the following question:  “If you had a daughter of marriagable age, would you, in light of you own experience (as a farmer’s wife), want her to many a farmer?”  The book features written responses from farm wives along with quilt blocks that were inspired by those responses. 

I read one response and started crying.  Growing up a farmer’s daughter and becoming a farmer’s wife, I could really relate to the letter.  The farming life is both a blessing and a curse….and it’s not something you can do a little bit.  It isn’t just a job, it’s a life….a life for the whole family.  Most days, I love it.  Most days, I wouldn’t trade it for anything…but their are days, that are difficult.

After reading one letter in the book, I am hooked.  Although I don’t want to tackle any inset seams….I’m thinking I might give it a try.  Although making 101 different blocks seems monumental….I think it might be fun.   It will be a quilt to remember.  Now I am trying to calculate how many blocks I have to do in a month to finish it in a year….it might just have to be a two year project :)

Ironically, my daughter Kelli, who gave me the book has been dating a farmer for almost two years.  So would I advise her to marry a farmer?  Yes…I would.

5 thoughts on “Farmer’s Wife”

  1. How funny! You are a farmer’s wife, and the things you do on a daily basis are so intimidating to most people. Yet, you don’t give them a second thought. You just do them, because you need to.
    I suggest that you approach the inset/Y-seams the same way. Take a few scraps and play with the process until you can make them look good. From the photos in the sidebar, it looks like you do a lovely job of quilting. So it shouldn’t take more than a few tries before you have the hang of it! I am off to give paper piecing a whirl myself.
    Good luck on your Farmer’s Wife Quilt! It ought to be a stunner when you are finished!

  2. I want to remember this book…sounds like something I would love to read.

    I grew up on a small farm in Tennessee, surely different to the farming that goes on here. And I worked at an orchard near her for 20 yrs…just a small orchard…and I know it is not farming but it is a life I love.

    1. It sounds like you had a wonderful farm experience. I have been gone for a good chunk of January and can’t wait to get caught up so I can get a couple blocks finished.

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