Social Pearing

A few years back and for several years in a row, I was involved in a social sewing 'class' - more like a club - at the local quilt shop. Each year, the shop would select a new project, one that could be nurtured through the year with a variety of quilt blocks to make assigned at each meeting. 


The meetings were on Thursday evenings once a month - I think it was the second Thursday of each month, the meetings were quite fun and very social. The bulk of the meeting was dedicated to the group members sharing their progress on that year's selected project. The monthly club has ended, but some of the projects linger - in my stack of stuff to finish.

I made a few more of the Nearly Insane blocks I mentioned last week, and then decided to put those away for the time being. A little bit of head-scratching calculations can go a long way. I'll come back to the Insane blocks when I'm in the mood for more of the fussy-math-brain work.

Then I pulled out one of the projects from that monthly club I mentioned above. (Yeah, I know, it doesn't look like much, eh?)

The club project was from Farm Girl Vintage by Lori Holt. 

I have to be honest, if I weren't in the club, I'm not sure I would have been drawn to this book. The blocks are fun, scrappy, but a little too farm-y for my taste.

The club parameters were very loose, so I chose one block, and decided to make several that block.

Like lots. And lots.

I chose some batik fabrics from my stash and started cutting. I have some notes in the margin of the Pear-pattern, that I can no longer understand - I'm sure they made perfect sense at the time!

I decided on the 6" version of the Pear Block (each block in the book has a 6" and a 12" version).

And I think my goal (based on the cryptic notes on the page) involved place mats. . .That was then. This is now. 

I'm shooting to finish the blocks, and turn them into a summery table runner. . . in time for summer! (Rolling my eyes a little right there)

I'm determined to get this baby done. The pressure is on.

I've got several pears made - except for applique seeds - the yellow pears are supposed to be a pear sliced in half with the inside - and a couple seeds - exposed.

I've got lots of pieces cut (I've noticed that I have a lot more stems that pear-parts, so I'll have to figure that out some how).

And ONE lonely block complete (a block is two pears), no seeds - yet.

I'm making the pears in between the prep for the upcoming cruises, so they really aren't the main focus of my daily sewing sessions.

But the pieces are small enough to be the 'other' project that keeps the chain piecing going while I'm working on the gotta-do cruise teaching step-out samples.

I'm on a snit, and when that happens, I can get pretty focused, so let's see how long it'll take me to finish up a very 'peary' table runner! (Nyuk-nyuk!)

Tally-ho!

Happy Stitching!
Joan